<p>Asian Male
public high school
GPA:4.0 UW
TOEFL:111(R29,L28,S27,W27)
SAT 2030(bad :( I'm going to take again in Oct, aiming 2300+)
SAT Subject Test: 2400 (Math Lv2, Chemistry, Physics all 800s)
No AP taken</p>
<p>ECs are irrelevant for the question.</p>
<p>About two months ago, (Actually after watching the Avengers)I became passionate about computer science and I want to major in it. HOWEVER, none of my ECs are related to Computer Science! I'm wondering if this will be a disadvantage in my application, and if so, can I demonstrate my passion in essays to compensate for it?</p>
<p>Btw, Please give me some recommendations for universities that are good in computer science. Thanks a lot CCers! :)</p>
<p>No. They’re called extracurricular activities because they’re outside the curriculum. They don’t need to have anything to do with what you study or what you want to study. Otherwise, it would be pointless to run track or play tennis unless you wanted to major in physical education or kinesiology, or to be in madrigals unless you wanted to major in vocal performance.</p>
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<p>I’d be wary of doing this. If I were an admissions officer reading your essay, I’d be very suspicious of a “passion” that you developed two months ago. That sounds like an interest at best–perhaps even just an infatuation, or a passing fancy. I’d wonder, “Sure, he’s passionate about computer science today. But next week, will he want to be an astronaut or a fireman or a paleontologist or a pet-store owner?” And the fact that you developed this passion after watching The Avengers doesn’t really suggest that the roots of your passion are particularly deep or strong.</p>
<p>Despite what you’ll read all over College Confidential, it’s OK not to have a passion. It’s OK not to know what you plan to study in college or beyond. But IMO, it’ll make you look silly to write about your two-month-long passion for computer science.</p>
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<p>I’m going to leave this to people who know more about it than I do.</p>
<p>I think Sikorsky gives solid advice. You put forth your strengths(congrats BTW). What are your strengths? You have a solid record of academic achievement. US universities in general will appreciate this and know that to be successful at their institutions, you don’t have to have a laser beam focus on being a computer scientist/engineer. The fact that you’ve succeeded at most everything you’ve come across is the big narrative. The fact that CS might be your major is only a small narrative. </p>
<p>In your essays, you should present things of yourself which you deem to be illustrative – you don’t need to repeat the fact (borne out by your transcript) that you really want to study and perform academicall. Yawn… It’s your opportunity to share how you’ll affect others or share something about the real you. Don’t miss that opportunity. I would imagine a hackneyed “passion” essay about CS will fall flat.</p>
<p>My essays (which got me into mult ivies and top engineering schools) were about my experience practicing for band ensemble festivals and about how I betrayed a friend’s trust – nothing about my acadmics or what I might want to study or pick as a career. They showed me and who I was. try to do the same.</p>
<p>Thank you Sikorsky:) Your advice is very much helpful!
I’ve also thought about that short-run passion thing, and I agree with u – it is too short to be promising…
Anyway thanks again!</p>