<p>I have been raised by a handicapped single parent and neither of us has ever owned a car. We also struggle financially significantly. I would have been kicked out of the Catholic high school I go to and my apartment as well had it not been for generous support from a multitude of family members. Naturally participating in ECs was very difficult. I was able to join the track team sophomore/junior year because my best friend was able to drive me home from practice everyday. I joined the NHS and attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in the summer of 2011. These are the only activities I have participated in during my high school years. I am a rising senior and my top choice among colleges is Princeton. I am just wondering if my lack of ECs is going to destroy my chances off the bat.</p>
<p>More information would be helpful. Grades? SAT? URM?</p>
<p>Sorry for the lack of info. The reason I didn’t post it was because I was curious if my lack of ECs alone would minimalize my chances to a negligible level. Here’s the information:</p>
<p>Race: Half-White/Half Korean
GPA: 97.48 UW, 99.91 W
Class Rank: 7/170 (I expect it will be better when they rerank in September)
SAT: 2310 superscored (780 CR, 780 M, 750 W)
SAT II: 800 Math L2, 800 Bio, 800 U.S. History
AP: 5 Biology, 5 U.S. History</p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
Economics H/P.I.G. H
Western Philosophy/Church History
P.E. 12/Forensics
College English
AP Physics B
AP Calculus AB
AP Psychology</p>
<p>Awards/Honors:
Principal’s Club/Dean’s List (3 years)
Superior Achievement in Chemistry H/Global 2 H/College Pre-Calc/Physics H/AP Bio/AP U.S. History
Dutchess County Historical Society Big Read Essay Contest (grade 11 winner)
Scholar Athlete Award (2 years)</p>
<p>My school imposes limits on the number of AP courses students can take. Juniors can take 2 and seniors can take 3 with special premission.</p>
<p>No matter what your extracurricular activities, EC’s are not used by themselves to admit or reject an applicant. Admissions Directors use EC’s to see what you do outside of school. They are looking for passion – the theory being that a student who holds a passion for one activity can often translate that passion into another activity or academics. The Common App asks you to write about an extracurricular activity or a job, so use that essay to demonstrate your passion for track or whatever else you do in your spare time. Don’t write an excuse about your family not owning a car; let your guidance counselor in his or her letter explain your home situation.</p>
<p>Somehow you will have to convey your situation. Your guidance counselor will probably help with this. The key is to do it with a positive outlook and without a whiny tone. Your scores are better than mine were when I was accepted. Your seeming lack of ECs won’t “destroy your chances off the bat” but could hurt you. Nobody knows. Did you live a long way from the school so that you couldn’t participate in those ECs without a ride home? Were there any other things you could have done that weren’t necessarily associated with the school (i.e. Red Cross, Relay for Life, etc)? It is all contingent upon your available opportunity. But don’t give up hope and remember that Princeton is a reach for anyone. So apply to those safety schools and definitely apply to Princeton. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the help guys. I’ll definitely speak to my GC about this once the year starts. And to ptontiger16, opportunities are pretty limited in my area (obscure, small suburban town).</p>
<p>I think you should definitely apply. I would just make sure that your situation is conveyed to Princeton. It seems to me that colleges like to see if you took advantage of all of the opportunities available to you. Your test scores are well within Princeton’s range, and you took the maximum amount of APs possible. You took advantage of the ECs you could, track. So yes, definitely apply. PThere is no way to know what will happen, but the fact that you have a story will separate you from many of the applicants who will blend together. Best of luck :)</p>
<p>If you are spending significant time caring for family members or working to earn money, that IS an EC, and a good one. What do you do with your time when you are not studying?</p>