<p>@lindyk8 I don’t know… I gotta say ECs are very important for UCLA and UC Berkeley, especially for the impacted/capped majors. The TAP counselor for Berkeley and admissions officer for UCLA asked me, 'what do you do outside of the classroom?" </p>
<p>@calbro </p>
<p>I’m happy and surprised you said this. If you look through this site at my earlier posts I was very bullish on ECs. I personally think the more you have the better. But I admit to falling into the “oh well” camp because so many folks on this site say they aren’t important and I got blowback everytime I pitched ECs. Plus I did read somewhere that the UCs don’t care so much about it with transfers as they are mostly working. So your comment makes me hit myself awake a bit.</p>
<p>My daughter had CCC leadership and volunteer stuff, plus a job, on her transfer app. She also listed all her high school volunteering and community work because the alumni scholarships like to see a years-long pattern of leadership and/or service. For that part alone, ECs can only help. And if one buys the premise that the UCs are looking for engaged leaders, why not add ECs?</p>
<p>I aways suggest if you really don’t have much time at least throw in a couple of hours of volunteer work a week. They really like to see ppl helping the community. They ask for annual hours. Two hours a week is over 100 hours.</p>
<p>So I guess the short answer is they aren’t really looking for it, but the long answer is it can help you in ways you might not suspect. </p>
<p>Anyway Calbro, thanks for recalibrating my thinking on this. 
</p>
<p>@bearly you may want to check out this thread and contact quagmireman:</p>
<p><a href=“UCLA vs UCSC : computational bio - UC Transfers - College Confidential Forums”>UCLA vs UCSC : computational bio - UC Transfers - College Confidential Forums;
<p>@lindyk8 thanks for the link! I’ll pm that person. And @music1990 I think that’s a really good point because they can probably see through application padding. Which makes me wonder though, is it okay to put recreational ECs? Like I mentioned earlier, Harry Potter Club (or other pop cultural sort of organizations)? I mean it’s in no way as altruistically serving as Red Cross for example…but it shows an interest in something? Ah :-? </p>
<p>and @calbro thank you so much for the help offer! Maybe I’ll message you after talking to my counselor? I’m still in the ropes about this (again split on doing 2nd year at CC or UCI, but for sure I want to at least <em>try</em> to transfer)</p>
<p>@lindyk8 <3! You’re awesome</p>
<p>@Bearly I recommend seeing Randy. He is one of the two Honors Counselors, but he makes time to see the Vets and “regular” students as well. He’s the most thorough person I know and dedicated and I really think he’s the best counselor there. The school is a great place with a lot of resources that most students don’t use. </p>
<p>Music and sports are both ECs. I’ve even heard of people writing about leading/running internet forums or gaming guilds. I think it’s more that they want to see that you’re dedicated to something.</p>
<p>@calbro thanks for the advice! Yeah, I don’t know that much about Mt. SAC since I don’t go there, but I’ll definitely try to see that guy. And that’s cool that you can talk about those kinds of interests, even if they aren’t strictly academic or humanitarian.</p>
<p>To be honest, after taking a few summer courses at Mt. SAC, I feel more at place there than I do at UCI haha (if only I’d started with it and did two years). I’ll see what I can do after I discuss things more thoroughly and flesh it out with a counselor. Again thanks to everyone who responded! :)</p>