<p>I've seen many people with a few good ECs get accepted to top universities, while other people with a long list of ECs get rejected from them (usually the Asians). </p>
<p>The question is: Should I have a lot of ECs or a few quality ECs?</p>
<p>I don't have many ECs so far, only 42 hours of community service. I'm gonna join NHS and join another club or two. None of them are really high quality ECs, except for my computer programming (which I have a portfolio of my projects). </p>
<p>What I'm wondering is, could one good, quality EC get me into a top college? A good engineering college like RPI or GATech or MIT or CMU?</p>
<p>I think I should just concentrate on one EC (computer programming) and hope that gets me into a good college (the four i mentioned above, and UConn). That might be kind of risky though. What do you think?</p>
<p>Having many EC’s will ultimately ruin your chances at a good university. Prime reason being that it makes you look like your padding your application.</p>
<p>I suggest having 3-4 strong EC’s that you’re committed in. It also helps if your have a higher position in a club you’re committed in; such as president. Don’t join a club in your senior year or junior year claiming you’re committed. It’s a lie.</p>
<p>I agree with the other poster, I would rather have a few ecs that I’m devoted and passionate towards than to have a multitude in which I show no passion. Just do ecs that interest you, portray that passion in your essays, and you will be fine:)</p>
<p>I would say 1 is too few and 5 is too many, personally. Of course, there are the rare overachievers who truly can balance 5+, but in general, focus is better. A school year is shorter than you think, and to get anything truly accomplished, you can’t be bogged down by three thousand obligations.</p>
<p>Also, unless you’re like an Olympic athlete, don’t let ECs stand in the way of your schoolwork. Grades really do matter, as do SAT scores, and ECs can’t compensate for lackluster academic credentials unless you’re exceptional at what you do.</p>
<p>Actually if you’re an Olympic athlete and you play for the US team or something, any classwork/projects, etc. that you missed will be excused because you’re “serving your country.” Seriously.</p>
<p>it wouldnt matter anyway, it looks like you wouldnt have passion for your EC’s either, youre just doing them to put them on your college app. so quality is definitely out of the question here. looks like quantity’s all you got here.</p>
<p>I have a simple answer. Do what you like.
If you’re like me, someone unsure of what they want to do in college and someone who loves pursuing various different subjects in and out of school, go out there and do everything. Sooner or later you’ll have to trim it down to a handleable amount of work though…
If you like just a few things, like just photography, filmmaking, engineering, etc, theres no reason to do stuff that you dont like to do just to beef it up for colleges.
Just do what you like.</p>
<p>As for me right now, it’s already too late to aim for quality in most of my ECs since I’m starting so late. It seems like my only chance to get into a good college is to focus on computer programming, my only quality EC.</p>
<p>Do as many ECs that you are passionate about if you can handle the time commitment.</p>
<p>I think 3 or 4 is a “desirable” number becaue it makes you seem to be a well-rounded individual who deeply cares for certain causes. Colleges also will let in people good at 1 thing because they devote sooooo much time/eneregy to it that they don’t have time to do other things (like incredible musician, athlete, etc).</p>
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<p>I’m going to have to disagree with you. I just started volunteering at a medical clinic in June and plan to contnue to volunteer here during my college years and possibly beyond that (depends if I still live here lol). Also, I am starting a club at school (as a junior), one that will require multiple hours a week. So, hopefully adcoms see this passion in my app, but you can be committed whilst still a junior. Senior year is different…</p>
<p>I joined a club halfway through senior year! It was an academic team, and I became one of the top four members. I was committed. I’m not lying. Like six Saturdays that second semester I would go to competitions. And I ended up going with three other teammates to Maryland to compete (I live in Midwest). </p>
<p>Now I’m gonna do it in college and I’ve volunteered to write questions for and work a few events back home. </p>
<p>So please don’t make generalizations like these.</p>
<p>Try not to join EC’s and volunteer activities that will make you look for college. That’s not the right mindset.</p>
<p>Do things you are passionate about and love. Make sure you have diverse passions and have your activities reflect them. Over time, let your interest take what you do to an “impressive level” (starting your own programs, club leaderships, national/statelevel accolades). </p>
<p>You’ve heard the deal with issue with “too many EC’s.” But there is also a problem with focusing all of your energy/passion on “too few EC’s” - that DOES NOT make you look well-rounded. Do NOT just concentrate on ONE thing … that won’t work for elite colleges.</p>
<p>Diversify your interests, yet go FAR with your interests.</p>
<p>^I agree with basically everything that you just said, but elite schools do let in some kids that are focused on one thing. Like somebody who did extremely well in the Intel, Siemens, Chemistry Olypiad, etc competitions. Kids whose ECs are geared towards those things can get accepted to elite colleges. Recruited athletes also are an example, but not everybody can play sports at the Ivies/top 20 schools lol!</p>