Since my thread died, i think i’ll try my luck here. (don’t kill me.)
My EC and hobby is juggling and tricking. Is is okay to send a quick film (of a performance routine) with my college app or is that a bit excessive? For example, the Stanford app only asks for it if you’re interested in theater or music majors.
^ Unfortunately, most admissions offices won’t view those kinds of things. Furthermore, Stanford and friends don’t have anyone to “”"“objectively”"""" view your talents… so there wouldn’t be much use in that.
The best thing to do, however, would be to contact the admissions office. Stanford is weird though, b/c if you want to showcase your talents in an arts supplement, they needed it by Nov. 20th… for the Dec 15 deadline.
AHHHHH FRUSTRATING!
[smiles and giggles, smiles and giggles]
Just a word of advice…
Whether you’ve done 2 activities or 25, what is really important is to communicate WHY the activities you are involved in are important to you. WHY do you participate in community service? Why do you commit 20 hours a week to soccer? Why is juggling such a big part of your life? Answering WHY you do these things (in an essay, on the common app, attaching an additional short answer response, asking your college counselor or teacher to mention them in your recs) is the most important thing to communicate.
When I read an application, it’s quality over quantity…but fhimas888888888 is right…we don’t have a lot of time to watch videos/read extra stuff. However, if it isn’t mentioned anywhere else in your application, write a short essay or note about it!
I was wondering that too…anyone??
some schools will ask you to verify your involvement…not many, but some do randomly select students to verify some activities (University of California system, for example).
Hi, i just sent in my UCLA portfolio for the design department. I submitted everything required but i left the Extra-curricular section blank because i thought that extra-curricular meant anything that is school related. the deadline for the portfolio was jan. 15 and i don’t know what to do. Should i call and explain? should i let it go? what should i do?
BTW I did have a lot of work experience and did write in my essay the extra-curricular activities that i engage in.
call them and get the fax number, then fax it to them…
should I explain to them what is going on over the phone?
Yeah - that wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Will Berkeley look at supplementary art/music material?
Is crew a notch above other sports? The college counselors at my school say it’s a myth. However i will still be participating in it because I like it and think I can be good (only a freshmen). Also how does 3 varsity sports look (CC, Soccer, Crew). Upon looking through the board I have seen many people telling others to strive towards 500 hours. What’s so special about 500. I know my school offers some special award for 500 hours. I plan to get it I already have 135. Also when applying do you include what the community service was or just you did it. My community service has been helping out with 4th graders and volunteering at CCD. Does that look worse then working in a hospital or helping the poor? Sry I have so many questions, i’m just curious
Here is a blog about some kids from a Long Island high school who had a great EC/community service idea. They saw a social problem outside of their school and came up with a really creative idea to help change the lives of a few kids less fortunate than themselves (and learned something in the process). Of course a great EC on its own isn’t getting you into HYPS without the academics, but I think you have to show either passion OR compassion to have your humanity separate you from the crowd. Any kid can candystripe or debate or get involved in student council, but what are you willing to take a chance…
How can you change a small part of the world and escape your comfort zone…
<a href=“http://www.savingtheirseason.blogspot.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.savingtheirseason.blogspot.com</a>
I am curious if anyone could help me… I posted this on another thread, but to no responses, but see this thread is more appropriate…
I am currently in a community college (with about a 3.5 GPA) and plan to transfer to USC (as well as their Thornton School Of Music as a Music Industry Major with an emphasis on technology/recording) in 2008. But there are some questions I have regarding EC’s, as my situation is sort of unique…
From about 6th grade through my high school graduation, I was severely ill with one health problem after another. Suffice to say, I was home schooled throughout that entire time (there was a couple of times I tried returning to school, but only to get sick again). Finally, this year has been the first year I have been able to successfully return to school, (first year of college) with a clean slate of health. However, as you can guess, because of all the time I was home, I wasn’t able to join any clubs or do anything related to groups or anything outside.
Some of the things I did while I was home during those years was develop an enormous passion in music. Some of which includes: teaching myself musical instruments, teaching myself how to produce albums and record songs on the computer and basically be a one man band (which I still do. although my mixing does leave a lot to be desired, but I know what the buttons do), worked with a lot of top recording softwares, and have perfect pitch (not trying to brag or anything and apologies if I do… just merely listing things that I did during this time) etc., etc. So basically, my question is this: because my only EC’s up to this point have been this, is this going to hurt me when I apply to the schools I want to apply to? I mean, I know there’s the great debate about very few passionate EC’s might mean more than a ton of trivial one’s, but, considering this is my one true passion, is this not enough? Do I need more? In any event, your help and advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Post your question as a new thread. You’ll get more responses.
The whole ECs thing is confusing…what if I do too much? too little?
It’s pretty egocentric of me to do this, but I’m going to list my ECs below. if anyone would be really nice and give me advice about what looks good and/or what to cut out, i would genuinely appreciate it.
i am a high school junior and i am shooting for a top-tier school. but i’m worried that i don’t have a chance.
ECs:
varsity sports (9th-present)
advisory board @library (6th-present)
city commission–chair (10th-present)
student senate (11th)
youth leadership program (graduation in April)
prom committee (11th)
journalism (9th-present)
piano–competitive (2nd-present)
ethnic club–president (11th)
speech (11th)
waitress (11th)
I also have some summer scholarship programs and internships.
***** NOTE *******
** If you have questions concerning yourself and not general EC protocol, post a <strong><em>NEW</em></strong> topic. **
You will receive more and better responses.
what are the levels of ECs that are usually expected of
international students? virtually same? bit lower?
Like in the US, my guess is it’s all about the resources available to you and what you do with then. If your school doesn’t have a good debate/science/music program, the adcoms are going to have trouble expecting such accomplishments from you. It’s all about what’s available to you.
so would the research the school you came from?
Not to the point of RESEARCHING a school, but just evaluating the overall educational quality of the school’s district and resource availability around the city (IMO)
Quality over quantity, people.
Just because your friend volunteered 500 hrs versus you volunteering 100 hrs in the same place won’t make your friend an automatic acceptance over you. It’s about the experiences you make out of the activities you pursue.
thanks for the heads up, fhimas88888888
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