<p>Level of achievement, award, or recognition is likely the biggest factor in how extracurriculars are seen in college admissions.</p>
<p>I think this question is poorly framed. Don’t do things to get into college. Do things you love. You’ll excel at the things you love, and that passion will show. If you work hard, work genuinely, and excel at something that is true to yourself, you’ll get into the right school. If you can do something as hard as that, getting into an ivy league school will be easy by that point. (From an Ivy League Student)</p>
<p>If you meant poetry competitions, sure, that counts. Sorry if I was snippy–it just bothers me when people talk about writing like that. “Yeah I’m going to take up poetry–it’ll look good to colleges” kind of thing xD</p>
<p>Try submitting to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards next fall!</p>
<p>Didn’t did read the whole thread, but to your original question, the answer is:</p>
<p>1) Anything you’re good at, if it’s either useful or respected
2) Anything that will make you look sociable/extraverted/almost histrionic(like involving in any sort of “social” and “political” ECs and reaching a high level there)
3) Anything you’re genuinely passionate about, if it’s either useful or respected,</p>
<p>in that order.</p>
<p>If you decide that 2 is not for you, you’d better try UChicago. If you can replace 2 with competitive sports, you could try Duke.</p>
<p>Have you considered bowling? I don’t see many Asian bowlers. I bet with a bit of practice you could become a superb bowler and possibly even make it on the pro tour. Not only a unique EC, but you could right a unique essay about how you tried a new sport and got proficient after a lot of practice.</p>
<p>Typically it is SGA President or Sr. Class President or Editor of School Newspaper</p>
<p>Again, thanks for the replies. </p>
<p>Basically, I’m saying the passion idea doesn’t apply to me that much in my opinion. I’m not choosing ECs solely based on colleges. But as of now, I have no particular ECs in mind (other than a few that you guys suggested :D), so if I were to select them based on what I think would look good on a resume, what’s the problem with that? If it helps me in the selection process, then it should be fine as long as I like it and develop genuine passion for it later on. I wouldn’t choose to do a sport just for my college resume if I hated it. If I liked it, then that’s a different story. All I’m basically saying is that while I agree choosing an EC JUST for college is a bad idea, it can be a good influence.</p>
<p>For example, I chose the violin in which college was a factor and I happen to enjoy it and play it well. If I hated it, I’d definitely drop it.</p>
<p>BTW, I stand an okay chance of being elected SGA President or a similar role, but I heard that it takes up too much time and doesn’t really hold much weight. Is this true?</p>
<p>I also plan to start a few clubs (related to math/physics) that participate in competitions like F=MA or something similar. Is this a good idea or is it not worth it?</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Get that Cal Newport book as suggested above. Seriously. </p>
<p>Hmm… I ordered it, but does it really give some insightful information on this matter?</p>
<p>MIT values creativity. One of my coworker’s kid is very good at art and was accepted to MIT this year. </p>
<p>do the training and contests for the US computing Olympiad (<a href=“http://www.usaco.org”>http://www.usaco.org</a>) as well as AMC/AIME/USAMO if you enjoy math and computer science. BUT, only if you enjoy these activities. The thing is the kids who do well devote a lot of time to this because it really is what they like.</p>
<p>BTW, Harvard had been known to reject even those fairly successful at the above competitions. So still no guarantees.</p>
<p>Yes, I am doing the AMC competitions, and I plan to do the computer science competitions in high school. However, these are considered “Asian activities” so they won’t hold too much weight in the application process (less I score amazingly high which probably won’t happen).</p>
<p>I was thinking about doing art, but aside from a little skill in sketching, I really have no experience.</p>
<p>In a word . . . crew - If you are tiny be a coxswain if you are a little bigger row lightweight. </p>
<p>Your art idea sounds like a good plan. I would think with a little bit of effort, you could become an acclaimed artist within a year. Once you start having your own showings, you could mail the schedule to all the Ivy adcoms.</p>
<p>When I said crew I was not being sarcastic - just to clarify</p>
<p>My high school does have a crew (the rowing club or something they call themselves) that competes, but I heard that it takes a lot of time. Would that be worth it? I’m not very strong so I don’t think I could get very far with rowing.
Also @mmm111 I don’t plan to do art because I absolutely CANNOT paint or do anything that’s really valued like sculpting. The only thing I’m really good at (and yes, I’m actually really good at it) is pencil sketching, which holds very little weight.</p>
<p>Thanks again, guys!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Some people who have a low baseline athletic ability do have a high response to athletic training – i.e. they can achieve considerable gains in strength and endurance through athletic training. However, some other people may have poor gains from similar levels of athletic training. You won’t know unless you try.</p>
<p>But even in a sport like rowing that may be looked at favorably in those colleges, you need to be very very good for it to attract notice (even as just an extracurricular, not even to the level of being a recruited athlete). If you are on a crew that wins a state championship (or win a state championship in a single), that might attract attention.</p>
<p>You have some very odd ideas. Everyone on this site says to do what you enjoy and yet you ask what the colleges want to see. They want to see what you enjoy.</p>
<p>“I don’t plan to do art because I absolutely CANNOT paint or do anything that’s really valued like sculpting. The only thing I’m really good at (and yes, I’m actually really good at it) is pencil sketching, which holds very little weight” Huh? Sculpting is “valued” (by whom?) but drawing "holds very little weight’? (with whom?). It seems to me that drawing is the most fundamental art skill and if you’re good at that, you probably just need practice with other media. My daughter has been working pretty seriously at art for the past 2 years (she’s still in middle school) and even her early attempts with other media came out surprisingly well once she had gotten fairly proficient at drawing. In any case, are you honestly saying that you won’t pursue art because you think that the form of art you are best at isn’t valued by admissions committees as much as other forms of art which you don’t have experience with?</p>
<p>OP, don’t devalue pencil drawing. You are already very good at it. You could probably get much better with very little practice.</p>
<p>Take a look at some of these amazing da Vinci pencil drawings.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/”>http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/</a></p>
<p>I bet if Leonardo were alive today, he would get into any Ivy and even Stanford with that portfolio.</p>