Not all ECs and “passions” have national recognition and/or awards. How refreshing it might be for the adcoms to see an applicant do something because they enjoy it, not because they need some type of validation or recognition by receiving an award. “Most”, by all means not all awards seem to be concentrated between science, math and debate. I do none of these. One of my passions is Latin American culture. How many awards are available for that? Okay, there might be a couple but who cares. But my passion for Latin American culture extends way beyond being president of my Spanish Club (which I’m not). How you demonstrate your interest in your ECs and passions is more an important than winning awards. Some people work towards obtaining awards, others find so much enjoyment in their EC, they do it for their own personal satisfaction. Besides, who says you have to be the best at anything to enjoy it?
I am unaware of how often schools explicitly check ECs … but ECs are part of the whole application package and it all should hang together. So, for example, if someone padded their application with big-time awards or ECs it would be expected these accomplishments would appear in a reference letter since they are so stellar (and if they don’t that raises questions) … or, if this EC is a big deal it should be a big topic in the interview and the applicant should be passionate and knowledgable about the EC.
a very nice n’ wise word from worldshopper and very very true indeed.
hi, i’m really worried about the ec’s i have right now. i’ve been planning to get into more ec’s, but now i’m in the second semester of my junior year, and i only have hospital volunteering to show for (hopefully around 250 hrs. by senior year). i’m not in any of the clubs that i was in freshman year, and now i’m only active in FBLA just cause i’m historian.
my academics are OK (4.3 w gpa) except for this year…junior year killls 
so what do you guys think, should i try to join another club in the middle of the year (i was on the red cross club communications committee soph year, so thats the club i’m thinking about)…and should i start volunteering somewhere else besides the hospital?
thanks guys
"But my passion for Latin American culture extends way beyond being president of my Spanish Club (which I’m not). " - worlrdshopper.
Worldshopper - I am curious what you do beyond anything else in order to show your passion of Latin American culture, since your interests are basically the same as mine. Not trying to copy you (Plus, that’s not passion). I’m just curious. Can you share with us?
Nemo- If volunteering and helping out in this world is YOUR passion, then go for it. But be sure you’re joining clubs and organizations because you love to join and work there, not to just show colleges you’ve been in some and just to show evidence.
kevster1001: Currently in 7th year of Spanish, National Spanish Honor Society. That’s the typical stuff.
Went to school 2 summers in Central America by myself w/o an exchange program or group or organization. Taught English to kids in Guatemala, again w/o any assitance. Started a non-profit to help kids at the school where I taught (personal connection). Take salsa lessons and have taken cooking classes. Read magazines written for the Hispanic population, read lots of books on the history and culture. Working with a school (not the one I’m trying to help) and acting as a tour guide for kids in U.S. wanting to go to Guatemala and study Spanish without having to pay big $$ for a student exchange program but also not ready to go there alone.
Other passion is figure skating: Member of one local skating club and two national skating organizations, member & co-captain of skating team, attend semi-national competitions, act as assistant coach for beginner class, participate in fund-raising (volunteering) for team. So, for this one area of interest I have leadership, professional affiliation, work experience and volunteer hours and lots of comittment. So, when one says they are “passionate” about something they should demonstrate it in other ways instead of just “doing it”. If I said I was passionate about skating because I’ve taken lessons for 5 years it doesn’t mean much, at least not compared to the examples (which are all true) I just outlined for you.
Oh, let me add to the above post:
I also listen to Latin American music (in Spanish of course) which drives my mom crazy. I have just as much L.A. music as hip-hop.
For the skating, I compete on a team and sometimes individually – that is how much I love the sport. My team stinks, we just won our very first competition in two years. When you are on a team, it wins or it doesn’t, you are not judged individually. I’ve won all of my individual competitions but winning is NOT important (if it were I wouldn’t be on the team). My point is that I’m heavily involved in it, anyway I can get it and that is what passion is all about. Hope all of this helps!
worldshopper - you’re not basically writing all that right? Just your major ones.
What a coincidence?! I lived in Guatemala for 14 years… haha. I’m not Guatemalan, but Korean but lived there almost my entire life. If you got any BASIC questions about Guatemala, feel free to ask me. LOL.
Your activities are beyond what I expected. I also cook everyday (spanish food)
So, when one says they are “passionate” about something they should demonstrate it in other ways instead of just “doing it”. If I said I was passionate about skating because I’ve taken lessons for 5 years it doesn’t mean much -
Oh… I’ve been cooking ever since i started freshmen year but well I do love it but I am not showing any demonstration that I love it. Well, IN the general picture, I miss Guatemala and that’s why I am starting all these things. Cooking and Plus, I am starting to teach younsters Spanish 3hrs every week but I hope to do more hours/week.(hope that helps). So I’m basically showing my passion for Latin American culture by teaching and cooking. Well, compared to yours which is extremely good, mine looks “little”…lol.
kevster1001: That is soooo cool! I’m sure your Spanish cooking abilities far surpass mine! Teaching Spanish to youths is great. I thought about doing that as well, but right now I cannot due to time limitations. I do, however, teach Spanish words to the kids I babysit but that is about it. One of my essays was written on the Chichi market and a Guatemalan quilt I bought there. I KNOW you’ve been there and you probably know what kind of quilt I’m talking about.
you guys, no offense, but I highly doubt your passion for spanish cooking will get you into HYP. Passion is key, but you have to understand why it is that the adcoms love this concept so much - they think it is a a promise of future success. That is, an individual with both ability and passion for a certain area will essentially guarantee that he/she will go to distance.
But passion for spanish culture won’t do you much, unless you show actual activism, like organizing trips to south america and such (as I see some of you did). Ethnic pride is nice and all, but the adcoms want to see more; they want to see potential.
Passion alone ain’t getting anyone into anywhere. My passions were not developed as a one-way ticket into a school; they developed naturally. Actually, both of my passions developed out of failure. I wrote essays about it. Failed my first skating class – the one EVERYONE passes. Was doing poorly in Spanish class and now it has developed in to a passion and part of who I am. My passions are meaningful to me. I was merely giving examples of how I believe a person demonstrates passion in an area of interest. Someone could be passionate about stamp collecting which probably has no promise for the future and not too much ability (although takes a lot of research and education). But merely collecting stamps wouldn’t be enough. They would have to perhaps educate others, belong to some national organizations, maybe have a part-time business selling them on ebay to other collectors, etc.
My point exactly.
Personally (feel free to disagree), I am more attracted to someone who demonstrates tenacity than natural ability or talent. Talent is a gift (free, given, etc.), being determined to do something w/o much natural ability or talent takes a lot more work.
Again, worldshopper, you are looking at the admissions process from the wrong angle.
What adcoms are looking for in an applicant is promise. They want those kids who have the potential to become great successes in the future. This is why they love passion so much; passion, determination, and tenacity are key qualities great individuals frequently demonstrate.
But you also need ability to back it up! if someone is inept, regardless of tenacity, chances are he/she will not go too far in life!
Well I have zero promise of going to the Olympics, so I guess I am totally inept.
worldshopper - chichi quilt is very unique and beautiful. Have you been to Antigua? That’s #1 tourist’s choice place of Guatemala.
I am thinking about joining the Red Cross Chapter of my County and maybe be an English-Spanish translator, and viceversa. But the thing is, there’s also time limitations… I would like to further expand my ECs with my ability to speak spanish fluently… I dont know what things to do… but anything that may involve using spanish would be great for me!
Antigua was beautiful, I stayed there one night in a hostel. Although charming, it did not represent Guatemala well and I will never go back there. Reminded me of Disney World – almost perfect. The small towns with the fifth and poverty was the real Guatemala. The house where I lived had a kitchen but no working oven. To cook, we had to use a hot plate. Laundry was done outside on the patio in an outside utility sink. No hot water for showers but I got use to it. The school where I taught had an outhouse with a 1/2 door that would not shut. The main building looked like a shed, actually it was! And you know what? I enjoyed every bit of it. I also took the chicken buses, not the shuttles because I found the chicken buses to be so interesting and actually funny at times. So crowded with people even hanging out the door! Once we got pulled over by the police because we had too many people on the bus but the driver paid off the police and off we went. Typical. I would guess you lived in Antigua because that was where a lot of foreigners (with $$) lived.
I think being a translator would be ideal!
Oh no. I didn’t live in Antigua, but yes, I did go there almost every week with my family. We would always go to a hotel-restaurant called Panza Verde (Green Belly). Very very nice place. Antigua is indeed a very beautiful place. Have you been to Santo Domingo Hotel? Foreigners’ first stop is there.
I lived in the city and attended a private school.
Worldshopper- do you think a city may need translators? for example, working in the city hall as a translator (no idea how that would work, lol)