<p>Hey I'm a sophomore and I'm narrowing down the types of extracurriculars I want to do the most. So for me, I don't really like much of the stuff at school. Even if the club is good, leadership positions are won by popularity, which I'm not. I'm a CSF Officer, but I don't think I'll be one next year, just cuz a lot of popular people are trying for positions this year. I am interested in tennis, volunteering at this museum, astronomy research with a professor, working with old people at a convalescent home, and possibly looking at an internship with someone on the local council (yes i know my interests are spread but that is who i am). Do you think top colleges will reject me because i don't have much activities in school, although i may have many in the community? Thank you!!</p>
<p>in regards to only the extracurricular portion of your application, I think it is alright for you to pursue activities outside of school, but I think top colleges would prefer to see some more initiative/demonstrated leadership in these activities.</p>
<p>The only clubs I am in are the ones that I founded/started myself and I know what you mean about the popularity thing; colleges can take that into account as well. As far as myself, I was highly involved in non-school non-profits and got into a top school, but it was supplemented with good academics/essays/recs.</p>
<p>Cliche, but do what you love/are passionate about, but try to take it a step further and leave it better (or much better) than when you started it. Hope this helped! :)</p>
<p>ECs don’t have to be done through school. Colleges are looking for what interests YOU.</p>
<p>bump 10char</p>
<p>do what you want; do what interests you. Admissions Officers are more impressed by what you do out of school than what you do in school. That being said, do clubs in school. But if you plan on attempting on getting in to HYPSM, you better start raking in those ECs for your perspective major. Also, do clubs and sports that interest you as a person, the more unique you are, the more you will diversify HYPSM, and thats what those Ad Officers want. In addition, look for clubs that offer leadership opportunities or community service opportunities - its like hitting 2 birds with one stone.</p>
<p>Ok I’ll do some school clubs but what if I have NO leadership positions and in our school its impossible to get involved in the club (at least organizing events) without being an officer. It’s because the clubs are pretty half-hearted. All members do is go to events and do odd jobs. :(</p>
<p>bump 10char</p>
<p>bump 10 char? :D</p>
<p>Some ECs outside school that make up for lack of in-school ECs.</p>
<p>-Internships, especially at top universities/companies. This is a huge plus, especially if you get letters of recs from these organizations.
-Work at non-profits, especially if it involves trips abroad. Not as good as the above, but still pretty strong.
-Sports at a professional level, which is obviously better than sports at high school. This is very possible for sports that are not well-known, such as fencing.</p>
<p>Do something that will get you in your local newspaper or at least some local (if not wider) level of real popularity.</p>
<p>
Utter waste of your time. The most selective colleges could care less about someone who was a member of this and that. They don’t want a well-rounded student, they build a well rounded class by finding kids that take various areas to the top. </p>
<p>The question about impressive ECs comes up regularly on the forum. There is a thread with several posts by Northstarmom, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs from the point of view of the most selective colleges. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html</a></p>
<p>As you will see from that link, at the most selective colleges they are looking for depth more than just participation. Stanford, for example, says
2 very interesting articles about ECs that stand out and how to get them (same author, different examples) are at [How</a> to Be Impressive](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/28/the-art-of-activity-innovation-how-to-be-impressive-without-an-impressive-amount-of-work/]How”>The Art of Activity Innovation: How to Be Impressive Without an Impressive Amount of Work - Cal Newport) and [Save</a> This Grind?](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/12/case-study-how-could-we-save-this-ridiculously-overloaded-grind/]Save”>Case Study: How Could We Save This Ridiculously Overloaded Grind? - Cal Newport) While I don’t agree with everything in them, take a look at these 2 articles and I think you’ll get some original ideas.</p>
<p>“waste of time.” Er, let me reframe that first part. I stand behind it in terms of college admissions. But college admissions is not the entire world. </p>
<p>When I see a post asking what the most selective schools in the US would think about an EC I figure the student is just doing these with an eye to what the adcoms will think. So here’s the counter-argument. A part of your life is about to come to a close, and sooner than you might think. This is the end of the road going to school with kids you’ve known since you were little, of having most of your needs taken care of by someone else (eg. your parents). So if there is some club that you’d like to take part in because their activities interest you, or for no less frivolous reason than some of your friends are doing it too, then I’d say by all means do it!</p>
<p>“Do you think top colleges will reject me because i don’t have much activities in school, although i may have many in the community?”</p>
<p>1 -Those schools are a reach for almost everyone, including you
2- It’s fruitless to try and figure out what ECs THEY want to see (e.g., should I play the vibraphone or Marine Corps JROTC Drill Team) . . . with all respect, they are much more interested in you showing what excites YOU.
3- in re: #1, since those schools turn down 80%-90% of applicatants who are Sals or Vals, who have 800s on the SAT CR or Math, your best strategy is to find activities you enjoy and do 'em do 'em do 'em.</p>