Hello everyone I just applied to 1 school through ED and I am kind of getting worried about admissions officers not trusting my ECs and awards. Basically, what I have heard is that our college/guidance counselor should mention that I did involve in the ECs that I have listed so that there is a proof for the ECs. However, I dont know whether my guidance counselor will mention my ECs at all. I have lots of ECs and I have done ALL of them (NO FAKING) which some of them are outside of school. Will admissions officer think that my ECs are fake?
Unless you did actually fake something or exaggerate what you did, there is absolutely nothing to do. It’s out of your hands, and the AOs will decide what they decide.
If you’re accepted ED, forget about it. If you’re not accepted ED, or want to have your application cleaner and nicer in case your are rejected, then maybe work with your GC to tidy up and clarify what you wrote, and/or come back here and ask for advice on how to present your ECs so they don’t look like exaggerations and padding.
Things that will make an adcom suspicious: Saying you won a major national award with no mention of it by any of your recommenders; putting down more hours per week on activities than is physically possible; inflating job titles and responsibilities to the point of absurdity (I see this sometimes in chance-me threads).
If you are doing normal activities that high school kids do, no one is going to question it. They just don’t have the time.
Or if such award or achievement winners tend to be announced by name in the news or by the sponsoring organization, but your name is not present in such an announcement.
I’ve not heard of such thing being a big issue. If you want your GC to mention the activities, or be aware of them, you can give the GC a list. Usually the GC asks students and parents for a list of things that they want mentioned or for GC to be aware. It really helps in writing the LOR because there is no way any person can have info on every student at fingertips and there is much a school GC will not know.
If you have not done this and the GC has already done the LOR, and you truly are worried about this, give your GC such a list now to be in your files. I doubt this is needed but you have covered this possibility of the school contacting the GC with such a list or resume of sorts. It’s nice to have this for interviews anyways—give To interviewer so they have a good idea of what you do.
99% of the time, most ECs are not relevant enough for the AO to do more than give a passing glance anyways. If something looks way off, such as being a recruited athlete without being on school team, there might be an inquiry but there is often a valid reason for that even. Top athletes often forego school team involvement for honing skills further in more competitive arenas.
If you are winning major math awards, and not in the most rigorous math curriculum, that might be a question. But major awards, National ones, ones that count can be easily verified or the GC can ask you personally.
If it’s a remarkable enough EC to make a difference , the AO will let refer it to the departments g Thgat the college that values these things. In such cases, students have met the relevant department know already some way. If you are a great classics student, or geologist, its a good idea to contact the heads of those departments at the college