"Those ECs are weak...."- So what's good?

<p>so recently i created a nonprofit organization recognized by the state and everything that holds benefit concerts and entertainment events to fundraise money that is all sent to Zimbabwe through charity foundations. Is that good or impressive at all?</p>

<p>On the first page Northstarmom (in a very enlightening post) said that raising hundreds of dollars was moderately impressive. Is that definitely right? Because Iā€™ve co-hosted (with my sister) two yard sales that raised hundreds of dollars and it seems <em>way</em> to easy to do for it to be impressive. People can give bake sales just one day after school at my school and raise a few hundred. I think youā€™d need to raise at least $5000 to look at all impressive.</p>

<p>question in terms of extracurriculars.
would it be worth mentioning that i have a 1st degree black belt in taekwondo and did it for eight years if i stopped doing it about 3 years ago? iā€™m assuming noā€¦</p>

<p>^ ^ ^ Haha, I have a first degree black belt in Shūdōkan, but stopped doing it a little over 3 years ago.</p>

<p>thanks for the help do you think you could chance me?
<a href=ā€œhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/715761-chance-me.html[/url]ā€>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/715761-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>im a member of the speech and debate team at my highschool and something that really would help would be to show your passion in that realm lets say LD by taking a class over the summer on politics or justice, or going to debate campā€¦ simply being a member isnt anything extraordinary </p>

<p><a href=ā€œhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/715761-chance-me.html[/url]ā€>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/715761-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>What if I have a passion for swimming, and I try very hard to improve at itā€¦ but Iā€™m just not good enough to be a regional champion or anything?
Do I have to win something to be considered outstanding?</p>

<p>Things IĀ’m involved in: minorities [helping and teaching], culture [mine and others-do stuff like dance and sitar, am fluent in 3 languages and moderate in 2 languages.], government [board of education and other council things for young people], universal education [teaching languages mostly], law [particularly immigration law], environment [worked with city environmental education director and much more.], photography [cultural scenes, and just in general]</p>

<p>IĀ’m very involved in each of these with a variety of different activities for them</p>

<p>I was wondering though, are my ECs too scattered? I tried to tie everything together butĀ…
How bad/good would it look if I entered a competition for an epidemiology paper thing and did a few medical things? Would that make me look MORE scattered or would it make me seem like I have a broad range of interests?</p>

<p>Is it a good EC if you founded a club about how Muslims and Jews should be friends(it includes other religions)?
I am Jewish, and so me and my Muslim friend go to Mousqes, synagogues, and churches speaking about the fighting going on between religions and how we should all just learn to make peace. We also talk about how much all of our religions have in common.</p>

<p>How good is NJ Governorā€™s School? I know tons of alums matriculate to Ivies and other top schools, but is that because of their grades and other ECs, or does Gov School have an impact?</p>

<p>I think people should just participate in activities they actually believe in; it kinda sickens me how the craze to get into the top schools makes people actually try to classify ECs. DO WHAT YOU WANT. If you wanna be a professional gamer, then do it. If you want to do 400 hours of charity work a week (because you want to), then do it. At leastā€¦thatā€™s my take on things. Iā€™m just another high school student. I know some people eat sleep and breathe college admissions on here, so my thoughts may be unique to me. I know I wouldnā€™t jump off a cliff if the Ivy League schools told me toā€¦same goes for ECs ;)</p>

<p>True that, BevoUT. :] </p>

<p><a href=ā€œhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/720727-chance-me-please-bit-long-but-still-thanks.html[/url]ā€>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/720727-chance-me-please-bit-long-but-still-thanks.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>How valued is like being nationally recognized in speech and debateā€¦?</p>

<p>Is it bad that I donā€™t have any of these ā€œOutstanding ECā€™s?ā€ Will these really keep me from an Ivy League?</p>

<p>Debate team!!</p>

<p>Im a State ranked debaterā€¦ i qualā€™d for natsā€¦ i hate my school board, thats all im gonna say</p>

<p>Honestly, I think the post on the first page that listed the most prestigious ECs is a bit alarmist; yes it is fabulous if you have been published in the countryā€™s top newspapers, found a cure for swine flu, and been in movies since the age of two, but what colleges truly want to see is someone who is passionate.</p>

<p>Passionate about theater, a sport, debate, a charityā€¦ whatever it is, the EC doesnā€™t have to be particularly unique as long as the admissions officer can see that you love doing it and spend a good amount of your time doing it.</p>

<p>Iono how this would rank. I have been involved in some humanitarian projects for the past two years and recently I have started(just filed) for a not for profit organization of my own. The link is at riseagainstpoverty.org The site isnā€™t finished but basically me and a few other friends are trying to raise awarenesss and money to start donating to areas in rural India and also help donate to other charities. I donā€™t know would this count as a legit extracurricular?</p>

<p>

How does one get such opportunities without connections?</p>

<p>You donā€™t.</p>

<p>So the system is flawed?</p>

<p>No, this list is unrealistic. Iā€™ve known boring people whoā€™ve gotten into HYPS and the other Ivies. You donā€™t need to be a god to get in.</p>