<p>I'm currently a junior and I love my extra curricular activities.
I'm the vice president of robotics and the president of keyclub, not to mention I'm in National Honor Society and SAT club. I put in a lot of effort and time into both Key Club and Robotics because I truly enjoy them. Robotics especially takes some time, i usually stay after school 3 hours to plan the robot. </p>
<p>My parents however, don't get the importance of extra curricular activities; they argue that I spend to much time on my clubs when i can be doing SAT's. Because of this, they won't allow me to go to any of my clubs anymore because I should be practicing SAT's cause I guess that's the only thing that gets u into college... Its not like i have bad grades(4.3 weighted). When i try to explain how important leadership and EC's are, they don't listen. My mom even says how I'm going to (for a lack of a better word) fail at life in the future. It's like I'm doing drugs!</p>
<p>I really don't know what to do now, how can i convince them that my EC's are important!</p>
<p>obviously they're not going to believe you. Set up a meeting with your parents and your HS counselor to set them straight. However they probably won't believe the counselor either. I'm pretty confident your parents are immigrants. And the big problem you have is your parents advice is true in their country. Surprising at it may seem to those familiar with the US college app system, many other countries do it quite differently. In much of the world, a single exam determines what university you can go to. And so cramming for that test, which they have identified as being the SAT here in the US, is rational from that point of view.</p>
<p>ECs are overrated. The idea is not to do many, it's to become really accomplished at one thing. This is not to say you shouldn't do the things you love, you should. It's to say that so many here seem not to understand what colleges are really looking for. A laundry list of ECs can't even fit on the common app!</p>
<p>And let's face it, if you don't have the scores for the schools you want, they won't even be looking at your ECs.</p>
<p>spong. for american universities ECs are in important part of the admission process.</p>
<p>BUT no matter how many ECs u do, no matter how involved you are with your school, if you do not have the SAT I n II scores and grades to go with the ECs then ECs are completely and utterly useless. (unless of course you have some incredibly rare talent, or if you founded a school in uganda or somethin).</p>
<p>grades and scores come first. the rest is just a plus.</p>
<p>as hmom puts it, the laundry list is useless if ur grades/scores dont follow. so my question to you is what are your grades/scores?
if they are strong, then continue with your ECs. if not, it would be wise to drop some ECs so as to concentrating on acing the sats and your classes.</p>
<p>Can you go to the library and pick up some college admissions advice books? If two or three of the books have sections about being a well rounded individual and having ECs, that might make an impression.</p>
<p>I'm in your exact shoes. I have been in your situation my whole freaking life... m8: I bet my bottom dollar that you're dieing to get out of state and go to a college and be FREE... </p>
<p>I'm going to assume that you're chinese? (chinese parents like mine care only about stats) You have to first talk to your parents about your development as a person rather than a full-time test taker. If they reject your perspectives, just follow your passions and Man through the criticisms. Be strong. Also, follow you passions when it comes to your ECs. Not that those who dedicate their lives trying to impress colleges on their applications don't succeed, I'm just extremely ****ed off at people who live life based on utility and beguilement.</p>
<p>Wow you people are pretty good with your predictions; my parents are immigrants and they are Chinese.</p>
<p>And about my grades, if you read^^ i did say 4.3 GPA. My Psat was 196 and yes I'm serious about the SAT club. Might help get me that 2100+ i want.</p>