<p>Hey guys,
I'm a sophomore at a competitive high school and I'm worried about getting into college. Should I focus on getting good grades or having great extracurriculars?</p>
<p>I heard that you need leadership positions to get into the best schools. My older sister had a 4.0 GPA but didn't have any leadership positions, and she got denied from her top choice college. But I'm having trouble getting good grades - I got all B's freshman year.</p>
<p>So I need to work hard to pull my grades up, but I'm not sure if I'd have the time if I go for leadership positions. I'm currently on the soccer team and I think I have a chance of getting selected as captain if I put in a lot of time to practice, but that would hurt my grades.</p>
<p>This is a false dichotomy; you don’t have to pick only A or B. Both high grades and impressive extracurriculars are possible, and many (most?) applicants to top schools will have both. Certainly, the applicants that are accepted will not only be strong students *or *strong artists, student government presidents, or scientists. The key is time management and an understanding of your limits–if you have a very difficult time in Biology, don’t take AP Bio; etc.</p>
<p>You may feel a constant tug between your schoolwork and your ECs as they compete for your time. That’s normal. But it’s very possible–and likely necessary, if top schools are your goal–to achieve in both areas. </p>
<p>(There may, however, be instances where it is an either/or. I know that my Chem class last year, in which only of 3/30-something students received an A, would have required hours and hours of tutoring and studying to grasp the concepts well enough to succeed on the tests. Instead, I studied as much as I could, took my B, and used that time to pursue achievements in Creative Writing and Debate. I’ve done well in the college admissions process thus far. But most of the time you aren’t presented with a choice that clear-cut.)</p>
<p>Grades and test scores should be your first priority, but allocate some time for ECs as well. Colleges are, above all, academic institutions, so it your academic capacity is their first concern.</p>
<p>No one has a good chance at top schools. Only the top schools give weight to ECs because their typical applicant has top GPA anyway. If you don’t have a tippy top GPA, your EC involvement won’t make up for that – and you’ll shoot yourself in the foot because the near-top schools won’t consider you either.</p>
<p>GPA, always. Your goal should be to ready yourself for the top school for you. The ultra selective colleges are only viable for students who are the top scholars. If one isn’t in that top handful of students, their chances are practically nil, unless they have some other hook. </p>
<p>You should focus on improving your GPA and doing well on SAT/ACT. Then see which schools will be your matches. I’d say having mostly Bs as a freshman indicates that you are already out of the running to the ultra selectives. </p>
<p>I agree. If you had to choose between high GPA and strong extracurricular activities, you should take the high GPA if your goal in life is college admissions; however, most people should be able to balance out grades and extracurriculars. For many, “extracurriculars” come up naturally as you participate in activities with your friends and pursue passions to relieve stress.</p>
<p>Grades are always first ,but I want to add that the most important thing is do your best. Maybe on a Sunday morning you could squeeze in an hour visiting at a rest home or coaching special needs soccer .I think showing you care in your community is good on a resume . What about tutoring elementary students who are behind in something ,like reading ? Good luck !! There is surely a school out there there you can get into and enjoy .</p>
<p>I see you are in SF .I grew up on Cherry at Clay St. Presidio Heights .Are you at University HS ? My D is a freshman is a freshman at Harvard ,and she had no leadership experience,although she had a 4.0 average and went to a rigorous prep school ,and was named top Senior ,as well as Junior .We have matching silver bowls for that . She had a 2260 on SATs and took 5 AP tests and got 3-5s and 2 4s .If I can answer any questions for you ,just ask .Are you looking at Cal or Stanford ? Good luck !!</p>
<p>ECs only matter in admissions at the most selective colleges. With a B average, you would not be a realistic candidate for those schools anyway. Schools just a step down from the most selective are much more numbers driven - grades and SAT/ACT scores.</p>
<p>Don’t completely ignore ECs - participate in what you enjoy. Just don’t let your ECs interfere with your classes.</p>