Looking for some guidance through High School

<p>Currently I am stressing out about the things I need to do to get into a good college. I just recently found out about CC and I'm already going into my Junior year of high school. The only good thing I can say about myself is the I have good grades (about a 3.8 GPA unweighted) and am in the top 2% of my 1,000 student high school. I am taking all the AP course opportunities and hope to do well on the ACT. The thing that's bugging me is that I have very little recognizable ECs. I play guitar on my own time and I play club soccer with a few friends. Other than that, I just hang out with friends, play videogames, and waste time. I am planning on joining Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, and possibly Math Team or Robotics. I also cannot find things to do over the summer. I am literally just wasting time, and it's really hitting me now. I'd love to volunteer at places I just don't know where to look. If someone could guide me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks, CC :D</p>

<p>Volunteering is really fun! I volunteered at a nursing home for eight months and my friend has been volunteering at a library for two years. I enjoyed it; I know that nursing homes are ALWAYS looking for volunteers.
Also, there’s this website called Volunteer Match, and you just type in your city and it gives you a whole bunch of volunteer opportunities in your area. I found a couple opportunities through there (I sound like I’m advertising it, haha). Good luck! :D</p>

<p>Look at where your interests lie. College admissions officers love seeing passionate students.</p>

<p>For example, I volunteer in the pediatric wing of the hospital. I care for the orphaned babies. I’m interested in pediatrics. This verifies it to admissions officers and shows I’m passionate about something. (I have roughly 1200 hours doing this.)</p>

<p>^So much agreeing. Volunteer with something you’re interested in. If it’s guitar (music) then volunteer to teach free lessons to kids who can’t afford them. Coach a little kid’s soccer team. There are tons of ways to incorporate your interests into volunteering.</p>

<p>It’s just hard to find a place to start. I tried Volunteer Match just now and will be waiting for a response. I have no idea who to contact for volunteering. If I could find a steady volunteer program, I’d gladly join it.</p>

<p>Does your school offer anything? My old school had a summer program for volunteering. Talk to adults in your community. Librarians, teachers, people at hospitals. Just contact people you know. Chances are many would love your help.</p>

<p>I wish my school had a volunteering program! I’ll start contacting people though. Thanks for the advice!</p>

<p>i’m volunteering at the library this summer because it’s close and i don’t have my license yet, but next year/summer when i have it, i’m taking a teen hospital volunteering class thing so i can volunteer in other places in the hospital and also at the animal shelter.</p>

<p>start with small things and move onto more volunteering opportunities. i agree with the others: volunteer places you are passionate about</p>

<p>I skimmed through your post.</p>

<p>This isn’t meant to be a direct attack against you, OP, but more of a general piece of advice: If the only effect that CC has on you is to stress you out about admissions and consequently chop 10 years off your life expectancy, then don’t come. Use it as a resource, not a source of pain.</p>

<p>Okay, off the soapbox. Just find something you enjoy! Seriously!</p>

<p>Depending on where you want to apply, EC’s are not as important as a lot of people like to tell you…They matter to LACs and small artsy colleges, and at the tippy top of the University list - but for most state flagship U’s, its GPA,Rank,Scores,Rigor, and the rest. - And if you don’t believe that, check like 90% of public Universities profile on college board. </p>

<p>Good for you for just chillin over the summer. Too many tryhards on this forum are wasting their childhood away in community colleges taking summer multivariable calculus instead of just hanging with friends. See if you can join your schools soccer team if you have one, possibly try and find a job (I know thats difficult). Make sure you follow through with the two National Honors societies, and join a club or two. Don’t overload yourself where you can’t commit to anything though.</p>

<p>/Daily uses CC as a LOOK WHAT YOU AREN’T DOING WITH YOUR LIFE… Slacker motivation/
I found my volunteer places several places. I have an aunt whose daughter needs a bunch of hours to take some class and I asked her to sign me up for everything they do.
I found a therapeutic riding center and a parrot rescue.
And I’m not really doing enough but I applied too late to the hospital so I’ll apply again this year.
Go to websites of hospitals and nursing homes they always have ‘volunteer sections’
And ask all adults you kno</p>

<p>No stress here, all fun.</p>