Rank these Extra Currics on a Scale of 1-10 (10 being a hook EC) (Intended CS Applicant, Asian)

Applying to College
1
  • Student Body President (Elected, would be senior year)
  • Research and Co-Author of a computer science research paper to be presented in Vegas this Summer
  • Research Intern at UPenn Med School for a summer
  • President and Founder of a very successful comp sci club (30+ members) (won many local and came 4th at a regional competition with this team that my teacher and I trained)
  • not an extra curric but got a 24/24 on New SAT Essay
  • Starter for a travel soccer team (top 10 in state)
  • Raising awareness and funding (over $2000) for a school I visit yearly back home in asia
  • Front page twice, school newspaper contributor

Applying to lots of CS Programs, UPenn ED possibly,
Let me know!

2

EC’s aren’t hooks unless you’re a recruited athlete.

Why does it matter? I assume you’re a junior and at this point, you’ve done what you’ve done and you’ll put them on the application.

3

it matters so I know where I stand in and can mold my safeties and reaches to that criteria

4

You can’t know and it shouldn’t change how you look at matches and safeties. UPenn is a reach.

5

You’ve got very good EC’s, but you don’t have hooks.

6

The only hook EC is being a recruited athlete.

7

@skieurope makes an excellent point. There are several things that could be considered “hooks”, but athletics is the only EC that fits the description.

8

@skieurope @sherpa I understand, which is why I was asking to rank some of my EC’s. As stated in my OP, I was not asking whether my ECs were hooks, but rather if they are particularly well received by college admissions or close to being a hook.

9

if a college values an EC, then they really have no preference as to the EC. What is more important for them is what you got out of it/how if helped define you. The simple fact of having an EC in comparatively unimportant.

10

Schools don’t value all ECs the same. Some ECs will have more or less value depending on the school.

11

Can you share info about your research paper - and will you be participating in any science competitions (Seimens, Regeneron etc.?) and for CS - USACO-http://www.usaco.org/. For CS – it seems you have received awards and done meaningful things - those can be highlighted on the common app (though not really “hooks”). Do you have any areas of CS you are particularly interested in?