Also, some other schools I think these ECs will look good upon and Schools I like are Duke, Vanderbilt, USC, Emory, Michigan Ann Arbor, Northeastern (sister attending this fall and I like the school), UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, Tulane, UFlorida, UMD College Park, Florida State, and U of SC.
I think you have a very nice list of ECs!
Does anybody else have any other opinions about my ECs?
Your EC’s are all worthy activities to pursue but they’re also a garden variety types that aren’t going to help you stand out at those colleges – “Ivy League, Stanford, UChicago, MIT, etc” – that you’re aiming at. Instead of adding more (“I want to fill my application,” as you stated) to your activities, you should rather focus on the quality of your involvements that you truly care about. Listing a bunch of “Club” is one sure sign that you’re a “application space filler applicant” to the AdComs.
What are some suggestions about my ECs that can make me stand out @TiggerDad. I just tried doing clubs in my school that interested me, then tried to go out of the box and do volunteer in a park outside of school and try to establish a Club.
I would not add any more clubs during your junior year. I would stick with what you enjoy. Find quality activities/projects within these clubs. As you enter your junior year I would focus on a variety of schools…make sure you have safety and match schools, and make sure they are affordable.
Environmental protection club/ park volunteer: as I mentioned earlier, organize community cleanups, plantings etc. Paint garbage cans and distribute them around ( with permission)
Math and science tutor: does your school have a tutoring center, peer tutors? Get involved in it. Volunteer your time.
You get the picture…
You stated your possible major as Environmental Engineering and you’re also in the Environmental Protection Club. The first thing I’d suggest to you is to make a meaningful, significant and deeper connection between the two to help you stand out as one possessing a genuine passion. Forget more clubs. More isn’t better, especially in college applications. Whether it’s the Environmental Protection Club or your other areas of personal interest, just listing them isn’t going to allow you to shine. It’s all about meaningful presentation of yourself that can speak to the AdComs and not just another applicant among thousands who has filled all the available spaces in the application but do not “speak” who s/he is.
@twogirls I signed up to be a peer tutor for math and science. Also, might try to do some out of school if possible with people from different schools.
@TiggerDad I understand what you are talking about but I’m talking about adding more clubs that I want to do that align with my passion, not clubs to join just for fillers on my application. It is kinda hard because my school offers these clubs, I do all of them, but I feel I wanna do more outside of school.
I know Colleges see the activities offered, but I want to take the time and effort to do more outside of my school because I truly enjoy them.
For a starter, search for and reach out to environmental protection organizations/agencies in your area and ask them for any opportunities to get involved.
I am thinking about volunteering more at the park and working at the nursery @TiggerDad
What is your weighted and unweighted gpa? PSAT? PLAN test? Course rigor?
You are putting a lot of time into discussing your ECs, which is great, but your grades and scores are also important.
@twogirls I would love to tell you, but I don’t have my official transcript. I think my unweighted gpa is around a 94 and my weighted gpa is around a 95 or 96. My PSAT is a 1080 (530 R&W and 550 Math).
And course rigor @twogirls look at my High School Transcript thread (not really a transcript but courses)
Again @twogirls I’m not sure if my gpa is right, might be a little higher, I am just giving a prediction because I don’t have my official transcript with me (GPA Scale is out of 100, 7 points added to FG for AP and 5 Points added to FG for Honors)
I would focus on studying for your SAT/ACT junior year, and keeping your grades up. Next, stay involved in activities that you enjoy…as discussed.
When the time comes, make sure to have an affordable mix of schools including safeties and matches.
How is it so far @twogirls ?I plan on trying to improve mainly my weighted gpa the most and study hard for the SAT throughout this summer using Khan Academy and tons of prep books.
Have you tried the ACT as well?