Significant extracurricular activity to elaborate on

College Essays
1

Quite a few of my schools ask the exact same question about elaborating on an extracurricular activity or work experience that I found particularly significant. I have two activities in mind (I’d write about one just as well as the other bc I really love both), one is music production and the other is a volunteer project that I initiated.
This is what I think the pros/cons of each option might be:

Music production
Pros: creative activity (I think it balances my STEM oriented academic interests), not very typical (a lot of students do music but it’s conservatory style instrumental performance, and some do composition but I don’t think very many does electronic production), some collab (featuring other artists), heavy commitment and I’m just really really passionate about it.
Cons: it doesn’t really benefit other people/society (maybe someone felt better after listening to my music, but I don’t know about that), not professionally signed (but assuming the AOs know that a full time student can’t be a full time producer)

Volunteer project:
Pros: benefits others (students in public school - I started this because I wanted to give an opportunity to them to learn about computer science), personal connection (this was something I wished I had before high school, I was the only person in my CS class without any experience), connection to my academic interest (I’m looking into computer engineering, CS, it not other engineering/science), related to a social issue I’m interested in (education gaps)
Cons: maybe sounds too cliché? I mean a lot of people do a volunteer project, and they’re much bigger in scale and time commitment. Mine is only me teaching at a public school (planning on making it 2 this year) bc I couldn’t find someone else interested in it to collab, and it’s only once a week during their lunch hour.

Both are as full-scale as I can manage them to be. I have multiple platforms for music and I’m planning on connecting with a distributor which can make it even more large-scale. The volunteer project is also the most I can do with the resources I have.
Does one sound definitely better than the other? Should I write about music for some schools and volunteering for others?

2

I would say music production is a better option. The main goal of the essay is to explain what you would add to campus rather than your effect on others. Lots of students will have done community service, less will be doing music production outside of music majors. Also your passion will most likely shine through

3

Do the music one. It is very interesting and makes you unique and it’s very personal to just you. This hits all my 3 marks for the essay. It shows your passion. The volunteer one will be listed on your application and you don’t want to use the essay to rehash your application. In fact most times your told not to. The school wants to learn somethings new about you that is not on the application. Also music and stem go hand in hand. A lot of stem kids minor in some music form. Research the schools you are applying to and see if this is common.

4

Music. It isn’t something they hear about every day. The app purpose isn’t to make you sound like a saint. It is to show you as a 3D human being. Stop worrying so much about “looking good” (per some of your other posts as well). They like interested and interesting applicants. Be one of those.

5

Such a good point as @intparent is saying. Don’t write or apply to what you think they want. This is a big mistake many make. It makes you sound to mechanical and sterile. What you have is interesting and pertains pretty much just to you. Plus you can easily combine your college interest with it. I personally want to learn more about you. Make a strong opening in the essay and you will easily draw the reader in. I think the readers are a little tired of “I started a group to save humanity” type of essays. But the after-school project you started is great and you should be commended for it.

6

Ask yourself ---- Which activity is more meaningful to you? Which activity do you feel you can write a more compelling essay about that gives admission officers a glance into what makes you tick, what you can bring to the college etc.? That is your answer.