How much do extra-curriculars matter for an international student?

Applying to College
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<p>I'm a British student applying for American Unis and I'm wondering if ECs are weighed the same for international students?</p>

<p>Reason I ask is because our UCAS system (your Common Application) is not holistic, and the only thing they ask you for is your grades/predicted and a small personal statement; no ECs, no essays, nothing (I think this is an awful system personally).</p>

<p>Extra-curricular activities are not actively promoted/encouraged as much as it is in the US from what I've read on here, from my guidance counselor and also from my own personal experience. Its also one of the reasons in my opinion why youth binge drinking is rampant in the UK and also why were ranked as the worst developed country for a child to grow up in by UNESCO. </p>

<p>Seriously I got to a sixth-form college in this country (the last two years of high school in the US) with around 1500 students and I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or less people here have the same amount of ECs/dedicated ECs compared to the people who regularly post in the "What are my chances" sub-forum.</p>

<p>I'm not trying to make excuses, but we have nothing like the Model UN, Intel awards, National Honor Society, math/science societies etc. We don't even have a student newspaper or 'Presidents' of clubs, unless you count a magazine which is published once a year; the only thing I can think of which is comparable to an EC and actively promoted nationally in the UK is the Duke of Edinburgh award, but even then a minority of students take up the offer because everyone here knows you can get into a top Uni in the UK with 0 ECs and when I asked how my friends were doing on it they just brought alcohol and got drunk at camp, lol and no I'm not exaggerating. Most of my friends get drunk nearly every month, dare I say week (although I'm a teetotaler I don't participate).</p>

<p>Our system of having sixth-form colleges separate from the rest of middle/secondary school also doesn't help. Until sixth-form my secondary school didn't even have any clubs at all, and at sixth-form we have semi-serious clubs which hardly anyone attends, and most people only join one at the start of the year as it is compulsory.</p>

<p>Considering all that I don't know how I'm able to have the same caliber of ECs compared to most people who post on here. I know it sounds like I'm ranting but I'm not, I welcome you to come here and see for yourself.</p>

<p>So back to my original question, how much do ECs matter for an international student?</p>

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<p>i know EXACTLY what you mean!!! I’m from Norway and EC are in NO WAY encouraged on the same level here as in America. People here have part time jobs and if they are really good at sport some play it but thats basically it… I seriously have to dig to find anything useful to put on my common app. I’ve had my part time job for 4 years, gone to school and played piano and guitar as hobby… We don’t have any clubs at school or anything remotely like that so…</p>

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<p>Here in Colombia EC’s are not promoted strongly as well, I also know exactly how you feel. We do have things like Model UN, Robotics Club, Chess Club, Bands, various sports, etc. but we have no math olympiads, chemistry olympiads, etc.</p>

<p>I applied to the University of British Columbia with a 3.7GPA, 1810 in the SAT subject tests T.T, and the following ECs: Music, Robotics, Chess, MMA, Webzines, Model UN and community service. </p>

<p>In addition to that, THE ESSAYS about myself.</p>

<p>My collegecounselor says that she has spoken to admissions officers of various colleges and they say that these essays matter a lot. She told me that latinos have been prefered over chinese students with 800 on their Math SAT because of this!!!</p>

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<p>Oh and I didn’t really answer your question. Do they matter? yes, they want you to contribute not just academically but artistically, athletically, etc. </p>

<p>However, I got a feeling that admissions officers don’t tend to get those crazy EC’s that american students have from International Students, I got a feeling that they are more flexible in that with International Students, but again, it’s just afeeling.</p>