<p>Everyone knows that Harvard (as well as the other Ivy schools) receives hundreds, if not thousands, of applications from straight A students, some of whom may be presidents of clubs. </p>
<p>What is a good activity that makes one different?
I thought about this as I finished my freshman year of high school, and in my sophomore year (i’m a junior now), I began an underground literary/art magazine for distribution (about 1000 issues, and it’s not your regular zerox, copy-paste job) in an area that’s pretty much starved for the arts.</p>
<p>How do you think this holds up?
I’d post my other stats, but considering it’s only the begining of the year, and grades count a lot, I’ll probably hold off on that for a while.</p>
<p>I think that's really amazing!! It shows passion, and also (because you started it yourself) it shows a lot of initiative. I honestly couldn't say how much it'll make you stand out from others, because lots of applicants also have some amount of passion/iniative - but it certainly isn't going to hurt you! I know my opinion doesn't count for TOO much, but I for one am very impressed. (I'm a little biased, by the way ... I'm kinda a literature fan ...) :)</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm going by the rule that it helps to devote yourself to one area in all of your clubs/E.C. activities.</p>
<p>Too bad for me, I'm not only a writing and art buff, but a science one too : D</p>
<p>Right now my full list of (in school) ECs is...
The school's actual lit mag
Art Club
NAHS(tons of activities done in here...murals, set designs, etc)
Writing Club
Key Club
NHS(these two are kind of the "required" ones that everyone does...)</p>
<p>Out of school things...
Duke Creative Writing Program
Various art classes
Various classes taken at 826 Valenica, a really awesome writing center, as well as interning there
200 and odd hours CITing at JCC in san francisco.</p>
<p>I'm now looking at trying to do get some awards in, and I've sort of forgotten what honors I have, but I keep a folder in with my school files.</p>
<p>But see, everyone sort of has these things.</p>
<p>Well, it's a little awkward since we know that you did these things specifically with college in mind (you admitted it in your first post, and you seem to be very conscious of how the whole EC-admissions thing works), but since the adcoms won't know that unless you tell them (and since you seem to be enjoying the activity, now that it's started) I would say that it's a very good way to set yourself apart.</p>
<p>Heh, yeah, that is true. But I do wholeheartedly believe in making the arts a better thing in my area. All anyone does here is go to the mall...</p>
<p>What community things do you guys do?</p>
<p>Well, I have to work a lot, so I never really had the chance to support the arts in the same ways (though my area is really about as deficient as any area could be in the arts).</p>
<p>I do a lot of fundraising for the community, since I know there isn't a person on the peninsula who couldn't use the help. I'm a member of the youth philanthropic organization based in the largest city in the area, and we actually do very important and serious work. I used those kinds of skills in working with the Spanish National Honor Society in my school (I'm the president this year). In general, it's just great putting the work in to get the money out.</p>
<p>I would have liked to have been a part of a community theatre or community literature group, but I'm not sure how many are around. During college, definitely.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'll certainly work with the literary groups at the college I go too. Possibly with the drama groups, just because I could not do it at my high school because I lack the ability to sing, and that's an automatic "NO" from them.</p>
<p>Wow. Strange. We leave the singing to choir. We wouldn't have a prayer of getting enough auditions if we made people sing!</p>