Shame I missed this topic when I applied in the fall, but it seems like I was trying to do a lot of what was mentioned anyway.
It’s all about showing your personality. The positive aspects of it. Be genuine…they’ll know if you are.
i would LOVE to get a chance to do volunteer work, and i have been trying to convince my mother to let me get a job, but she is so worried about my academics being in order that she doesnt let me do anything outside of school activities. I’m usually a straight A or AB student…how can i convince her that i can handle school, track, and a job?
PrePrnce-
Ask to talk to her during a non-stressful time in her day and ask her what her reason is for solely focusing on your grades. If she says anything like that she wants you to get into a good college, ask her if you can share this website with her. As a parent, let me tell you, just about 30 minutes of reading here will make it very clear that good grades are not enough. I would focus on the ECs before the job. My D waited until she was 15.5 before getting a job and she looked hard to find one that was understanding of her student commitments both academicly and ECs, and only works PT to earn spending and gas money. Sadly, the days of “earning money for college” seem to be bygone as one is almost punished financially for doing so when the FAFSA is completed.
Good luck! Try to remember that your mom is just trying to do the best she can by you. For us parents, there are no “do overs” in raising our kids.
My passion is German.(even if what I am going to study is economics.)I have been studying German since I was 2 years and I learned to LOVE that language.
I won the first prize on the national phase 2 times.
My point is, is this considered as something accademically or can I include it as an EC and write an essay about it ?
So if i have been involved in many activities over high school with which I have somewhat of a passion for- violin, 2 varsity sports, digital video editing, class president, FBLA, Model UN, etc…am i just supposed to pick one and say its my passion or can i say that maybe im just the type of person that enjoys being well-rounded. I know its the kiss of death to try to do this, according to this thread at least, but it seems like I just can’t limit myself to one or two passions while maintaining honesty. Could i just write my essay about this ?
I have a question which I’m sure has been answered a bunch of times.
On the common ap, it gives you six places to put your ec’s, what if you need more space? I have alot of clubs in which I’ve been active for all 4 years, but not neccerily a leadership position in. Should I just omit them, cause there is not enough space? Though I think some are very important to my application.
^^ Does it not allow you to add more spaces? I thought it did.
List them in order of importance.
Omit the unimportant ones. Ones that are just some really cliched hs ECs. If there are six spaces, I’d recommend putting down 4-5 important ones that have taken a lot of your time in the last few years. Also, some schools allow you to attach a brief resume 
(except for columbia and stanford, which STRICTLY forbids applicants to add anything extra)
Might I add to only attach a resume if the details won’t fit in the spaces provided on the application.
I do have a huge list of ec’s- soccer captain, track captain, dance instructor, 11 yrs dance, ski instructor, a cappella, drama, musicals, volunteer at special needs baseball and basketball, triathlons… I don’t want it to seem like I’m just a ec hog trying to join as many things as possible to look good, because I honestly enjoy every single thing that I do and am 100% dedicated to each one. Is that too cliched for admissions to hear because its the truth. How can I convey how committed I am without sounding fake or corny?
Is it good to tell them that you play a bunch of instruments, even though you have not won any recognition for it? I play piano, accordion, violin, and guitar, but I have not won any major recognition for it. I’m kinda self-taught (with the exception of piano, which I won some minor awards for in elementary/middle school and still take lessons) and do it for fun.
^ I’d like to know as well (I’ve been studying piano for many years). I think you should state it, and perhaps write an essay on how music has influenced your life or something… if playing these instruments are important to you. If not so much, then I suppose it’s like any other activity; just something you do beyond the classroom that makes you more of a tangible person.
after we complete a volunteering activity, usually we get a recommendation or praise letter from the organization’s volunteer leader or something, and i got quite a few from UNICEF, REd Cross and Children Cancer. They are quite personal and recommends me in a good way that represents the true me. I think its so wasteful to not include them in my application package as they say many things about me. Moreover, i have one letter of commendation from the Thailand Consulate praising me for the work i have done in the Tsunami disaster. How and where can i include it? should i just send copies of them in with the whole package? becuz many universities state that we should not include unnecessary copies of awards and stuff. Also, should we send in pictures of certain awards or award ceremonies of me getting them? IN addition, how about sending in evidence of work experience and reocmmendation letters/praise letters from the organization in which i did the work experience?
Thanks. Plz reply, im so confused.
That’s awesome, student91! I’d love to do something like helping victims of the tsunami disaster! How did you start? Do you have any advice for a freshman who would like to take on simlar projects? Thanks.
Actually, that is a question I have been dealing with lately as well…
I want to find some community service type thing that I really enjoy and care about, but I am having some trouble finding something (that my mother will let me do) that I feel will have an impact on people. If there is anything that I could do that might impact the world outside the US (which is comparatively very well off) I think that would be best. Any suggestions??
bump…
Ugh, orrican… Seems that my EC sux. I love doing it though… :(:(
Im nothing compared to worldshopper. And all those descriptions and what you have done is so awesome… I don’t know what else I might do to extend my interests. Now i wanted to start a spanish mentoring program, but it seems it doesn’t work, so time to fold it up. Im left with nothing. I have no other amazing ec. No awards, internships, nothing… Im becoming a junior this year… I haven’t started to study for the SAT (im doing in the summer), grades are pretty good but sucked in frosh. year (about 3.43 GPA, no honors crap) since i was in an Int’l school and it was hard, now came here about a year ago so no darn way to get into any honors/accelerated classes. But i do have good grades though.
I just dont get how people can do so much stuff, and still get pretty good grades. Awghhhhhhhhh im sooo screwed. …
But only good grades won’t get you to good colleges. I know that clearly… There must be something outstanding and unique about myself…
But I just feel im lost, It feels like the path for good colleges has been blocked… now there’s a new pathway for me… something called the Community College Drive. Ugh… <em>sigh</em>
bye bye UC’s… farewell stanford.
dude, apply to the Ivies. Though you’re not a shoe in (99.99% of applicants aren’t), you have a decent shot, like the rest of us.
Apply, and let the chips fall where they may.
who Me?? i have a decent shot? just read the previous post, i dont think so…
there’s a reason why they are the IVY LEAGUE. Even UCs are darn hard to get into.
From what I understand, your grades are in the Ivy range (forget about freshman year). Do well on your SAT’s, and you will have gotten yourself a fair shot.