<p>Hey you guys! So I'm just a sophomore student with lots of extracurriculars. I really enjoy all of them and don't want to stop them because they're fun...But I'm starting to think that maybe I should drop some of them and have more of a focus on something, you know? Soooo...here they are:</p>
<p> In-School ECs:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Staff contributor to school newspaper (since freshman year)</p></li>
<li><p>Souper Kitchenmake food to help homeless, shelter donations every few weeks
(I like baking) (since sophomore year)</p></li>
<li><pre><code> Tutoring--free, at local library, a couple hours a week (for a school club, you see)
</code></pre></li>
<li><p>DECAcompetitive financial interests club with annual conference (since sophomore)</p></li>
<li><p>Model Congress (since sophomore)</p></li>
<li><p>Model UN (since sophomore)</p></li>
<li><p>National French Honors Society (can apply sophomore year but would be inducted
at end of year)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I'm considering joining:
- National Math Honors Society
- National Honors Society
- UNICEF Club (I signed up for it but I never got any e-mails, so if it doesn't exist, I'm considering creating Amnesty International Club?)</p>
<p> Out-of-School ECs:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Danceballet, jazz, modern (7 yrs. total): 2 different studios, pretty good (one is at an acclaimed music hall)--I don't really get to dance that much because of scheduling and parents but I love it so so so so so so so so so so ssososoososos much. I think I might try out for the school dance team for next year, in which case there would be...5 2-hr. practices a week+football games (that's not even competition season, which apparently gets crazier)</p></li>
<li><p>Violin (8 yrs.): private lessons, highly selective youth orchestra situated in same acclaimed music hall, performs internationally, at Carnegie Hall, locally (I didn't get to go to the London/Carnegie performance--didn't want to pay so much for London and wasn't in the Carnegie orch. at the time)</p></li>
<li><p>Swimming (4 yrs. year round--stopped competing because of schedule)</p></li>
<li><pre><code> Summer swimming (volunteer in helping coaching younger children's practices, did clerk of course for meets--organization and stuff, other leadership stuff such as planning pep ralllies and such, attend about 5 practices a week plus up to 2 meets per week, All-Star relays twice)--planning on making team video for following summers
</code></pre></li>
<li><p>Sports-Plushelps children with mild to moderate developmental disorders learn to swim (started sophomore)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I'm in an IB program for school (well actually Pre-IB now, but I tested in so I don't have to test in for 11th grade) and it's really tiring/busy and I need to keep my GPA up (it's a 4.0 now but I'm convinced it's going to die because of English). I'm looking to be happy and well-balanced but also have a focus. Should I drop everything and focus on one or two things? Or should I keep doing all of these extracurriculars? Anyone with past experience or an opinion?</p>
<p>I’m in a very similar boat :l and don’t drop them!!! If you love them, don’t stop. The only reason to drop an ec is if you don’t love it. Don’t do something to look good for college, but especially don’t DROP something to look good for college if anything, add ec’s that apply more to what you’re most interested in and if its too much, then drop one, but keep up your great work!!! 4.0 is awesome!! What is your intended major? I actually…can’t figure out how to create a thread…um, would you mind if I ran my “resume” so far (as a fellow sophomore) by you as a comment on your thread?</p>
<p>Ugh, sadly I think loads of people are.
Haha, I get what you mean, but it might get super-overwhelming, right?
Right! I shall try…except I don’t really know where to look for new ECs.
Intended Major? Business, economics, finance, somewhere along those lines…
Haha sure! Maybe check the FAQs though?</p>
<p>Have you considered taking a more leadership approach to your activities over a serial-joiner approach? It’s AWESOME that you tilt love what you do! Don’t change; too many college-crazy high schoolers sacrifice themselves in hopes of padding their apps with meaningless activities they don’t enjoy.</p>
<p>Too generate more focus, why not run for office? I’m not sure which state you’re from, but in California (my state), the state officer positions are quite a joke. Usually, one person runs for one office each, so almost eveyone who runs becomes a “state officer.” It may sound like a superficial position (believe me, it is the easiest leadership you’ll ever get), but in terms of college apps, it may be beneficial in shaping your passions and defining your priorities.</p>
<p>Hahahaha serial joiner…I like that! <–Oh ew, that smiley looks weird
Yeah, I want to get more leadership positions, but usually they choose those who have been in the club longer, so I’ll continue trying!</p>
<p>Office? As in student government? Maybe but oftentimes it ends up a popularity contest and I only know around 120ish or so kids in my grade because the IB kids are all isolated with their classes. I might try the executive board if there are any openings though? I just have to keep time commitments in mind…</p>
<p>Yours is the classic depth vs breadth case. You’ve gone for breadth. There’s nothing wrong with being involved in a lot of activities. REALLY. But when one sees this many activities raises the question of how much time you can spend during a week on any of them.</p>
<p>Though we’re not ad ops here, some of us think that you’ll do better if you show a real passion for one or two activities, with commitment and dedication. However, not everyone agrees.</p>
<p>State office as in DECA state office? That’s actually not a half-bad idea. State office isn’t terribly hard, it is mostly based on your speech and campaign materials. You might want to consider running if you really like DECA. My friend is a state officer for florida, he ran sophomore year and won! He didn’t even have a major leadership position before too, but he is really smart and great same with the isolation. Whether its the gifted program, IB program, or AP, the nerds are always a little bubble of their own. State office isn’t a popularity contest since you can’t possibly know more than a couple dozen kids outside your own school. Serial joiner, Haha, I like that. Focus on being the most involved sophomore there is in the club and even if you’re aren’t the most popular one running, you’ll have a very good shot at leadership.</p>
<p>I think you have a lot of good ECs. Violin/Dance - Keep the one you are REALLY good at. Maybe Violin? Swimming - are you in varsity? Keep that. Out of - DECA, Model Congress, Model UN, can you go further into the state /national level competitions? I think that makes it 5 already (with the music/sports/deca/model congress/un). Get more depth in these. You can still do the soup kitchen and library since you like it, but those are only couple hrs/week…I guess. If you can focus on getting further in what you have, I wouldn’t join something new again. </p>
<p>I have a similar problem with my D. In addition to pretty much what you have, she also likes Science. But getting depth in science is a lot of commitment as well…and she doesnt want to give up her other stuff.</p>
<p>There is no such thing as too many ECs. There is, although, such thing as too little depth in too few ECs. Make sure there is a passion somewhere in there, and focus is devoted to a couple of them in particular.</p>
<p>If you are asked during an interview what you do on Friday and Saturday nights, and you can’t say you do something with friends, you will be labeled as socially backward and possibly rejected.</p>
<p>crazyT, since you’re a sophomore, you have time to naturally develop all of these ECs, either more of one, less of another, or merging two into one for a super-EC. Which things that you’re involved do you love and are passionate, and do you or will you be playing a leadership role as time goes on? (Captain of swim team or student leader of swim program, highest ranked violin player in your orchestra, student director your community service, etc). If you are spending 1-2 hours a week on something, that is not significant by the time you are a senior unless over time you like it so much that you naturally move into leadership positions or higher skill ranked positions.</p>
<p>I feel like if you feel like you’re doing too many, you’re doing too many; if you love showing up at each of them, are making a difference at each of them, and are just worried that the adcoms will come to a different conclusion about what would be too many, you’re probably fine.</p>
if anything, add ec’s that apply more to what you’re most interested in and if its too much, then drop one, but keep up your great work!!! 4.0 is awesome!! What is your intended major? I actually…can’t figure out how to create a thread…um, would you mind if I ran my “resume” so far (as a fellow sophomore) by you as a comment on your thread?</p>
<–Oh ew, that smiley looks weird