<p>After reading all of the thousands of "chance-me" threads I'm beginning to rethink applying to Harvard because of my weak EC's.</p>
<p>After my parents separated I basically had to make up for everything my dad did in the house, including taking care of my little sister and extra things like grocery shopping etc. Because of this my EC time is severely cut and my Senior activities lack in comparison to a lot of the other Harvard applicants.</p>
<p>So far the only EC activities I can list are the following:</p>
<p>Varsity swimming:11th, 12th. Varsity Letter.
Physics Club President: 10th grade.
NHS 10th, 11th, 12th
Model UN 11th, 12th
Student Government 12th.
Church Community Service 9th, 10th 11th, 12th.</p>
<p>I have volunteered about 3 hours a week at my church for the last 4 years.
I've also done some more trivial things like fund raiser for premature babies and been a volunteer mock juror for the University of Miami law school. </p>
<p>I was planning on doing one essay on Swimming just to showcase how much of an effort I have put into it. I swim year-long to prepare for swim season and this years I made it to Regionals. </p>
<p>This last summer I enrolled myself in the summer semester of my local community college where I took 4 classes including Calculus 2 and Microeconomics and aced them. I am not sure if this is considered extracurricular. </p>
<p>I also went on a trip to Europe with my school in spring break. Some friends told me this qualifies as an EC, but I wasn't sure.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what I can do to give my application a fighting chance when it comes to ECs?</p>
<p>The problem with your ECs is that none of them show dedication since you only participated for a short time in all of them; moreover, you don't have any leadership position either. ECs are all about how passionate you are. The only thing you can do now try to convey your passion through your essays. </p>
<p>The summer classes do not count as an EC. You can list the Europe trip in the summer section, but it doesn't add anything to your app since you're not invovled in any European related EC.</p>
<p>In an additional essay or the essay, I would write a lot about your family circumstances. They will understand and will not penalize you for it.</p>
<p>All the top colleges pride themselves on taking individual circumstances into account. Make sure you do add a writeup that lets them know - they are EXTREMELY understanding about family circumstances, and respect an applicant focusing their time around family needs. It doesn't have to be your main common app essay - but for all your college applications, make sure you do include a writeup that includes this. (For instance, Harvard's optional essay, or part of the common app additional info for other schools, or wherever it fits best.)
You could also ask your counselor to mention the facts.</p>
<p>"After my parents separated I basically had to make up for everything my dad did in the house, including taking care of my little sister and extra things like grocery shopping etc. Because of this my EC time is severely cut and my Senior activities lack in comparison to a lot of the other Harvard applicants."</p>
<p>Having major household responsibilities counts as a very strong EC for Harvard and other colleges that factor ECs into admission decisions.
Make sure your GC includes info about your responsibilities in their recommendation.
You also may wish to write one of your essays about your experiences handling so many adult responsibilities.</p>
<p>I think your ECs are fine. I'd consider writing your essay about what it was like to take on the role of the man in the house rather than yet another sports essay. At any rate varsity level swimming is a fine EC.</p>
<p>I agree with mathmom (who like me is a Harvard alum). There's nothing weak about your ECs. What you're doing to compensate for your dad's absence would be an interesting EC far more interesting than the "I did volunteer work abroad paid for by my parents and I learned that I am so lucky to have more stuff than poor foreign people have" or "My character was developed when I won (or lost) The Big Game".</p>