<p>@intparent
I realize you are trying to give good advice but it’s misguided. In one of the following channel’s video, the host (who has worked at stanford) analyzes an engineering applicant and remarks how all his ECs are on the same subject and therefore he is ‘pointed.’ She goes on to say being ‘pointed’ is okay but it’s pretty obvious that she would have preferred a well-rounded student.</p>
<p>So having 7/10 ECs on a similar subject makes the OP very pointed.</p>
<p>@Bomerr You have to keep in mind that there is no such thing as EC’s here. We lack the opportunities people in the US have. The fact I did something in itself is an achievement. And if that makes it better, I dance ballet from 6th grade and have been playing tennis and basketball for 4 years now. As far as I know, colleges consider students within the context of the opportunities available. @intparent It makes sense to do so but then I’ll have to think of a specific anecdote to talk about instead.</p>
<p>“colleges consider students within the context of the opportunities available.”
But what does that means? The level of vagueness in that statement is through the roof.
Colleges will not be impressed that you did stuff in your free time for that is an admissions requirement given.</p>
<p>Dancing Ballet and playing sports are good. With those 2 ECs you now have the sports angle taken care of. </p>
<p>@bomerr, you are just getting in deeper and deeper. You have no idea, and are just muddling things for the OP. There is nothing vague about the context issue; colleges know that some students have better opportunities than others, especially international students from countries like Tunisia. And the concept of the “sports angle” means nothing. No student NEEDS sports to get into any college in the country. You are relying too much on videos. I have coached 2 kids through very successful college searches, including some admissions to top colleges. My youngest got into every college she applied to.</p>
<p>OP, keep all those ECS on the list. I agree that you have done more than many people in your situation would be able to, and you should show it. You have some things that aren’t related to your essay, and that keeps you from being one-note. And if the discussion of the gender issues you were raised with come out best when mentioning your dad’s remarriage, then go ahead and use it.</p>
<p>I got one international student in an American university with a full-ride scholarship. His story was really compelling. He talked about how his dad almost died from an lack of a blood transfusion but luckily at the last moment they were able to find a donor. After that he went on to volunteer at the hospital and work on increasing the blood bank supplies in his country. </p>
<p>Point is that kind of caring and endearing, angle works great. Inversely lots of people write about family issues or problems and so that is a very dangerous angle to approach. With the amount of ECs OP has in the subject I’m sure there is a better way to get her story out. </p>
<p>I think it is a good topic to write about, as long as you have the writing abilities to turn it into a well written piece about how your dad’s actions changed you for the better. I agree to not make the essay too much about him, and more about how they affected you. Also I have to disagree with the advice about how you should remove some EC’s because they are all about the same thing. It’s no secret that colleges like a well rounded student, but that is does not mean they want you in every single club available. It means they want you doing well in school, while still chasing your passion. They like to see a sense of direction. For example, if your intended major is to be biology, they want to see you in the science national honors society, taking science classes, volunteering at a research lab, doing a science decathlon, etc. they do NOT want to see you in yearbook club, as newspaper editor, camera man in the school play, on the debate team, on the math team, etc. College admissions have long since revealed that in terms of EC’s they want you involved in whatever drives your passion or goal in life, not that you just joined everything to add them to your resume.</p>
<p>Well what is the alternative for colleges to say?</p>
<p>“Go ahead, load up on a bunch of activities you don’t care about so it boosts your application.”
Of course they can’t say that. </p>
<p>You can see that video about the engineering applicant at Stanford that ehe admissions officer doesn’t want to hold it against the applicant that most of his EC are tech related but at the same time it would be much easier to admit him if he was well-rounded. </p>
<p>For you guys that have taken economics, in terms of game theory the dominant strategy for college admissions will always be to appear well-rounded.</p>
<p>Stop talking about Stanford engineering. That video is ONE person at ONE college in ONE major talking about ONE applicant. It is not gospel, and in fact doesn’t match the OP’s situation anyway. She isn’t completely pointy, so she is FINE.</p>