How strong are my ECs?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm a junior right now... I'm aiming at top schools.</p>

<p>Interact district Governor this year and next, President of school's club last year, sole founder.</p>

<p>Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts for 12 years</p>

<p>Academic Decathlon, will probably win a few medals</p>

<p>Piano... Not really good, but played for 11 years. Do colleges make you submit samples?</p>

<p>National Honor Society. I do nothing.</p>

<p>I watch a ton of basketball games and have 13 k posts on an internet discussion forum.</p>

<p>I spend like 2 hours a day watching politics and news.</p>

2

<p>Bump10char</p>

3

<p>Weak.
The last 3 are NOT EC’s. Not sure what you think of as an EC, but I certainly wouldn’t want college admissions knowing I spent my time posting on some internet forum when I could actually be doing something to help the world, such as raising money for some charity.</p>

4

<p>Weak is a little harsh, but for top schools, they’re not particularly impressive.</p>

5

<p>^
Average?</p>

6

<p>Average, yes. Some kids with average ECs will be admitted to top schools, most won’t. Good luck.</p>

<p>Edit: It depends what one means by top schools. Top 10, average won’t usually cut it. A little less selective, your ECs are better than average.</p>

7

<p>Didn’t your son get into Princeton? What were his ECs?</p>

<p>Is it too late to bolster my ECs?</p>

8

<p>Yes, he had nationally recognized community service, Pres. of an active NHS, strong musical stuff, head science tutor at the HS, overall average to above avg ECs, plus he was a 4.0 UW val with great scores, State and Natl AP Scholar. I think his athletic recruitment clinched it for him.</p>

<p>At this point, your ECs are what they are.</p>

9

<p>I wouldn’t listen to Shay. Your NHS and 13k basketball posts are ECs. ECs are how you spend your time in a productive way outside of school. Making 13,000 contributions on a basketball forum is certainly noteworthy and interesting.</p>

<p>Now watching the news, not an EC, because it’s just part of daily life.</p>

10

<p>^
I suspected the politics part wasn’t really an EC since I don’t do anything. I wish I had a seventh slot-filler.</p>

11

<p>You’re only a junior. Try and get plugged in with some interesting club/academic competition, or look for some opportunity to shadow/intern over the summer.</p>

12

<p>My school doesn’t really have any clubs with competitions aside from Academic Decathlon and sports, which I am not good at.</p>

13

<p>Then see what you can do outside of school, or start some random club.</p>

<p>If you have some particular interest, just e-mail some guys high up at big related businesses around you. Student looking for internship. Many places will be happy to let you come in and see how things work/ do some meaningless task. You may just be a unpaid paper filer, but Internship with Business XXX on your resume will look good.</p>

14

<p>I don’t really know how good your EC’s but I like your screename :slight_smile: Lakers > Boston.</p>

15

<p>LOOOL at the last 3. HYPS-MIT material? not quite</p>

16

<p>I agree that your ECs are good and also quite typical of those applying to top schools. No you don’t have to submit a sample of your piano playing - it’s only if you think you are exceptionally talented. Music majors often do but most people don’t. And if you are really interested in politics (2 hrs/day is a lot of watching!), stop watching and go do something about it: Get involved in an election in some capacity. Learn how it really works at the grass roots level. It will make you a much more interesting applicant.</p>

<p>Keep in mind, that it’s not all ECs and grades. Sometimes a really outstanding essay or unique personal circumstances that contribute to a unique world view can be the thing that puts you other the top.</p>

17

<p>

The question about impressive ECs comes up regularly on this forum. There is a thread with comments by NSM, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs which the OP can read thru and make her/his own decision about how they stack up. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

18

<p>What about depth of EC’s?</p>