<p>I have some things that play a major aspect in my life, but wouldn't necessarily be considered ECs. Should I discuss them on my application (for next year fyi) or not? And if I should, how exactly should I go about it?</p>
<p>Examples:
Going over to my grandparents house everyday after school for about 5 hours to help my grandma take care of my grandpa with MS and do physical therapy exercises on him.</p>
<p>Losing 80 pounds.</p>
<p>Being a NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month) winner.</p>
<p>Participated in Miss Ohio Teen this year (planning on next year too)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t list NaNoWriMo. I did it too. It’s not about quality, it’s about quantity, and you really can’t prove that your 50k + words weren’t “It was a dark and stormy night” copied and pasted over and over.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t list reading books by a certain author…I don’t know, it just doesn’t sound like that big of a deal. </p>
<p>Those two ECs reaaaaally look like application padding.</p>
<p>I would include the part about your grandma, although I’m not sure if that’s an EC or a Volunteer activity or what. I would also include the Miss Ohio Teen thing.</p>
<p>Losing weight and running a blog…not really. If you lost weight by joining a soccer team or something then sure, but if you just kinda dieted and worked out at home, no. And even then, your activity would be the team, not the result of being on the team. The blog, I’d only list if it’s relevant. If you want to go into communications or somehow your blog is related to your field it might make sense.</p>
<p>I think the work you do for your grandparents is amazing and definitely worth making sure colleges know about it-- maybe it would be a very worthwhile essay. I also think losing 80s and competing in Miss Ohio Teen is very impressive and distinctive, and also worth writing about too.</p>
<p>Hobbies are extracurriculars too. NaNoWriMo and blogging would fall under the category of hobbies, so yes, I think you can put them on there. Reading can be a hobby too but I don’t know if I’d list a specific author.</p>
<p>Colleges realize that blogging and doing research with a professor aren’t the same thing. It’s not disingenuous to list hobbies, but it does give colleges a better idea of who you are.</p>
<p>These are more of essay material. But DEFINITELY include these on your essay. It will make it look like you are a 3D person, instead of making you look like you don’t have any EC’s so you use random things.</p>
<p>I would say to include them, though loosing 80 pounds sounds like something odd to put on there. However, if it’s something you actively and consciously spent time on, then it counts.</p>
<p>I agree with HighSchoolDropIn. If you’re going to go for these, I’d elaborate in the essays. “Oh I lost 80 pounds” and “Oh I write a blog” sound kinda weird and application-padding on their own.</p>
<p>Maybe save some of the things for the essay. Pick something you think is compelling and will give the adcom an insight into your personality. I know a student who wrote about playing with Legos in his essay that was a bit of a hit at Standford. He wrote about famous historical battles, and how he enjoyed reading about them, but how the most dramatic and passionate battles he knew of were the ones waged with his Lego people on the imaginary battlefields of his basement. This was a student who majored in math, so history (or Legos!) had nothing to do with his primary interests or skills. But it gave the adcom a glimpse into his personality, and it struck a cord. So think what would make a good essay that will leave a lasting impression on its reader. Just one word of advice: if you write about your Grandma and Grandpa, be sure the essay isn’t maudlin or woe-is-me or aren’t-I-wonderful. That could be a turn off.</p>
<p>You should read the thread on hidden ECs.<br>
I agree with the consensus above that the meaningful activities are helping your grandparents, running a blog (be sure to document your readership) and competing in the pageant.<br>
Losing weight is a personal accomplishment but not appropriate for a college application.</p>
<p>You can definitely mention all of those things if you are deferred or waitlisted and send a letter of continued interest. For RD though, only the blog and Miss Teen Ohio (if you won anything) are worth mentioning.</p>