<p>Lol you don’t need to tell me. I’m in college already; I don’t need to know. Ask them your original questions then. Ask if you should “add the class time” or count homework time. </p>
<p>In fact, ask all the schools you’re planning on applying to. You obviously don’t care for my advice.</p>
<p>Classes don’t count for extracurriculars at all? That’s BS. I’ll be damned if band for eight years isn’t an extracurricular.</p>
<p>I did band for 8 years too. It’s not an EC. Other things (teaching lessons, All-State, doing camps, etc.) can be ECs. A class is a class. It doesnt matter whether it’s an academic subject or not. If you’re getting hours in school then it’s not an extra curricular. Band can have honors/leadership positions etc. But again, during the school day classes are classes. After school (rehearsals, practicing etc) is essentially homework. </p>
<p>OP and flamewire- talk to your GCs. Talk to adcoms. Or you can just put it down. Doesn’t matter to me if you make that mistake.</p>
<p>@Flamewire EXACTLY!!! </p>
<p>@Lagging so you are saying that if I decided not to take the Speech and Debate class, and just joined the team by working on my own and going to the tournaments that would be an EC? Even though I would still be required to go to two tournaments a semester to stay on the team? It only matters if I got a grade for it or not?</p>
<p>PS What college are you attending?</p>
<p>I agree, this is a problem… My predicament is slightly different. Boy Scouts… Once a week for an hour and a half, however, camping trips happen once a month or so and last about 36 hours.</p>
<p>Yes that’s what I’m saying. It might not sound fair, but it’s how it is. A class gives you school credit, grades, etc. Something you do outside of school that isn’t for a grade/credit is an EC. You’re getting class credit for Speech and Debate. Honestly it’s probably more impressive as a class than as an EC. Especially if you have good grades.</p>
<p>I’m going to Stanford. Though my school really doesn’t matter for this topic. I’ve asked my GC and adcoms and repeating what I’ve ben told.</p>
<p>ZombieDante -</p>
<p>I have no interest in getting in the middle of this debate. However, I will quickly state my opinion and leave! Classes are not extracurriculars. Having said that, the time you spend outside of those classes (i.e. rehearsing for band, going to concerts, etc.) most certainly is an extracurricular. So, what I would advise is for you to put them under the EC section but for “hours spent” just subtract the class time.</p>
<p>If we are wrong and the people who say it is not an extracurricular are right, then the adcoms will simply dismiss it. They are not going to hold it against you as “padding” your EC section. At my school, band is considered an EC too, so I know about 150 people who will similarly be listing it as much more than a class. You will not be alone, and therefore you will not be punished. Adcoms understand the confusion of filling out the common app, so don’t worry and just list it. </p>
<p>Now can we please end this debate? It’s just opinion after opinion, nothing more!</p>
<p>Best of luck to you,
<p>Et tu Mike? Lol jk.</p>
<p>Anyway I just sent a message to the adcom for one of my top choice colleges, we shall see who is right and who is wrong.</p>
<p>Anyone wanna’ help me out and answer my question?=P Well, I’m not sure it was a question, but still…</p>
<p>ZombieDante -</p>
<p>I am agreeing with you! I am no Brutus!</p>
<p>And to EliKresses -</p>
<p>You have two options (that I can think of). You could average the total number of hours spent per month and divide by 4. Or, you can split it into 2 ECs. First, have the 1.5 hours per week and explain that, and then in the other have the 36 hours per week and explain that.</p>
<p>Best regards,
<p>Its not about seeing whose right or wrong. You should talk to all your schools also, not just one. Unless you apply and get into that one early. Remember, you’re not supposed to change the common app for different schools so if any schools don’t consider it an EC I wouldn’t put it as one. If you really feel like it takes up all your time then you could write a supplemental essay on it.</p>
<p>@Eli- A little confused on your question. Why wouldn’t boy scouts count? Add up your hours for one month (including the the 36 hour trip) then divide by the number of weeks per month to get an estimate per week.</p>
<p>Wow this zombiedante guy sounds like a really awesome human being. I hope his personality gets him into any college he wants.</p>
<p>Yea, because you can tell so much from a few posts in one thread. Hey everyone let’s be all “cool” and be all sarcastic like he was. </p>
<p>Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using CC</p>
<p>On a different note: I just started a part-time job this week, where I’m set to work about 20 hours a week. Now, the hours per week is easy enough, but what do I put for weeks per year if I’m there every week, but only just started? Can I put something like 50 weeks, or should I just put the number of weeks I’ve worked at the time of completing the CommonApp?</p>
<p>@Lagging </p>
<p>"The question asks approximate time spent on an activity, so if you spend time in the classroom on the activity then yes that should be included. " -JHU administration officer.</p>
<p>ZombieDante -</p>
<p>Well done, and good to know! All those band kids will breath a sigh of relief :)</p>
<p>I win. :)</p>
<p>Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using CC</p>
<p>Wow! So if I’m taking AP Bio, I can list my class time, my after school lab time, my homework time, Science Fair prep time and study group time! That averages to about 15 hours per week for 40 weeks.</p>
<p>I also have great leadership positions in it: Lab section leader (voted by my lab partner); Study group president; Office Hours administrator.</p>
<p>Include band if you want, but it seems silly to me. Why are band people generally defensive and uptight?</p>
<p>^lololololol</p>
<p>@rmldad maybe because idiots like you think lesser of everybody else.</p>