<p>I got into UCLA and ND with basically no EC's, just recreational golfing (not on school team or anything) and a couple of clubs.</p>
<p>I didn't have much ECs: Quiz Bowl, NHS, Student Council VP, Math Team, Debate Club and volunteered at a hospital.
I had decent grades and near-perfect 'old SAT' scores.
Out of my reaches, I got wl'ed/rejected by more schools than I got into.. as for my top choices, I got into Duke, Dartmouth, and Georgetown.</p>
<p>got into Rice, CMU, Wash U with doing NHS, a few worthless clubs, and some church stuff. 2 summer jobs, no research, science fair, math competitions, nada.</p>
<p>Friends older sister was accepted and will attend MIT with no EC.</p>
<p>Very good student. Very good SAT. A lot of science projects that won nationals.</p>
<p>And 75% FA.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My friend got into Carnegie Mellon with like no ECs. He had soccer, NHS, and tennis.
[/quote]
Those are great ECs.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Friends older sister was accepted and will attend MIT with no EC.</p>
<p>Very good student. Very good SAT. A lot of science projects that won nationals.</p>
<p>And 75% FA.
[/quote]
There is no surprise there. The MIT admissions bloggers wrote that passion for science is considered very important.</p>
<p>At the highly selective private schools, EC is very important. It's one of the ways admission officer use to distinquish an applicant from a sea of similar high achievers. </p>
<p>Also if you are asking what ECs do I need by application time, it is not going to matter.</p>
<p>re: pst #25:</p>
<p>...a lot of science projects that won nationals.</p>
<p>How can you say there's no EC ?</p>
<p>Aside from babysitting and random stuff here and there i got in to chicago and USC...I'm 77% sure that ECS made me be rejected......</p>
<p>EC's matter a lot. Just some people are lucky or have other aspects that get them in. A person with a 3.6 and 2100 with impressive EC's can easily oust the 2400 4.0 Valedictorian who has no EC's/pursuits with little problem. Note; the key is impressive ec's, not just some stupid list of activities - its prob better to have no ecs than a paper-wasting list, at least then you save some trees. Unless you enjoy them, then its worth it.</p>
<p>Got into UIUC without filling in the EC page... Not highly selective, but decent.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how you define "virtually no EC's".</p>
<p>I played tournament chess -- not in a school club or anything -- rating was mediocre. "Wikipedia sysop," and last-minute joining of varsity swimming in the senior year, and joined the newly-formed debate team the same year and won 3rd place in the state -- except I didn't get to put the last part on my applications.</p>
<p>7 of my choices (excluding safety) rejected or waitlisted me, but I was accepted to UVA.</p>
<p>My friend was...</p>
<p>2400 SAT, 4.0 GPA with the most rigorous courses. Language club 1x a week for an hour for 3 years and math club 1x a week for a year for half an hour. She got into Dartmouth, Cornell, and Davidson.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, I would credit this to her private school college counselor who petitioned hard for her at these schools. They respect her opinion and she is a huge factor in getting some unusual applicants accepted.</p>
<p>I think it depends. If your test scores and GPA and essays are better than another applicant's, you'll probably get in over them.
If they are equal to another applicant's, but he/she has five great ECs that he/she is passionate about, and holds several leadership positions, they would probably get in over you.
Of course, if it's something really unusual or largescale, it might make more of a difference. Like, starting your own organization and raising $20,000 would matter more than volunteering 50 hours at your local food pantry.</p>
<p>How do the colleges know if ur tellin' the truth ab. EC's...how do they verify/check the validity? Huh?</p>
<p>I think ECs can make a very big difference in many cases. They certainly did in mine. I got into some great schools with a very mediocre GPA. In fact, when I visited Duke this past weekend, the admissions officer who read my application came up to me (I had a name tag) and started talking to me about one of my ECs. I somehow don't think that enthusiasm about my app would have been brought about had I had I higher GPA and no ECs.</p>
<p>I'm worried about this too because I don't have all the amazing ECs that people here have...</p>
<p>I want to go to Notre Dame or Rice. The only ECs I have are band (made All-State this year), community service coordinator for Student Council, NHS, and band president. Do you think those ECs will be enough? I have no research or science awards or anything like that... 33 ACT and 3.9 GPA.</p>