<p>I have been having the hardest time trying to fit everything (ec's, awards, volunteering) into these boxes that have character limits on my applications. WHY do they do this!! They want us to be active in things and then dont give us enough space to write it out! ARGH!
Has anyone else experienced this or does anybody have comments on how you did it. When they ask for years of involvement for awards is that really necessary say for sports award (research project I understand) can I just omit that to conserve space! AJKHD im so frustrated</p>
<p>Okay, why are you so frustrated? It's easy. You list the award you won and then put the year you won it. Is it that difficult?</p>
<p>Nah, I get what you mean about lack of space... I didn't know where to put some of my stuff, and I didn't know what was important enough to put, and what I should leave off. Basically, play around with it untill everything fits and you are happy with what you have. Leave off the awards that aren't as important to you (so if you care much more about your research than the sports award, don't write about sports). </p>
<p>Also, if that means putting a minor award with the description of the activity you won it at, that's ok. If it means putting volunteering under ECs, that's fine too. Don't be too worried about the heading something is under, as long as you're honest about what it really is. I put some year-long volunteering under summer activities, just because I spent more time on them during the summer, but I just made a note that they continued throughout the year; stuff like that is fine.</p>
<p>And if you're having trouble describing a particularly meaningful activity fully in that little box, maybe mention it in your essay so you can expand on it a little (I did that a lot on my application).</p>
<p>no guys, the issue here is that the common app doesn't allow you to elaborate.</p>
<p>tons of asians are a part of 10 clubs and president of 4 to 5. Does that mean anything? NO</p>
<p>I am really only involved in 3 EC's but am extremely nationally compeititive in LD debate i.e. tons of awards at major tournaments, RR invites, TOC, state finals etc.</p>
<p>why should kids who take clubs for the sake of be valued over me?</p>
<p>To answer your question: they're not.</p>
<p>Write an essay about it, talk about it at the interview, have one of your rec letters mention it; there's lots of ways to get across how involved in your ECs you are, and admissions value quality of involvement over quantity of ECs. Don't worry.</p>
<p>K, you don't have to list each and every award that led to a bigger award, just list the best.</p>
<p>And being presidents of 5 clubs looks fake, as it is in many cases. President of the Irish Club at my Ds school is a joke, but head painter for the theater productions means something.</p>
<p>Some clubs have 5 presidents, and colleges can see through the "leadership" rolls kids supposedly have.</p>
<p>The problem about common application is that it does not contain space to elaborate on your activities. For the "awards/letters won", you should summarize, in point form, of your achievements. If you wish to make a list, do so on the "additional information session."</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>