<p>I play viola. I guess that’s sort of rare, but I also play piano.</p>
<p>I used to be on chess team! That didn’t end up on my apps though :P.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well said, Northstarmom.
You don’t have to find out “non-Asian” or “non-URM” ECs. That will be lying to yourself. Just find activities that you really like!
I hope you got my PM.</p>
<p>I personally found violins, tennis, math clubs,…etc to be INCREDIBLY boring.
Which is why I chose different activities, and I think adcoms can easily see how passionate I am in those activities.</p>
<p>Once you find your interests, stick to them.</p>
<p>Probably Student Government or Speech and Debate. A lot of students at my school who have gone to Harvard or Yale participated greatly in both. All of them held leadership positions in both as well.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>NSM, haven’t you also said that colleges are willing to admit kids with less-than-perfect stats if they are interested in an underserved major (classics, that sort of thing)? Not to say that kids should pursue certain ECs simply to appeal to an adcom, but it may be smart to axe fun but less-than-compelling ECs like piano, tennis, etc in favor of another (enjoyable) activity.</p>
<p>QUIDDITCH. I win.</p>
<p>edit–
Thought it was worth mentioning that I’m also (partially) asian</p>
<p>“NSM, haven’t you also said that colleges are willing to admit kids with less-than-perfect stats if they are interested in an underserved major (classics, that sort of thing)? Not to say that kids should pursue certain ECs simply to appeal to an adcom, but it may be smart to axe fun but less-than-compelling ECs like piano, tennis, etc in favor of another (enjoyable) activity.”</p>
<p>That’s true, not just to help you get into top colleges, but doing this also will give you the time to devote to things that you love. Doing this means that whether or not you get into HPYS and similar colleges, you will have developed skills and experience in something that could lead to a major, a career, or a fulfilling lifelong hobby.</p>
<p>Select ECs that you love and then use your energy and creativity to excel in them, including creating opportunities such as, if you’re in a club, organizing fundraisers, inviting experts to speak to the club, and creating other activities related to the club.</p>
<p>Do not try to impress top colleges by dropping drop something that you love or beginning to pursue some rare activity that you have no interest in. That will just waste your time.</p>
<p>People do best in things that they love. That also tends to be the things in which they have talent for and/or the enthusiasm for which to develop their talents.</p>
<p>It would be silly, for instance, to force yourself to start a punk rock band or take up ice hockey or wrestling because you think that would make you stand out since you’re Asian.</p>
<p>You aren’t likely to do well in an activity that at best you have a lukewarm interest in, and your lack of interest in that activity would be obvious to your interviewers and to your coach/advisor, etc.</p>
<p>If you’ve been doing an activity for years, but realize that you’ve lost interest in it, drop it. Turn your energy to something else even if it’s something that you’re interested in, but haven’t tried before. Gritting your teeth and sticking with something that you hate is likely to just waste your time and to keep you from developing skills and experience in an EC that may open college doors and make you very happy.</p>
<p>“I don’t perceive this to be an unusual EC, but it seems like very few guys who apply to Ivies play the dangerous sports (Football, Hockey, Wrestling, LaX) and then back that up with high grades and scores. People make a big deal out of varsity sports, but I don’t think sports like Tennis, Soccer, Swimming and even Basketball to some extent are that impressive, as they tend to be sports smarter people gravitate to.”</p>
<hr>
<p>Thank you, MSauce. You just summed up my feelings of the EC’s of about 90% of the kids on CC. Some people here list varsity bowling and varsity ping pong as sports. I mean really? Varsity ping pong? Is that even a sport? (Yeah I know it’s in the Olympics). There’s a big difference between spending 100s of hours a year conditioning, lifting, and practicing for football compared to the maybe 10 hours a year that you spend preparing for your little ping pong tournaments. You don’t come home physically and mentally exhausted from ping pong at 10:00 at night and then have to do 3 hours of homework after a 4 hour practice.</p>
<p>One other thing, at my school, a lot of the athletic kids that want to play a contact sport but are kind of soft and don’t like hitting seem to go out for LAX. It seems like a lot of smart kids on CC play LAX. I’m just wondering, does this happen at other schools?</p>
<p>^ well said, Northstarmom.
That pretty much sums up the reasons why I chose (my extra) in the first place - because I enjoy participating +20 hours a week and truly love every minute of it.</p>
<p>I’m going to volunteer to help with the clean up of the Gulf Oil Spill. I wanted to take a HAZMAT course so I actually work with the oil, but I’m not won’t be 18. I’m just going to have to help distribute supplies. I guess this EC will also make it look like I took AP Environ Sci because I’m actually interested in the subject and not just to take a slacker AP class. I also volunteer and coach youth flag football. </p>
<p>I would classify those 2 EC’s as a lot more rare than say NHS, CSF, or Key Club.</p>
<p>Find a cure for cancer. That’ll get you in anywhere.</p>
<p>Does being a professional (internationally ranked) eSports(aka competitive video games) player counts as a rare “sport”?</p>
<p>^Kinda doubt it</p>
<p>How does interning at Harvard medical school look? It might be unusual, but would it stand out?</p>
<p>^
I think what matters is how you contributed and what experiences you had in depth.</p>
<p>It might be a bit dangerous if you’re just trying to intern there just because of the name “Harvard.”</p>
<p>Interning for Electronic Arts. (this was one of my ECs)</p>
<p>Martial Arts are actually pretty rare–even more rare is if you get your black belt (usually after 8-10 years of study).</p>
<p>Mine</p>
<p>Origami</p>
<p>Its one square sheet of paper, no cuts</p>
<p>And its not made up because ive been doing it for 10 years</p>
<p>@lolononojo: I’m interning to learn. I don’t think anyone can really expect a high school student to contribute much</p>
<p>Internship at Sun Microsystems. (which is now a subsidiary of Oracle)</p>
<p>I’m 80% sure that my extended study of / interest in a 19th century author got me into H and S. (:</p>