So i was wondering how important these things are in a college application:
-Volunteer hours
-Having a job
-Taking optional tests such as SAT subject tests
-Club activities
-Summer research/camp (which matters more?)
-Winning regional/national contests
And is it true that senior grades don’t matter?
I just want to know because I feel like I have too much on my plate and i don’t want to invest alot of time in something that won’t really matter in the end. if you want specific details i can reply with some.
You’re asking the wrong question like so many others. Instead of asking whether any of your activities are important to the college application, you should be asking yourself which of your activities are important to YOU. Developing a deep interest in your activities because you’re deeply interested will yield far better results than activity bombing.
Agree – having a laundry list of activities does not impress college admission officers. Everything you listed is a nice EC but none will get your into a college that you are not academically qualified to attend. The idea is to do the things that are important to you and let your energy and passion shine through.
SAT subject tests are important for schools who recommend them. For those schools, plan on submitting two.
1st semester senior year grades along with junior grades are one of the most important pieces of your application.
Most colleges list what they prioritize on their Common Data Set. Google it. Look at section C7. Different colleges care about different things.
Senior grades matter, A LOT. Why would you think they don’t? They matter for admissions, and they matter for keeping your acceptance. Every year, students post desperate pleas for help because they get rescinded. Senioritis is not real.