Rate My ECs? (And Honors?)

[stress4ever]

<p>The common app has come out and I'm deciding what kind of extracurricular to put on there...and what kinds to leave out.
In my opinion, mine aren't really that...great, so don't expect too much. </p>

<p>I'm about to start Senior year, and this is what I have so far:</p>

<p>Honors:
I've taken 5 AP exams and gotten 5s on all of them, so I think that's AP Scholar with Distinction? </p>

<p>An essay of mine was published in the Susquehanna Review, which showcases works across the country by young writers, based on Susquehanna University. Dk if this is actually considered an Honor, what do you guys think? </p>

<p>ECs:
I've been in the Environmental Club for 3 years. I'm debating about this because, as a club, we really didn't do much and I'm not really interested in Environmental Science or anything. </p>

<p>I've been in Key Club for 2 years. I was secretary last year, and this year I'll be one of the co-VPs. I know there's a lot of hate for Key Club bc most people who join are just looking to pad their resume...but it gives me some needed leadership positions. :&lt;/p>

<p>I've been in Steering Committee for 2 years. This is basically a club for your class, where you organize class events, aka Junior Prom, fundraisers, etc. </p>

<p>I was in SGA General Committee sophomore year and Executive Board junior year. I'm pretty much guaranteed to be on Exec Board Senior year too. (That sounds a little snobby haha)</p>

<p>I was in NHS exec board, and I'm running for VP this year. I doubt I can be elected, but I'm on exec board this year too. </p>

<p>I've been on the school badminton team for 2 years, and this year will be my third and last.</p>

<p>I did a Model UN sophomore year at a local college (not particularly famous or anything) and Johns Hopkins Model UN junior year. (Think I'm going to do it this year too).</p>

<p>I was in Colophon junior year, which is my school's literary arts magazine. It's won national awards and I wrote a piece that was published in it. </p>

<p>Aaaand, outside of school, I volunteered over the summer at a retirement home. We ended on rather bad terms. I quite because I just couldn't handle the monotony of the job - I really felt like I wasn't contributing anything to society. </p>

<p>I wanted an internship/actual worthwhile volunteer positions, but I went out of the country this summer so that went down the drain..
I didn't do anything freshman year except Environmental. Sigh. </p>

<p>So, that's what I currently have. I'll continue most of these clubs in my senior year. If it helps you, here's some basic academic info: my GPA is 3.81/4.0 and I'm ranked 20/350+ students in my class, and I usually try to take challenging classes.</p>

[RedSeven]

<p>

I’ve taken 5 AP exams and gotten 5s on all of them, so I think that’s AP Scholar with Distinction?

</p>

<p>If so, list that as an honor.</p>

<p>

An essay of mine was published in the Susquehanna Review, which showcases works across the country by young writers, based on Susquehanna University. Dk if this is actually considered an Honor, what do you guys think?

</p>

<p>Yes, this should be listed as an honor.</p>

<p>

I’ve been in the Environmental Club for 3 years. I’m debating about this because, as a club, we really didn’t do much and I’m not really interested in Environmental Science or anything.

</p>

<p>List it towards the bottom. Say what you did, not that you didn’t do much.</p>

<p>

I’ve been in Key Club for 2 years. I was secretary last year, and this year I’ll be one of the co-VPs. I know there’s a lot of hate for Key Club bc most people who join are just looking to pad their resume…but it gives me some needed leadership positions. :

</p>

<p>Sounds like “most people who join” include you. Leadership positions are not collector’s items. They don’t matter at all if you didn’t actually do anything with them, because if you didn’t do anything, they’re not leadership positions anymore…</p>

<p>Since it’s obviously not important to you, list it towards the bottom, but above Environmental Club.</p>

<p>

I’ve been in Steering Committee for 2 years. This is basically a club for your class, where you organize class events, aka Junior Prom, fundraisers, etc.

</p>

<p>This is good.</p>

<p>

I was in SGA General Committee sophomore year and Executive Board junior year. I’m pretty much guaranteed to be on Exec Board Senior year too. (That sounds a little snobby haha)

</p>

<p>This is also good, provided you can explain what these positions actually involved. Adcoms know that most officer positions are little more than titles. You need to prove that this officer positions was more than a title (well, if that’s actually the case).</p>

<p>

I was in NHS exec board, and I’m running for VP this year. I doubt I can be elected, but I’m on exec board this year too.

</p>

<p>This is good, provided that you can explain what you did, rather than what you were called.</p>

<p>

I’ve been on the school badminton team for 2 years, and this year will be my third and last.

</p>

<p>This is good.</p>

<p>

I did a Model UN sophomore year at a local college (not particularly famous or anything) and Johns Hopkins Model UN junior year. (Think I’m going to do it this year too).

</p>

<p>Good, but make it sound a bit more compelling than that.</p>

<p>

I was in Colophon junior year, which is my school’s literary arts magazine. It’s won national awards and I wrote a piece that was published in it.

</p>

<p>Good.</p>

<p>

Aaaand, outside of school, I volunteered over the summer at a retirement home. We ended on rather bad terms. I quite because I just couldn’t handle the monotony of the job - I really felt like I wasn’t contributing anything to society.

</p>

<p>You can still talk about the volunteering you did as long as you were there for a decent amount of time before you quit. There’s no need to mention that you quit, just the time period in which you volunteered. (If it was ridiculously short, leave this off completely.)</p>

<p>

I didn’t do anything freshman year except Environmental. Sigh.

</p>

<p>Many people don’t do anything freshman year. It won’t jeopardize your chances unless you continue to do nothing. I did very little my freshman year but was still admitted to 6 out of 9 schools (1 safety, 1 match, 7 reaches).</p>

<p>

So, that’s what I currently have. I’ll continue most of these clubs in my senior year. If it helps you, here’s some basic academic info: my GPA is 3.81/4.0 and I’m ranked 20/350+ students in my class, and I usually try to take challenging classes.

</p>

<p>You’re in relatively good standing from an academic perspective, so it will largely come down to whether your recs, essays, and ECs stick out to the adcoms.</p>