Can a student still get into an ivy league college or other top colleges if he or she does not have any ECs, but outstanding GPA and SAT scores?
<p>i dont think so.</p>
<p>Ivies don't want students that are just high scorers; they've got plenty of those already.</p>
<p>but what if that person has tons of community serviece hours and in some really lame clubs by the time the college application is sent to colleges?</p>
<p>how many hours? 1000?</p>
<p>those are considered ECs</p>
<p>I have a 25+ hour a week job all year round --- Is that an "ec"?</p>
<p>"Can a student still get into an ivy league college or other top colleges if he or she does not have any ECs, but outstanding GPA and SAT scores?"</p>
<p>No...they see thousands of applications with great GPAs and SAT scores. You have to have something that sets you apart.</p>
<p>Based on our experience with our daughter last year, the admissions offices we talked to not only considered a regular job held down for a couple of years to be an EC, it was considered a "hook" and something you might want to consider giving a lot of emphasis in an application. The people skills and real world experience of regular employment, while at the same time having the discipline to consistently produce outstanding grades, is very impressive. It's even better, I think, if you're saving the money for your education or to help with household expenses (though, frankly, not necessarily better for need-based aid). But our daughter pretty much spent the money she made on clothes, and they still seemed very interested in her employment experience. I think anything out of the context of the usual school-based EC's can set you apart and get some attention. A recommendation from an employer about your maturity, dependability, etc., would be one way to emphasize the job. Of course, a good essay that includes mention of the job would help, too.</p>
<p>Crap...I have essentially no ECs...community college here I come!</p>
<p>doint EC is easy </p>
<p>just go to a local library, ask for info on volunteering
or go to ur hospital and volunteer there </p>
<p>most of the time they have nothing for u to do so u can just
sit their and get ur hours.</p>
<p>if u want something exciting u can volunteer in the ER .</p>
<p>if you dont do anything after school that means you have no interests
so youre basically saying you sit at home and study and watch videogames all day long right?</p>
<p>If you're poor and need to work for money, that's fine. Otherwise you are screwed at most places. But not everywhere: Most foriegn universities (in particular Oxford and Cambridge) don't care about ECs. If you're physically fit, the military academies will take you. And most second tier schools will not only take you but give you lots of merit aid just for SATs and grades.</p>
<p>The only EC's I had were skiing and a good job that related to my major. I tried to make my unique (for my age, anyway) work experience a hook in my essays. And, based on which schools I got into, it worked.</p>
<p>I'd really suggest getting a job. Especially a job that isn't just working at McDonalds. If you have any connections (even through your parents), you may be able to get a nice job at an office. Not only will the pay be good, but it's also a great EC. Plus, it feels great to be a productive member of society.</p>
<p>NO YOu will not get into any IVies.</p>
<p>not much of a chance, but that doesn't mean community college. There's a lot of good, less selective schools you can get into. Your state school, for instance.</p>
<p>Well at least that eliminates all of that trouble of applying to Harvard and such.
What about MIT...how much does it care about ECs?</p>
<p>Lots.</p>
<p>Any top college cares about ECs, like peck191 said, because people with high standardized test scores and perfect GPAs are a dime a dozen in their applicant pools. I am actually under the impression that MIT cares somewhat more about ECs than GPA and test scores, simply because ECs are almost the only way to differentiate between members of a very well-qualified, highly self-selecting applicant pool.</p>
<p>what exactly do you mean by "outstanding"? 2100 and a 3.8-4.0 UW with an AP or two, or a 2350, a dozen APs and valedictorian? there's a big difference.</p>
<p>pyroclastic is right..many top foreign schools don't even look at ECs.. and while going to an Ivy isn't a possibility if you do absolutely NOTHING, you can still get a covet-able degree...
but tons and tons of community service hours + some clubs are decent ECs, especially if those community service hours involve some sort of leadership (which you could emphasize in your essay)...i think you'd just be in that pool of thousands upon thousands who are good enough to get in but don't usually make the cut.</p>