<p>For the question hr/wk I am confused. Two of my ECs are classes, so do I add the class time into the mix or do i just count outside time into it?</p>
<p>How are they EC’s if they are also classes? Can you be more specific?</p>
<p>EC time is only your out-of-class time. I took debate as a class for 3 years and also competed with the debate team as an EC. The class time did not count toward my debate hours. Same thing if you are in a sport and have an hour of class time for the sport.</p>
<p>@SteveMA Like I have a Newspaper and Speech & Debate class.</p>
<p>I would only put time outside of class since those will show up on your transcript.</p>
<p>Okay that leads me to another question, on weeks where I have tournaments I’m literally spending like about 16hours doing speech and debate stuff ( plus the regular 3-4 per week). </p>
<p>Do I just put 3-4 hours down or do I do some kind of average? </p>
<p>Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using CC</p>
<p>ZombieDante - I’d just put 3-4 hours. The admissons reps will be familiar with the general time commitments for most typical ECs. You don’t want to give the impression of padding your resume.</p>
<p>I disagree with the other posters. I would average it out. adcoms will not just “know” that you happened to work a lot harder on a certain few weeks, anymore than they’ll know that you may have done a bit less on other weeks. </p>
<p>I would also include the class time for your other EC’s. the question is, if you didn’t have that EC would you be spending that time? if the answer is no, then definitely include it.</p>
<p>Yeah, I agree with stressedouttt about the average thing. For swim team, we spend waaay more time in the pool and generally committed to the sport on the weeks/weekends we have swim meets than during non-competition weeks so putting the number of hours we practice during the less busy weeks doesn’t actually do justice to the amount of commitment to the sport (which is the entire point of listing the hours per week, I’d think), and I’m sure it’s the same for something like debate during tournament weeks.</p>
<p>Okay, could some help me figure out the “average” I should put down? PLEASE!! </p>
<p>Class time: 4-5hours/wk
Normal outside prep: 1-2hours/wk
Outside prep on tournament weeks: 4-5hour/wk
Tournaments: 18-19hours/tournament (sometimes much longer)
Number of Tournaments: 9/yr</p>
<p>Class time does not count for EC time! It’s a class, not an EC. Prep for class (aka homework) also doesn’t count. If the tournaments aren’t for a grade in class then you can list those and prep for those as an EC. If you get a class grade then they are no different than a class project or other assignment.</p>
<p>It’s just ridiculous (and frankly looks like resume padding) to count a class that you are getting high school credit for as an EC. Take, for example, music. Kids in band have 4-5 hours of class time, individual practice (say 1-2 hours a week), and concerts/performance/outside of school rehearsals. That’s a lot of time! My old school’s summer band camp was over 60 hours. Is it an EC? Nope.</p>
<p>@Lagging I disagree with you, just because something is a class doesn’t not make it an EC. </p>
<p>By “prep” I meant preparing for my event(s) for the upcoming tournament. We don’t even really get homework in that class. Yes, technically we are required to go to at least two tournaments a semester, but that doesn’t mean its a class project or something! </p>
<p>Going to you music/band example, it is most DEFINITELY an EC!! I don’t get why you think just because you earn a credit for something doesn’t make it a class. Everyone who signed up for that class did it of free will, they call COMMITTED to that group! Its not just some class they people got placed in and are just taking it “because they need the credit.” </p>
<p>I don’t think you understand why things like that have class spots. Many directors/teachers/whatever make their EC a class because they want the extra prep time because it is a SERIOUS EC! </p>
<p>Trust me if it was just a class for credit, no one would work their asses off like they do! I most definitely wouldn’t have gone to regionals, state, and the national qualifying tournament if I just wanted the credit/grade, because non of those were required.</p>
<p>People sign up for other classes out of “free will” as well. Are you required to take four years of English? No. Do most people? Yes. Does anyone list it as an EC? Absolutely not!</p>
<p>I’m being honest here. If you list a school class that you receive school credit for as an EC then it will look like you’re making up ECs to pad your resume. </p>
<p>Band is not an EC. If you teach lessons, go to music camps, or play in a youth group outside of school then those are ECs, but the band class itself isn’t. I’ve talked at length about this subject with adcoms from several different schools. Everyone I talked to considers a class (and anything counted as an assignment/grade for that class) not an EC. If you’re passionate or dedicated then it will be reflected in your grade and teacher rec if you get one. </p>
<p>If you do things not required by the class then you can list those. Teachers want the extra prep time because it’s a serious class. Im not saying it’s a joke. I’m saying that for any class teachers need prep time. Does anyone list AP Calc as an EC? Of course not. I’m not saying it’s not serious, but I am saying it’s a serious CLASS not EC. Maybe you should talk with your guidance counselor or adcoms about this issue since instead of considering my advice all you want to do is argue. I’m telling you what I was told by both adcoms and my GC.</p>
<p>EC means extra-curricular. So extra to, or OUTSIDE of your high school curriculum. I agree with Lagging, if it is a class, it is, by definition, not an EC. Are the tournaments something you do together with other members of your class, or do you do them completely independent of your school?</p>
<p>@Zombie you could add up all the hours in the year (so the number of hours times the number of weeks in the year for prep plus the same thing for tournaments and so on) and then divide by the number of weeks in the year you participated. that’s what I’m doing anyways</p>
<p>@Lagging Okay now you are comparing apple and oranges. Yes, they are both fruit but that doesn’t make them the same. English is a core subject. </p>
<p>I never said the class in itself is an EC, however it is an EC because of the concerts, after school practice, and competitions you go to! Oh and please enlighten me on these adcoms you have talked to. What college were they from and what were their exact words? </p>
<p>Once again you are freaking comparing apple and oranges! When I said they want extra prep time I meant that, the main parts of that EC are after school. Math isn’t something people choice just to do because they like it, they do it because they have to, unlike when people sign up for arts, dramatics, etc. </p>
<p>@napalm2013 Extra-curricular just means outside required education (like outside of core classes and required credits). Also the tournaments are something I do with my classmates/teammates, its tied with my school because you have to go to go to a high school with an NFL membership. If you ask ANY debater I will promise you 99.99% of them will say Speech & Debate is a class for them and they are required to go to say many tournaments, though if you go to just about any college website they will count Debate as an EC. </p>
<h1>GetOnMyLevel</h1>
<p>@Stressedoutt Umm wow that kinda kind complex, but I guess that works. Thanks :)</p>
<p>You might have never said the class itself was an EC, but you’re considering counting 4-5 hours of class time, which essentially means you’re counting the class as an EC.</p>
<p>Concerts, after school practices, and competitions do not count as ECs unless they are not required for the class. If they’re required then they get a grade like any other assignment. </p>
<p>While your sarcastic tone makes me feel less inclined to help, I’ll still give it a go. I talked to my high school’s college GC, adcoms from Princeton, Stanford, my local state university, and WashU (the WashU one was a college rep not adcom). I didn’t ask any other adcoms because my top choice school told me not to put it. So I didn’t put it. If you don’t believe me ask all your colleges. Chances are most (if not all) will tell you that a class is not an EC. </p>
<p>While you asked a question (hence asking for opinions) you don’t seem at all inclined to listen to answers. I really don’t care whether or not you put it. It will probably hurt your app if you do, but I get nothing out of whether or not you get into your schools. Ignore me if you want.</p>
<p>“When I said they want extra prep time I meant that, the main parts of that EC are after school. Math isn’t something people choice just to do because they like it, they do it because they have to, unlike when people sign up for arts, dramatics, etc.”</p>
<p>I like to do math. In fact, I hate art. But I had to take art anyway because it’s a requirement to graduate at my school. And the main parts of the math I do are after school. I spend more prep time outside of class than I spend in class. Many schools include Speech/Debate/Art/Athletic/Theater requirements just like they have math requirements. I’m just not seeing the difference between the two.</p>
<p>Do what you want of course. Just personally, I’m not putting math on my EC list :P</p>
<p>So I’m just going to settle this, I am going to go ask an adcom and tell you what they say. </p>
<p>Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using CC</p>