<p>@oonawong238 </p>
<p>I don’t really do rankings, but like you said, colleges don’t care about anything pre-9th grade. Like, they will throw it out, and it’s really bad for you, since the Common App doesn’t actually have space for all of one’s activities, only the important ones.</p>
<p>Also, I hate to say it, but the Scripps/UIL spelling stuff, while amazing and academically strenuous and blah, blah, blah, will blatantly say to colleges that your big thing was something that is easily “won” by people of higher socio-economic backgrounds. Scripps is a prime example; nearly everyone at Nationals has a combined family income of over $150,000 and extensive “resources” at their disposal, and if that is your application’s focus, it only shows that you simply did well because of your parents income, not your own ability (I know that this may be false, but this is the thinking, based on multiple pollings and statements from former and current Ivy-League ad-coms). </p>
<p>Academic Decathlon sounds great, but it’s important to remember that being a part of a club is not the same thing as being a key part of a club. Junior year is your last year to show any leadership roles before applications, so make it count and bring that team to States.</p>
<p>All the other EC’s are great, but you didn’t really say what you did in each EC. Remember, no ad-com is going to care about you being a part of anything if you don’t do anything in/about it. This is incredibly important to understand as you might end up becoming a great applicant on paper, but you’ll fall into the trap of many students with a background like yours; Your EC’s will paint the picture of you not really doing anything, but leaching on to opportunity on the back of others making opportunities, and the really high end colleges are looking for the really high end investment that can show clear initiative, passion and the ability to do/lead where others follow.</p>
<p>While it may sound like I’m making completely unfounded statements about you, it’s important to remember that most colleges don’t get to know who you truly are [Harvard famously admitted someone who was later found to be a killer]. All they see is something on the Common App like this, and I’d like to be there for you to help you be as successful as possible when they look upon this section. </p>
<p>My final statement to you would be to get more active roles in your ECs, accomplish any remaining personal goals in your ECs, demonstrate your ability to create opportunities and accomplish great things on your own and most importantly, enjoy what you do.</p>
<p>Have a nice day! </p>
