Hi, I’m a junior in high school and applying to schools like Grinnell, Macalester, Hamilton, Swarthmore, etc. I have a rigorous course load, 4.0 GPA, and awards. I haven’t taken the SAT yet. My extracurriculars are below.
•Big Brothers Big Sisters (child mentor)
•Algebra one and two tutor (all clients saw an increase in grades, one client over 50%)
•Student ambassador
•Optimist/community service club
•Debate club
•DECA
•Created my own mental health blog and have been writing articles for other well-known blogs about mental health advocacy
I will be job shadowing a psychologist, attending a leadership/psych enrichment program at Harvard Medical School, and will be volunteering at a local hospital in the summer. I’m very worried about my lack of leadership positions and think my ECs are my weakest part of my app. Any advice for some leadership?
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Leadership doesn’t necessarily mean being president, it can mean taking action. Leadership could be raising awareness about mental health in your school by putting your blog posts in the newspaper, posting signs about where to get help, organizing an assembly on the topic.
It looks like you are engaged. Tutoring is a form of leadership. Think about how you can make your activities have impact. Don’t sweat official titles.
Think of leadership as your impact on/in a club/activity, not just what title you have. You can be a leader or mentor with no title, just as you can have a title but show no real leadership.
Agree with the above.
But: If you were in our local HS you would be finished with classes by 3pm, and most of your ECs would average once a week for an hour either within the school day or until 4pm. Think about where your time goes. Which of your ECs are you really invested in, and which are clubs in which you are a relatively passive member?
Then for your apps, emphasize the ones in which you are most involved. “Leadership” titles are a short-hand that indicates other participants value your contribution and/or that you have had to step up and do more, take the broader view, help the group navigate so that it achieves its objectives. As @Groundwork2022 said, it’s more than the title.
what are the best kinds of ECs to have?
The best ECs are those that reflect who you are as a person, what you enjoy, and show that you have been impactful in a positive way in the areas where you’ve spent your time.