junior- I have literally no ECs

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>How bad does that look on applications?</p>

<p>Aside from that, I've done a small amount of volunteer/community service stuff and I'll be doing a lot more over this summer. I'm a white male. I attend a fairly good but not especially competitive public school in Nashville, TN. I have a weighted GPA of 3.5; I don't know my unweighted GPA. I'm an IB Full Diploma candidate. My SAT scores are CR-630, Math-640, Writing-700, and I'm retaking in the Fall.</p>

<p>I'm interested in Wesleyan, Brown, Vassar, Williams, but based on all of the above, those are looking like huge reaches.</p>

<p>If I get my SAT scores up, will that help compensate for the unremarkable quality of the rest of my application? Or should I drastically rethink where I want to go?</p>

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<p>Sorry, but no ECs is not a good thing at admissions for any college, not to mention the highly selective ones that you listed. Try and find stuff over the summer and it could help you out, provided that you are already strong academically speaking.</p>

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<p>ok ECs speak to your interests and passions in life. They also give you an opportunity to prove yourself competent in competitive situations through tournaments and awards if that is relevant to the EC. Another thing ECs do iss provide opportunities to have leadership positions.</p>

<p>Everything I mentioned above is integral to college admissions</p>

<p>All i can say is i'm sorry you don't have any ECs. If you're a junior NEXT year then start something over summer and follow it through intensely junior and senior year. If you're a senior next year..I don't really know what to say, I wish I could provide you with helpful advice but I really can't think of any.</p>

<p>If you are looking for an EC to do just think of your passions, what are you interested in? Are there certain skills that you have that you would like to further develop, have you thought about what you want to do when you graduate from college? etc..</p>

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<p>Ecs??? join some school clubs, do stuff with your church (if you go to one) that is considered ECs</p>

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<p>If you get your SAT scores up I guess you can look for state scools. But The schools you listed above you literally have very little to none chance at. I'm really sorry I'm saying this, but it's a wake up call. You need to start thinking about what you want to do with your life and in the future. Maybe you can even enroll at a state school or community college then applyfor transfer when you discover what your heart is in. Honestly, it looks liek you just need more time. I think if you keep your eye on the goal then you can do different things to get there (summer courses at colleges, take up something new and competitie, or just give it some time and apply for a transfer from a local college, etc..)</p>

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<p>also regardnig what: GAclassof2008 said</p>

<p>the thing with ECs is that colleges want to see commitment with the EC, which is why joining the spanish club senior year doesn't say anythign at all to who you are. ECs give the college a chance to differentiate people whose transcript looks exactly the same on paper</p>

<p>man i am ranting on this subject at this point, I was just really passionate about the ECs I was in and I know how important they proved to be in high school, outside of high school, and in admissions, etc..</p>

<p>If you are in a fix, I actually really feel bad for you so you can contact me through PM or something</p>

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<p>I don't have any ECs either. I played 6 years of class 1 soccer but quit sophomore year.</p>

<p>2030 SAT and 4.0 gpa... kind of a waste :/</p>

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<p>I bet you can get into your in-state school, easily. I definitely don't think you need to be going to community college, or something, but you've definitely got some work to do using the time before applications you have left.</p>

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<p>I know I can get into in-state school, easily. I wouldn't like to go in state; besides, I feel I can raise my SAT scores to 700 range (all sections) when I retake. I'm not asking how to get ECs or what they are -- I realize colleges look for long-term dedication in that department and now I'm looking for ways to compensate for that major shortcoming.</p>

<p>To revise my question: I realize I have very little chance of getting into any of those colleges at this point. If I do a lot of volunteering and community work over the summer, how much will that help me on applications? (I'm going to be doing a ton regardless of the answer). What are some out-of-state schools similar to the ones I listed that I actually stand a shot of getting into if I improve my SAT scores and go by my plan right now?</p>

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<p>I think colleges will probably not be particuarly impressed by your sudden amount of volenteering, though it can't hurt. </p>

<p>Now, some other schools that you might have a better shot at that might interest you (because even with a higher SAT, your GPA + lack of ECs makes those four REALLY huge reaches for you). This is certianly not an exhastive list, and will still be hard for you. But anyway, these are some not-quite-as-selective schools (a range of selectivity, though, some are still pretty competative) that I either looked at or that sound interesting to me (and I really liked Wes, Brown, and Vassar, so I figure they might interest you too):</p>

<p>Occidental, Oberlin, Reed, Kenyon, Skidmore, Lewis+Clark, Goucher, Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Dickensen, Hamilton, Colby, Bates, Macalaster, Colorado College, Connecticut College, Pitzer, Hampshire, The New School (NY)</p>

<p>A final note: I've listed mainly LACs because that seems to be what you're interested in. But I would also suggest looking at some bigger public U's too. LACs and small Unis are, as far as I can tell, less stats driven, more "personality" driven, which is where your lack of ECs hurt you. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try for LACs if that's what you like, but you should seek out some where your stats are firmly near the top for safties if you really want to go to one.</p>

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<p>I would say your lack of EC's dings you automatically from Oberlin, Pitzer, Reed, Kenyon, Bard, Colby, Sarah Lawrence, Hamilton, Macalester, and Conn.</p>

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<p>Actually cantsaythatido, I tend to believe Reed, Bard, and SLC will NOT automatically "ding" the OP from admission just because of a lack of ECs.</p>

<p>Look man, you don't need to save the world. Nor do you need to volunteer for hundreds of hours at a children's hospital or soup kitchen. That's very admirable and kind, but if it's not you, then don't do it.</p>

<p>Colleges like stuff like that but only when it applies to who you are. Surely you have some sort of extracurricular interest? A passion for something? People on CC can be bold and cold, so take everything you read on this message board with a grain of salt (hell, take my post with a grain of salt even!)...People either reprimand you for having little or no ECs, or they reprimand you for having a "very low and uncompetitive GPA (being a 3.4-3.6)</p>

<p>Just do what you want. Show passion. I'd say that your chances at those schools you mentioned are quite reachy, but you can turn that around by doing something you love. : ]</p>

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<p>I respect your opinion, OniLawliet, but I stand by my original post. Those three schools in particular are well-known for attracting an interesting, self-motivated quirky, less stats-driven student body than even most other liberal arts colleges.</p>

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<p>I was actually hesitent about putting some of the schools cantsaythatido listed exactly because, as far as I can tell, they are the kinds of schools that are more likley to take a chance on an applicant whose stats might be too low for Wesleyan/Vassar/Brown but who have other interestesting things going for them than they are to take someone without ECs. But perhaps if the OP had a standout essay and interview/the OPs personality came through the app some other way, those schools might consider them.</p>

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<p>Weskid, from where I stand right now, showing my personality through essays and interviews is all I can do (aside from raising my SAT score this Fall, which is totally within my reach).</p>

<p>I appreciate everyone's input on what the LACs are looking for, and I feel like I have a better grasp on the situation now, and I'll put my effort toward some of the colleges Weskid listed -- keeping in mind I'll still be a strong reach at many of them -- and find more stats-driven schools in the meantime.</p>

<p>I'll also lock down on one of the schools I listed in the OP with an interview, early admission, my best effort, etc., knowing my chances are extremely slim.</p>

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<p>yaphet: It sounds like you have a good sense of what you need to do. Definintly focus on your essay, since its one of the fe wthings you can still really control (along with studying for an raising your SATs).</p>

<p>PS. You might also want to check out Carelton and Grinnell--both would also be big reaches for you, but perhaps you would get more geographic points than at the east cost schools. I got the sense that those schools, being in the midwest, like applicants NOT from the midwest (I've got no facts to back that up, though, only experince with how much Carleton strove to get applicants from my Maryland school). Anyway, as I said, they will still be hard to get into, but if you like them they might offer a slightly better chance than your current top choices.</p>