<p>Technically, I don't have zero ECs. I'm into art/graphic design and poetry (call it 'passionate' if you must use cliches), and will submit at least my art portfolio to private schools. I've also won a few minor local contests for writing. However, as for sports, volunteering, and clubs (anything you can put on the 'hours per week / weeks per year' part of the Common App)...assume none. I did a few clubs with friends for fun, but they don't have enough hours on them to indicate that I've made a difference in my community (and I haven't).</p>
<p>So that's going to be a major blank. Assuming that my stats/test scores are solid, is it (not having ECs -at all-) going to appear as glaringly lacking as it feels? (Think: upper-tier UCs, Ivy-caliber privates.)</p>
<p>I bet if you are prego you cant get into college. And I hope i can get on a team in high school, but they are so cometative it isnt reallt fun to play sports in school. I wish they had a bmx team in school, that would be fun. They should have more choices than they do cause there are so many fun sports to play. Like polo. They play that in England and not here. I wonder if there are other sports they have in other countires they don’t have here. Colleges shouldn’t really care if you play sports. It doesn’t make you smarter.</p>
<p>^I believe pregnant people/mothers can and should attend college, though it’d be very difficult and would require support from the girl’s parents and boyfriend/husband. Also, while sports doesn’t make you ‘smarter’, colleges don’t just care about ‘smarter’. They want people who contribute to their community and are good team players.</p>
<p>The most important thing colleges look at will obviously be academics. Several colleges I have been looking at directly state that the most important parts of their application are your GPA and test scores. However, EC’s, which carry much less weight than academics, help an applicant stand out over similar prospective students. For example, say student X has a 3.7 GPA, 27 on the ACT but very few EC’s, and student Y has a 3.7 GPA and a 27 on the ACT but a ton of EC’s than the college will accept student Y over student X.</p>
<p>Honestly I have no idea what the other people who responded to your question are going on about. The bottom line is if your academics are sound, you shouldn’t have a problem getting into your state schools, but don’t be expecting to get into the best of the best without something that seperates you from the rest.</p>
<p>As Jared states, most schools don’t care too much about ECs. It is only at the more competitive schools that can pick and choose among a multitude of high stat applicants that ECs are critical. I assume that includes upper-tier UCs, and I’m sure it is the case at Ivy-caliber privates.</p>