<p>Yeah so this is completely on myself and I just want to explain my situation and hear anyone's advice.</p>
<p>It's senior year and looking back I haven't done much. I have done two varsity sports since freshman year which I love and am very dedicated too. I am a member of the NHS. I maintain a high GPA and take all advanced courses. I'm on the honor roll. I volunteer randomly for local events, I don't have a commitment to service at one place.</p>
<p>That is all I have done with my high school career. I'm just feeling bad now seeing how everyone is in 5+ clubs, holds presidents positions, did something amazing in their community, etc. I'm really doubting my abilities to shine for college.</p>
<p>I'll be honest, my sports take up a ton of my time and are a year long commitment. But they are not academic and I'm sure colleges won't care as much about that as they would with someone who is dedicated to their community. But to be fair, they are a substantial reason I have not done more activities.</p>
<p>Yet that's no excuse. I do have a nice amount of community hours, yet no dedication to a hospital or something monumental.</p>
<p>Basically I don't have much to talk about and I only have a few, typical, and nothing special activities to list. I'm feeling really down about the common app and the lack of activities I have to supply. </p>
<p>Am I still going to be okay? I know it's pretty much too late to do anything new that would be substantial for college apps, seeing as how early action dates are in 2 months.</p>
<p>I guess I'd just like some advice or opinions on my lack of activities and college chances. I did have some selective schools I was planning on applying to, but I don't even know if I should bother considering I am nothing special and have - in all honesty - dedicated my time more to athletics than academics.</p>
<p>collegekang, if you have excellent stats, you should still apply to the selective colleges. If you can show your dedication and passion of the two sports you participated since freshman in your essays, you still have a chance. But if you don’t apply or don’t put your efforts in writing compelling essays, then you have no chance at all, right? </p>
<p>Just be aware of this: CC is full of super-kids with incredible credentials, but there are many other students with fewer ECs out there, you should not be intimated.</p>
<p>Thanks. I am going to apply no doubt. I am a strong student but my stats aren’t extraordinary. But maybe I’ve been comparing myself to CCers too much lately. I think I want to write about my sports for the common app personal essay, but I am already planning on using them for my short answer. Would that be overkill? Plus I feel like I am focusing to much on athletics and not touching on any academics, which is obviously the priority.</p>
<p>Should I go for anything new senior year, or with only 2 months until apps are due would it be pointless to join a new club or something? I just feel I’m on the weak end with ECs not counting my 2 sports. I am still applying to my state school and some solid safeties but it’s just a bit discouraging considering my reaches.</p>
<p>Strong student with great gpa and great test scores and rigor–check
sports–commitment and passion- check
community service as time permits- check</p>
<p>You are doing great!</p>
<p>On the Common App where you list ECs in order of what is important to you, list hrs per week…, leadership positions held etc</p>
<p>Do not be confused by resume padders…
There is nothing wrong with long focused commitment in one or two areas.
Stay the course, work on your essays
Get your LOR from teachers who have known you and seen you grow over the last few years.</p>
<p>collegekang,
I went to a free seminar held by professional college counselors a couple months ago, they suggested a student without extraordinary ECs to found a club RELATED to something he/she is passionate about once school starts, even if he/she is already a senior. A parent had concerns regarding to founding a club this late will really help the admission chance or not, the counselor simply replied: it’s better than nothing. </p>
<p>I don’t know if this idea will work for you or not though. I told this idea to my son (he is a senior too) afterward, he’s just not interested. Ha!</p>
<p>This is extremely true. While I had a few other minor ECs to mention, I really only had one strong EC. I wrote my Common App essay on it to express its importance to me. I was accepted to many top schools (and to nearly everywhere I applied). While it’s not concrete proof of anything, I did better in admissions than many people who had padded their resumes with tons of stuff, but hadn’t done anything major or truly significant.</p>
<p>I agree with those who say to stay the course: You have two sports you really care about and have put a lot of time into, and you’ve done some volunteer work to be a ‘good community member.’ You’re fine. Don’t waste time padding your resume. </p>
<p>And I don’t agree at all the with college counselor who suggested starting a club. As an interviewer, I’m always suspicious when I see ‘founded and president of’ x club. I start asking lots of questions about how many members there are, how many hours/week are spent planning club activities, how often the club meets, what the club actually does (specific examples), how succession is being handled for next year, and what the founder learned about themselves as a result of the experience. That’s because I suspect a lot of these clubs of being window dressing and nothing more.</p>
<p>M’s Mom gives great advice. I’m almost always MEH when I have a student who starts a club or org. My first question is why didn’t they join or assist another extant club?</p>
<p>Don’t compare yourself to all these kids who are concert violinists AND found a cure for cancer AND are the captain of the football team. Some of these kids are almost superhuman. As one poster asked “when do they sleep?”</p>
<p>Since it sounds like your stats are fine, you will get into a lot of good schools.</p>
<p>My son only has Debate as an EC. I wish he had more. But it is what it is.</p>
<p>BTW, my EC list was washing dishes, being a leader in JROTC and really cranking on my studies. Come April I had no rejections. I sure wasn’t a resume padder – I was too freaking busy. Matriculated at an HYP.</p>
<p>Thank you all. I truly appreciate the reassurance. </p>
<p>For my common app, would it be overkill to write about my sports for the both short answer and personal essay. Opinions on that? Also I’m not exactly sure how I could fit my sport into one of the personal essay topics.</p>