soooo i wasnt a very motivated kid sophmore and freshman year, especially sophmore year. senior year was when i really started to rack up the ECs, and although they are decent in my opinion, i started doing all of them this semester. Also, i have 144 volunteer hours which i did over the summer. Do you think adcoms will see the inconsistency as a major setback in my applications?
thanks for all the help guys!
Yeah, they’ll see it. And they may wonder about your motivation.
That said, they would also have wondered had you chosen not to do any activities this year. So it’s all water under the bridge-- nothing you can do about it.
It is a red flag, but not all colleges care about EC’s to the same degree. It is more likely to hurt your chances at selective schools than less selective ones, generally speaking. Did your lack of motivation reflect in your grades too? That will limit you more than having few ECs.
Also it depends what you were doing the previous years.
Working?
Babysitting siblings?
playing video games?
Watching TV?
For most colleges it is about the numbers (SAT/GPA)
One of your other threads is titled “Will a 1410 SAT get me into Ivies?” When combined with “check the box” ECs and a “lack of motivation” freshman and sophomore year your application “may” suggest a narrative of someone who lacks the academic abilities and consistency required to thrive at Harvard and Yale (per your other thread) and or a lack of authenticity and consistency in your ECs (that school’s like Gtown focus on per your other thread).
There is no escaping the reality that a lack of consistent effort, an appearance of checking the box for ECs, and lower quartile test scores will have a major impact. In isolation they can be overcome by other factors but collectively probably not.
But you know this I am sure.
I am not looking to kick you while down, but you are parsing information among several threads in the hope of getting reassurances. I would prepare for the worst and hopefully some of your lower targets on other threads come through.
For kids without hooks the process at super elite schools is pretty efficient. You have to be strong across the board. The totality of what you have posted across CC suggests that you know you are deficient in several areas. Please learn from the experience and know that no matter what the outcome and where you wind up attending you remain in control of your own destiny.
Lastly given your profile you may wind up wait listed at several schools. Don’t take your foot off of the pedal!!
I posted this similarly on your other thread so responders have the entire picture. 1410 ACT scores applying to the likes of Harvard, Yale Georgetown.
Once again good luck.
Georgetown will for sure, they highlighted this in their info session.
Yes, it is a red flag suggesting that your EC involvement is not sincere and designed primarily to beef up your college applications.
@publisher Its so frustrating for me because it wasn’t really until Junior/Senior year when I started becoming motivated and realized the importance of preparing for college, and also my future career. But of course it shows that I’m bs-ing my EC’s last minute and there’s really nothing I can do at this point. If only I was more mature freshman and sophmore year…but I shouldn’t make excuses.
Then you may want to share that in an application essay.
Recognizing your former shortcoming & new found maturity & growth can be a reflective essay that is truthful & sincere. This is one way to turn a weakness into a positive.
Hopefully students do ECs because they are interested in doing these activities, not because they look good at a college ap. So for the OP to write an essay saying he had just started to realize he needs to get ready for college doesn’t explain his lack of ECs in earlier years.
CheddarcheeseMN- “So for the OP to write an essay saying he had just started to realize he needs to get ready for college doesn’t explain his lack of ECs in earlier years”.
Respectfully it kind of does explain the lack of ECs in earlier year, just not in a flattering way.
OP should focus on what is hopefully his new found passion and anticipated continued commitment to his ECs.
Lastly, I think applications are already submitted?
Change the college targets.
Don’t try to fake this out.
Ivies need a record of consistent energies. If this is new motivation, don’t pick colleges where the expectations are higher. Grow into this.