Hello, I’m an international student from Saudi Arabia. I’m currently in sophomore year, but I’m having some trouble thinking about ECs to do since there aren’t any clubs or activities at my school. internships, job opportunities, and volunteer work aren’t available in my city as well. However, I may to do some volunteering and college courses abroad during the summer, but I’m still lacking the extracurriculars needed to apply to college. So what should I do?
What do you do when you’re not studying? Do you read? Do you have any hobbies or accomplishments outside of school? You can use any of these in your essay to give colleges a sense of who you are. Also, American universities are aware that not all international students have many EC opportunities. And if you’re a full-pay international student, ECs don’t matter much except for the most elite/selective colleges.
Very true. Also, volunteering is an EC.
If there are really no extra-curricular opportunities in your city, perhaps you could do something online. For example, the UN Online Volunteering website (google it) lists opportunities to volunteer from your computer, from anywhere around the world. If you’re bilingual, you might find an opportunity to translate documents and materials for NGOs, or if you’re good at website design, you might be able to help small charities set up websites. Have a browse.
But surely there are always things you can do. Write short stories? Start a blog? Learn to sing? Learn a musical instrument? Perhaps learn computer programming and design an app? Do a sport, like swimming or running? If there are no clubs at your school, start a club? Surely there are hospitals/libraries/retirement homes which could use your help?
These are just suggestions, but as previous posters have already rightly said - don’t worry if your extra-curriculars aren’t as impressive as those of your American counterparts. Most colleges have holistic admissions, and view your accomplishments in the context of the opportunities you’ve had.
Hope this helps x
I’m actually trying to get into those elite/selective colleges. But I don’t really know what is considered an extracurricular, I mean can I just simply write “reading” or “painting” and it would suffice?
I actually do like photography and I joined my first competition recently. I also thought about trying to exhibit my work in a gallery and starting a photography website, but I’m don’t know if they are considered as multiple EC’s or just one.
Unfortunately, my school hasn’t had any clubs since it’s establishment (30 years). As for the charities, there are plenty, but don’t offer volunteering opportunities.
Thank you for the UNV suggestion, online volunteering hasn’t crossed my mind!
Definitely pursue your interest in photography further - getting your work in a gallery and starting a website are great ideas. They only count as one EC, but the key with the elite/selective colleges is being ‘well-lopsided’ rather than ‘well-rounded’. That is, it’s much better to only have one EC you’re truly passionate about and spend heaps of time doing, rather than many ECs which you only spend a little a bit of time on. In fact, doing loads of ECs you’re not particularly interested in is actively frowned upon - colleges see this as resumé padding.
So with photography, take it as far as you can. Your ideas are very good. But you could also do things like take photographs to raise awareness for issues important to you. Use photography as a platform for achieving change - and that can serve as your community service. Potentially sell your photographs to raise money for charity? There’s no right answer. Colleges literally love it when you follow your passions. It’s really good if you think about it - you really don’t need to be spending all your time doing things you don’t like.
Good luck! x
Definitely pursue photography to the extent you can, in every possible way - exhibit, starting a website, etc.
I don’t know if you’d be allowed to document daily life in Saudi Arabia in English (under a screen name obviously) but it’d likely be a blog of interest to many academics - you could contact professors in Islamic Studies or Arabic, and introduce your blog as they’d likely be interested and assign it to students, hence guaranteeing readership (DO NOT DO anything that may get you in trouble with parents, authorities, or religion).
OMUN is another great EC for you.
Colleges are okay if you only have one or two EC’s but push them to the furthest you can.
Are you sure charities don’t take volunteers? Most charities, indeed, rely on volunteers - don’t you have “literacy group for women”, “soup kitchens”, etc?
Are you a boy or a girl?
(Because if you’re a girl, some allowances will be made for your inability to do things, considering the restrictions placed on girls there.)
Being great at one specific thing was my initial goal, but I thought that I might need other ECs to fill in the empty space. But, as you’ve said, I should probably focus on only photography for now. And thank you for your suggestions 
-I think it’s ok to document daily life, but to a certain extent. I recently went photographing in the old part of my city, and most of the people were fine with with me photographing them. However, everytime I’d want to go out to take pictures I have to go with a male family member, which limits my freedom in taking photos.
-I did some intensive research yesterday and I finally found a couple of organizations that offered volunteering as a photographer.
-The idea of contacting professors and introducing my blog will probably not work, mainly because Islamic studies professors only teach about Islam and arabic teacher only teach about arabic and are not likely to divert from the main topic, but thank you for your suggestions
Arabic professors only teach arabic*
Sorry, I meant professors in the US. They would be interested in this.
In the US, “Islamic studies” means “the way people in the countries where Islam is the main religion, live; the ways the governments functions there; their history, politics, economics”… Arabic is all-encompassing, teaching life in countries where one speaks Arabic alongside the language.
Some examples:
http://ase.tufts.edu/grall/programs/arabic.htm
http://www.mena.northwestern.edu/
http://www.macalester.edu/academics/classics/arabic/
http://nelc.yale.edu/arabic-and-islamic-studies
http://utarabicflagship.org/
http://arabicflagship.arizona.edu/
http://sllc.umd.edu/flagship/arabic
http://www.ou.edu/cis/sponsored_programs/arabic_flagship_program.html