<p>Okay, so I've been reading a lot of chance threads and I felt like I had to address this in some way. Everyone's extracurriculars seem to be a perfect mix of Music (Violin or Piano), Science Award (Foundations or Summer Programs), Varsity Sport for 3 or 4 years, etc. It just seems like there is this cookie cutter perception of what HYPS are looking for. </p>
<p>I mean what happened to the humanitarians and the artists, etc out there? Aren't those schools interested in students like that as well, presuming they maintained top notch grades? I just feel like sometimes my strong art portfolio/background, and humanitarian efforts/awards are nothing next to all the math/science awards everyone seems to be flaunting.</p>
<p>I mean I think its one thing to say you placed this at a Math Competition, or worked in a lab, but its another thing to say you're President of a Charity Organization at your school or you've been working towards a non profit Humanitarian Organization, etc. </p>
<p>Sorry, I might sound a little bias. But I feel like I don't see any of that on here. </p>
<p>I've actually felt almost the opposite - it seems like everyone on this site has hundreds of community service hours, and my couple hours here and there are totally dwarfed in comparison.</p>
<p>I think it's a different type of person who is dedicated to volunteering versus one who loves math. Humanitarianism (if that's even a word) takes a lot more patience and compassion, whereas math takes a left-brained, answers-oriented type of person.</p>
<p>HYPS probably most like to see a student who has dabbled in many areas - a math contest winner who also does community service and plays varsity softball, or something. They like to see kids who are well-rounded, IMO. I've seen all different sorts of kids posting around here, and a lot of them get into top schools, so it really all depends. Personally, I think community service is a really honorable way to spend your time, but I've never gotten heavily involved.</p>
<p>Maybe it's to your advantage that not a lot of kids have pursued the same areas of interest as you - less competition come admissions season. ;)</p>
<p>I was honestly about to post a topic nearly identical to this one. It is my opinion, from what I have heard around, that math/science students have an upper hand in college admissions. I have won some nice humanitarian awards, but I have always considered them as a boost to some of the other aspects of my application. I just see the adcom going, "oh, he's published and has done independent research in the social sciences... and look he's also a humanitarian!", and not the other way around.</p>
<p>By humanitarian, do you mean an activist who has organized groups/organizations, and has really involved himself in debate/MUN and community service, and all those other kinds of humanitarian work?</p>
<p>That would be very nice, since VERY VERY few applicants do these kinds of things.</p>
<p>i'm pretty sure your sarcasm permeates that post.</p>
<p>yea there are alot of people who do MUN, debate, are in charity groups, but the amount of people who shine in these categories do not outweigh the number of the math/science/music stars applying to hyps. and plus being a humanitarian is not neccesarily a cookie cutter fit for most people. i myself have used art locally to combine in it with humanitarian efforts by teaching art for children at the crisis centers where i live. its about helping people, through what YOU specifically like to do.</p>
<p>Okay. I probably shouldn't have included MUN/debate in there. Those are very very very common activities. </p>
<p>However, starting a new group/activism/major charity projects seems to be very rare. Still, it is kinda difficult to show passion for humanities since there aren't that many awards/competitions for them. The only major humanities awards are prolly NFL/Davidson, while there's all these competitions for math and science. Still, i'm sure a humanitarian could be impressive if he/she can show passion. An accomplished and passionate humanitarian is much more unique and rare than a science/math person.</p>
<p>I feel the same way. I'm just an average math/science student, but I'm really into human rights. I do a lot of volunteering and journalism in that area, but I don't have any awards. I personally don't find this to be a problem because, like mallika said, it's self-rewarding.
But I know that my lack of 'awards' might be detrimental in the application process :(</p>
<p>Poison...what humanities awards have you won? I'm looking for some more to enter the first half of next year (I plan to submit to TEEN inc but i dont know what else to do)</p>
<p>Uh...aren't people confusing "humanitarian" and "humanities"? I have a feeling that the OP meant "humanities" as loads of CCers have humanitarian ECs.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. I was just thinking, I'm a history buff. There are loads of math, sci, eng, foreign lang programs, but rarely any history ones. I don't mean working at a museum. I mean actually learning something during the summer.</p>
<p>If you can demonstrate volunteer service and humanitarian focus at
a core level (meaning you have been doing it for 3 years or so at the
time of your app and maybe even been recognized for this) you will find
yourself very welcome at H and M.</p>
<p>The number of people going this route are miniscule and actually very
passionate about their focus- they are definitely not doing this for college.</p>
<p>I was motivated enough by one of these people to volunteer time this summer
(after graduation) and moved by the selflessness of my peer.</p>
<p>Both are regional. Brighthouse Networks Volunteer Youth Award and the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award. I don't actually know of any national awards for service/humanitarian. Are you referring to TeenInk? I didn't know they did service awards, but they did publish my art :)</p>
<p>They sort of came out of the blue. I was anonymously nominated for both and I had no idea that I was going to win them until they were pretty much handing me the award.</p>
<p>I have done 4 years of varsity swimming, made it to state and placed top 16 twice, have 10 years of piano under my belt, lots of community service, placed 3rd at a national math competition, completed all of high school math by 8th grade, and I'm afraid that I won't get into all my top choices of schools because I am a white male.</p>
<p>Winning a math competition means you excel at an academic subject. a humanitarian award doesn't say anything about your academic prowess. In the end, colleges are academic institutions. All the kindness in the world doesn't mean too much to a college if they don't think you can take the rigor of their academic training.</p>
<p>Math/science student would probably gain recognition in that they have intellectual ability and determination to work hard in those subjects. There are several humanitarians out there and Ivies are known to take these students. However, recently I've noticed friends getting into Ivies who are more academic than humanitarian based on achievement and skill level.</p>
<p>Are you folks talking about the attitude & practice of humanitarianism, or are you talking about the academic field of The Humanitites?
...Because these are 2 different things</p>
<p>Yea, and that's why not as many humanitarian oriented kids make it into the top notch schools. Not that I agree with it at all. Personally I'm very strong in academics, and want to go to a school where intellectual capacity is really pushed. I love math, history, and languages, and have taken APs in all of them. I have an unweighted GPA of 4.05 with all AP and Honors courses only. Although, I love those subjects, my decision to spend my extra time has not really gone into academic pursuits only. I feel a need and urgency to spend time in humanitarian efforts, its always where my heart has been. The thing I admire about people who do humanitarian work, is many realize it can be done in a variety of ways, which means its not simply volunteering at a soup kitchen. You can combine anything you love and make it a beneficient service to society. You really can. Also kids who choose the humanitarian path are aware that awards aren't going to be at their fingertips, which honestly makes me believe them to be more genuine in their reasons for pursuing what they decide to do. Its much easier to stuff up a college application with math and science awards than humanitarian awards. Because the process is rewarding in itself. </p>
<p>But its not true that the top schools are primarily academic institutions. They are primarily learning institutions. Unless you're headed down the pre-professional path, most students want intellectual exploration which allows them to grow as a person and learn things that will benefit not just career decisions but life decisions. And sure humanitarians are academically gifted too. Many often seem to enjoy the humanities, (literature, history, languages, etc) and ultimately become involved in some type of political/speech club or society. Debate/Speech/Model United Nations/International Court/Mock Trial, etc. </p>
<p>You just have to find some thing or two things you love and push that in everything you do, experience, and breathe. Its the only way to stay satisfied throughout highschool. </p>
<p>The whole idea of becoming a doctor, so you can help people is pretty bs. Not to be offensive, but honestly, you CAN help people in anything you do. Whether you may be a cook, an artist, a nutritionist, an activist, a journalist, or whatever there is a way for you to directly affect other people.</p>
<p>I don't see the distinction between academic and "learning". The point of universities is to do research and to educate. Both are academic endeavors. No matter how good you are at humanitarian efforts, if you're a bad student you're not going to get in. That's why math/science achievements do and should matter more in college admissions.</p>