<p>I'm currently a high school sophomore and I need advice on how to improve my ECs since I feel that they are not strong enough for schools like Harvard. Time is the main problem due to the fact that it takes me around two hours to get to my school and another two hours to get back home. When I get home I have to take care of my sick grandmother who is currently living with my family. Basically, it is very hard for me to stay after school and join a club of any kind.</p>
<p>Here is my current list of ECs and jobs</p>
<ol>
<li><p>President and founder of music program at former elementary school (school did not have music program due to lack of funding and lack of music teachers....very poor school in a bad Hispanic community)</p></li>
<li><p>Music teacher in music program at former elementary school (I teach guitar, bass, and cello)</p></li>
<li><p>President of Music Assembly Committee (organizes music assemblies at former elementary school)</p></li>
<li><p>President and founder of tutoring program at former elementary school (school did not have any type of after school program that helped students academically)</p></li>
<li><p>President and founder of ESL program at former elementary school (program dedicated to help parents who know little to no English learn to both speak and read English)</p></li>
<li><p>President and founder of both English and music program at elementary school in my mother's hometown in Mexico (taught guitar and basic English to students)</p></li>
<li><p>Head Coach of little league soccer team</p></li>
<li><p>MUN (sophomore year)</p></li>
<li><p>Work as translator for plastic surgeon's clinic in Mexico (meet with possible clients in United States, translate documents, and help with communication between possible clients and clinic)</p></li>
<li><p>Work as private music teacher and as a private school tutor</p></li>
<li><p>President and founder of charity dedicated to help fight leukemia (started charity in honor of friend who died due to complications with leukemia)...the money that I make from working as translator, private tutor, and private teacher goes to charity.</p></li>
<li><p>Play bass and cello in school orchestra</p></li>
</ol>
<p>As you can see, I am very passionate about music. I am also very close with my Hispanic culture and my elementary school. Most of my activities are closely related with my elementary school since it is very hard for me to stay after school.</p>
<p>Any advice on how to improve my ECs is welcome.
Thank You</p>
<p>If you want your many programs to be as successful as I’m sure you want them to be, then you’re going to have to stop worrying about doing more activities.</p>
<p>@eating food
i think you’re right. I’ll just continue focusing on my current activities and school (obviously).
Thank you to everyone that has replied so far.</p>
<p>Yes, I started these programs during freshmen year.
I received a great amount of help from my former social studies teacher in my elementary school who actually gave me a few guitar lessons in the morning before school. I really enjoyed these classes and I felt that everyone should have the right to learn to play some type of musical instrument. So I got together with my social studies teacher (who luckily had many contacts in the music business) and decided to put together a show for parents, staff, and these people in the music business in order to prove how valuable learning music is in the life of students and the positive effect it had on my life. Everyone loved the show and the people in the music business decided to donate instruments to the school and the school decided to start funding this program. We went around and looked for people who would volunteer to teach and we were lucky enough to get some great music teachers. The music program has started to grow due to the music assembly we organize every two months to show the talent of the students which has led to a great amount donations from local music stores. The main thing you need to start a music program is passion for music since it requires a great amount of work and time…it also requires some luck =)
I hope this answers your question and if it doesn’t you can just message me.</p>
<p>I’m sure it’s been said around these parts a multitude of times already, and it simply can’t be stressed enough: don’t do your EC’s just so you can get into Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and the like; do them because you enjoy doing them and that they’re what you’re passionate about.</p>
<p>Yeah, so if you’re only passionate about chess or piano or something like that and want to go to Princeton, don’t do any other activity. Then, you will only have very few ECs on your application, thus enabling yourself from being competitive at HYPSM.</p>
<p>Definitely good advice on how to get in HYPS.</p>
<p>You’re missing the point I had brought up in my previous post. The goal isn’t to simply get into HYPS, it’s to lead a successful life and to be happy wherever you end up. </p>
<p>Let’s say that one forces him/herself to do an activity in order to be competitive at HYPS but completely hates it. To be consistent and to show “dedication and passion”, they’d be forced to stick with it for at least four years. And assuming that the suffering was “worth it”, and they got into their dream school, would they really succeed there? HYPS are all extremely competitive environments and it takes not only a willingness to work hard but also natural ability and genius.</p>