<p>I’m currently a sophomore and i’m wondering about what i should be worried about…
So far…
Key Club (first year of membership elected treasurer)
Coyote Connection Leaders (School Ambassador Club)- first year elected ‘officer’
National Honor’s Society (new member - last week)
National Society of High School Scholars * probably a hoax
CURRENTLY APPLYING FOR:
Governors Youth Commission (35 Teens from AZ, application/interview)
<em>Almost sure of acceptance
Mayor’s Youth Committe</em> absoultely sure of acceptance
OTHER STUFF:
Maricopa county leadership experience (teens volunteer with county govt)
Library Voluteer (teen advisory council/summer reading prgm volunteer/applying to be a year long volunteer)
Historical Museum VOlunteer * insignificant
Aiming 4 over 200hrs (high school diploma option)
I’m not doing anything this summer
<em>probably going to apply 4 jsa institue in AZ
*</em>****What should i be worried about?</p>
<p>^^NHS means absolutely nothing. Your ECs aren’t weak, but only you can truly know how much time and effort you put into those activities. What I do notice is a lack of awards or recongition in your ECs.</p>
<p>Rate my EC…they’re generally considered pretty good I think…</p>
<p>Harvard Model Congress Chapter (Member/Treasurer/President)
Harvard Model UN Chapter (President)
Violin (8 years in district orchestra, school award for musical achievement)
Guitar (6 years, 3 in district orchestra)
National Honor Society (general one) (random officer)
National Spanish Honor Society (member)
President’s Gold Award for Community Service
President’s Bronze Award for Community Service
150+ Hours volunteer work (Worked 100 hours at a Youth Center in inner-city Boston, started funding for their websites/video games for children)
Manage websites for clients/make websites as part time job
Taught @ a summer camp, teaching middle schoolers how to make websites
Worked at a Harvard lab part-time over the summer developing websites(neighbor is the manager of the lab )
Animation & Video Game Club (co-president, oh well )
STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, And Math) Certification
Robotics Team (member)
Black belt in Tae Kwon Do
Math League (MA version) (member)</p>
<p>Again, I’m shocked at how much CCers get up to these days. 0.o How do you fit all that in? Lol.</p>
<p>You seem to have plenty EC’s in number, at least, so I started by mentally sorting them: speech/politics (Harvard Model Congress and Model UN), music, academic awards, community service, and computers/technology (Tae Kwon Do/Math League are “other” I suppose =P).</p>
<p>I’m getting the impression that music and computers/technology are most important to you (correct me if I’m wrong). That’s good - two contrasting areas should flesh you out and give you an advantage in the admissions process. It’s also pretty sweet that you could tie your computer skills in with community service and jobs. You could stress that in your application - that instead of joining every tech club in school, you went out into the “real world” and put your technological skills to good use.</p>
<p>Now, I imagine you’re pretty busy with everything you’re doing, so I hesitate to suggest taking on even more, but if you could hold leadership in another tech club or even in orchestra, that would be even better. You’re president of three clubs/organizations that I see; Animation and Video Game Club probably won’t give you that much of a boost, haha, so I’d suggest focusing on Robotics Team. That’s a little more impressive (not to knock video games 
).</p>
<p>Take into account that I’m just a lowly underclassmen, ignorant of the mysterious ways of admissions officers. But I hope I was able to give you some helpful advice. :)</p>
<p>Going back to my post above ^ </p>
<p>I’m REALLY new to this stuff (moved here frm africa 4 yrs ago)</p>
<p>Besids the stuff i’m doing, what should i do to guarantee that my application is at least considered at mid Ivy leagues schools?</p>
<p>Way in the begining of this post northstarmom mentioned Rotary Youth Exchange as an exceptional EC. I’m currently on a Rotary year abroad to Spain (almost finished, back home in a month) and I was wondering if this will really count for a similar amount as RSI or published research… I mean sure now I can speak Spanish and I’ve learned to be more or less completely self-dependent but it seems to me like published research in high school would be waaayyy more impressive than a year abroad. Mixed with some other ECs (Harvard Model Congress, School Play, Cross Country, ect.) but mimnimal service (some rotary stuff, a teen-mentoring program that meets once or twice a month) and top 10% and 1420sat would this really be able to score me a decent reach-school.
Like many said earlier, looking around cc scares the crap out of people, I still haven’t managed to score a 1500 sat (still need to take 'em a second time) let alone cured some disease or brought peace to some country. I’ll admit, I’ve been intimidated.</p>
<p>back to the original question: how much will a rotary year abroad really be worth?</p>
<p>Hi i’m going to be a Sophomore in High School this coming fall and i’d like to know how i’m doing as far as Extra Curriculars are concerned. </p>
<p>Freshman year i did (yes, i was lazy):</p>
<p>Science Olympiad, State Competition Medaler
Math Team
Tennis</p>
<p>This summer i plan to:</p>
<p>Work at a local tutoring center for Math and English
Volunteer at a local library
Volunteer at a Senior Care center
Me and a few of my friends will be participating in the Siemens Research competition, we will be doing independent research on Nutritional science over the summer.</p>
<p>Next 3 years at a glance:</p>
<p>Science Olympiad all 3 years (Expected leadership position next year, i show a lot of dedication and hard work, hopefully my success at state continues)
Math Team (I was really lazy this year, i know i can do really well at state and win awards in the following years)
WYSE (World Wide Youth in Science and Engineering - it’s quite competitive at the state level, i don’t know how it’ll be but i work hard in all science clubs so 
Scholastic Bowl (Im a trivia fanatic and ive heard it’s really fun)</p>
<p>Swimming (Diving)
Tennis (Varsity starting next year hopefully)</p>
<p>Volunteering:
Senior Center Occasionally
Library Rarely after this summer
Hospital volunteering frequently
Key Club at school?</p>
<p>Other:
Work at Tutoring Center
Shadowing a local surgeon summer after Junior year</p>
<p>Lord. I’m the mother of a high school junior and, after reading this thread, I’m having a fantasy that he doesn’t go to college at all. This discussion is a reflection of what is sick about our culture. “I was the head of this, I was the leader of that, can I get in??? PLEASE??? WILL THEY LET ME <em>IN</em>???” </p>
<p>Do anyone not see the insanity of this process? </p>
<p>Very sad.</p>
<p>P.S. was admitted to a Seven Sisters school in 1967 on the basis of good grades, pretty good SATs, and I played the friggin’ oboe. That’s it. Rest of the time, hung out with my friends playing guitars and feeling “alienated.” And that was enough!</p>
<p>I would like to point out a few things in response to your post…</p>
<p>Firstly, I would LOVE to attend a school with challenging academics, a beautiful campus, intelligent students, and a sound reputation without having to stress over test scores, GPA, EC’s, etc. But in this day and age, I cannot attend a university that leads in research, academics, and prestige (which I believe does matter to a degree) without considering how I measure up to other applicants. Is it insane that I must combine multiple EC’s with high test scores to have my choice of universities? Perhaps. But we on CC did not create this insanity ourselves; it has developed around us. I’m sure that if you asked, most CCers would say that they wished they didn’t have to freak out about having enough ECs or APs or what have you, but that’s not our choice to make. We didn’t design the system; we’re only attempting to navigate to where we want to be.</p>
<p>Secondly, although I would rather not have to worry about any of these things - though a very small portion of my time is spent thinking about it - I would do it all anyway. I genuinely enjoy debating and giving speeches; I enjoy reviewing submissions for the school literary magazine; perhaps the best example is Quiz Bowl, at which I am hardly impressive as a competitor, but has developed into my favorite activity. If anything, thinking about college has only encouraged me to join activities that I am already interested and to dedicated time to my activities. I’ve gone into the process with the thought that even if I DON’T go to a highly-ranked college, I will look back with fondness on my high school experience.</p>
<p>Now, for all I’ve said, I do see your point. Sometimes, I feel slightly exasperated at posters begging to be chanced, but at the end of the day, I know that same anxiety. We all want to attend a university where we will be educated and respected; we’re just a little more neurotic about it - and conscious of the obstacles in our way - than usual.</p>
<p>I beg to d</p>
<p>Mizura, I assume your post was basically (?) a reply to mine…I completely agree, FWIW. =) I am passionate about all of my EC’s - Forensics, our literary magazine/journalism/yearbook/writing in general, Amnesty International, and Quiz Bowl. That sounds like a lot, I know, haha, but I sincerely enjoy every activity, some more than others…and if having too few or alternatively too many EC’s is what keeps me out of a highly ranked college, then screw it, I’m going to do what I want to anyway.</p>
<p>Seriously, a lot of people on CC in chancing threads come off as desperate and like they only participate in EC’s to impress colleges. Some of them do exactly that, I’m sure, but a lot of us just want to know how we measure up to everyone else. I’m not going to go out and join Science Olympiad just because I think it would help my app (which it wouldn’t. I’d suck).</p>
<p>How are these EC’s?</p>
<p>President of Speech & Debate Team
National Forensics League member with Special Distinction
President of Debate Club
ICC Representative for Interact Club (Community Service)
Freshman Soccer
CSF Member
Black Belt from Taekwondo
Summer Job at McD’s</p>
<p>IDK how great these are, I think they’re good, but I want to know whether it’s good enough for a top college.</p>
<p>I plan on applying to UC Berkeley to the College of Chemistry and majoring in Chemical Engineering.</p>
<p>How are my EC’s so far?</p>
<p>Keep in my mind that I’m only going to be a junior in HS this fall…</p>
<p>Model UN Club- Elected Treasurer next year
French Club- Elected Junior Representative next year
School Newspaper- Will be Op-Ed Editor next year, maybe Editor in Chief
Varsity Cross Country/Winter Track/Spring Track–Might be captain at some point next year
Community Service Club- Could run for Secretary, VP, or Treasurer next fall
National Honor Society
Student Council- Was Freshman Fundraising Officer
Mock Trial- Will Likely be Captain next year</p>
<p>Summer internship–Won’t reveal it for the purpose of anonymity</p>
<p>Next year: I’m considering joining Math Team or Academic Challenge. Will join Varsity Athletes against Substance abuse.</p>
<p>I’m going to run for National Honor Society President or Student Council Class President at the end of next year, but you can only be an officer in one of the two groups at any one time. Which one do you think looks better on college apps?</p>
<p>Hey guys, I need help finding some ECs that are right for me. I’m going to be a junior this fall, and I basically have nothing on my EC list. I have trouble joining any sports or clubs that require me to stay after school as I live far away (about 2 hrs by public transportation). I’ve been looking in my local area, and so far, I couldn’t find anything except volunteering at elementary schools or at the library. </p>
<p>So, any ideas? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>ECs are not necessarily athletic things. If you’re a big research nut (and as for me who’s planning to apply to Princeton and Duke as research unis), research about a major topic and participate in a national (or federal) contest.
There are many things, but try some.</p>
<p>If you have a particular interest that is not already represented by clubs at your school, you could found a club dedicated to that area of interest and, as president, could control when it meets so that you wouldn’t have to stay after school (You could hold it during lunch).</p>
<p>i had to right this after i read that early reply about waht are great ec’s. Great ECs are not strating ur own buisness that makes thousands of dollars, or wtvr it was: actually i thought that was a joke in the begginging. Those ones mentioned are unreachable, one-in-amillion ECs which a person should never aim for. All it takes for good Ecs’ is lasting commitment, and then hopefully, eventually, a position. Like being on the debate team grade 9,10, then officer in 11, and then asst. captain in 12th. Or writing for the school publication, grade 10, 11, and then editor in grade twelve. or a normal, average member of the lacrosse team -wtvr, as long as its commitment. They DONT WANT Ecs that look like the following: </p>
<p>11th-ping pong team
9th- wrote for newspaper
9th-deabte.
-11th student government
12th- president of Ameoba awareness day -(cause the colleges know all too well those cheesy one-day activities kids start in 12th grade a week before they send in their applicatrion. </p>
<p>all of the above show no commitment and no leader ship. as they all are onyl one year. </p>
<p>Good EC’s could be: </p>
<p>10th, 11th-basketball team
9,10-wrestling
10-started a club ( a real one), like jogging wtvr.
10, 11, 12-deabte; debate officer
10, 11,12 -student government; asst. captain
9,10,11-newspaper; editor(or just not even editor is still good)
10,11,-financing club</p>
<p>bottom line: they want commitment to lead to leadership. postions and awards are all the better. if ur in 11th grade and havent done any EC’s, then START NOW, cause its already kinda late</p>
<p>I am worried because the Best of the Best get rejected. </p>
<p>Looking at Swarthmore, Wellesley, Brown, Columbia, Pomona, Amherst, Dartmouth! </p>
<p>My extracurriculars:
Held 2 States* wide Office Position for two years
Held a county wide Office Position for two years</p>
<p>Awards
Received 1 national, 2 states* wide award for community service ( and one local award) </p>
<p>Any chance? :(</p>
<p>Typical myth that you must be the best of the best to get into Ivies.
Do what you’re absolutely passionate at and focus in your essay on that. A friend of mine wasn’t good at anything particular, yet he got admitted to Harvard. His ECs weren’t full of leadership ECs, nor did he do anything what the stereotypical Harvard applicant would do. Do you know why he got accepted? He stood out to adcoms with his major interest in helping drug-addicts (he himself was one and got clean). He wrote an essay about it and what suddenly changed him so much. I have a similar story, but I will focus on my biggest challenge in life when I apply.</p>
<p>High scores in SAT or ACT, high GPA are only prequesites on colleges, but not the deciding factor. I’m not saying it’s not important, but you shouldn’t worry so much about having the “perfect” GPA or a superscore at SAT or ACT.</p>
<p>You have to convince the adcoms that you’re passionate about yourself and your activities. That is the key in getting accepted into Ivies and other top schools.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I just finished junior year so time to start thinking about college. Can you take a look at what I’ve got and give me some feedback on how I’m doing and any suggestions on what I should do more? Also, since I know the schools probably won’t have space in their apps for this whole list, which of ones below should I “highlight”? I realize that some of these things probably aren’t even EC’s, or are insignificant, so please help me sort it out.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
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