<p>Over the past 3 years, I have helped care for my grandpa. He is in his 90s, and while still fairly capable, needs some help. I help him with outside chores like mowing his lawn and chopping firewood for him. I also cook dinner for him 1-2 times a week. The work is about 4-5 hrs/wk. Does this count as a EC?</p>
<p>Yes it does.</p>
<p>I would not list it as an EC, but I might put it in the additional information section of the Common App. Something like:</p>
<p>Additional Activity:
4-5 hours per week spent helping elderly relative with outside chores, cooking, etc. 2010-2014 (or whatever the timeframe is).</p>
<p>You should incorporate it into your application. Most colleges now recognize family responsibilities as important. The playing field is already tilted heavily against lower-income applicants, and acknowledging that many of them cannot participate in a host of extracurricular activities is because they have to race home to look after younger siblings or an elderly or disabled relative helps balance things out. Study the application form to determine the best place to describe your responsibilities, or ask a college adviser to assist you. Some colleges have on-line admission chats, and this might be a perfect subject to bring up in one of them. </p>
<p>Alright, thank you all for the input!</p>