<p>I am a junior this year and my only extracurriculars thus far consist of honor societies and sports. I didn't do anything academically aggrandizing this summer; I looked at some internships but there wasn't much for anyone under 18, and the fact that I couldn't drive myself might've also been an issue. I didn't do any college programs or anything of the sort because I was committed to soccer, but I'm not strong enough in soccer for it to effect my resume, so that doesn't seem like a good excuse. From looking at this sight I've come to believe that I've done something immensely regrettable in not making more of my summer. The thing is, my sister went to Wake Forest (I know it's not HARVARD, but it's a good school and some people consider it "Southern Ivy League") but she didn't do much with her summers either. So my question is if I've really, well, screwed myself in this aspect of my resume. To me it's ridiculous that a 16 year old shouldn't be allowed a true summer, but apparently society really demands that much of us? I can't tell if that's the truth or the product of other paranoid teens.</p>
<p>This year I'm planning on contacting a family friend who's a history professor about internship opportunities, volunteering, and joining clubs. (Btw, do I HAVE to be club PRESIDENT?) Next summer I'm also planning on volunteering abroad and probably doing another internship. My parents said that work experience is less important than academic and community persuits, so I probably won't get a job until my senior year. Is that opinion credible? And is it too late to start now in trying to establish myself out as "well-rounded"? It shouldn't be, but the people here make it seem like it is.</p>
<p>This site is ridiculous and I wish I never found it, but now it's got my head spinning into oblivion. I guess that's how it is looking at colleges. And I'm not exactly an "Ivy League hopeful," at least not for undergrad, because that seems a little superfluous. Still, I'd like to go somewhere competitive, and I know I have the grades and test scores for it, but it seems that it boils down to the ECs.</p>