WHAT EXTRACURRICULARS TO EMPHASIZE???

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hello to all!
I'm not sure what extracurriculars I should emphasize when I apply to Ivy Leages this fall (UPenn, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton). I have seriously considered some kind of writing job / journalism as a career. In school I am: captain of quiz bowl team, editor of my school newspaper, a member of Cross Country, and outside of school, I am a dancer with a church group. I also do jazz and tap.</p>

<pre><code> What I think distinguishes me the most is the fact that I have been published. I am not sure how prestigious it is, but I was featured two times in a magazine titled "Teen Ink." It is a teenage literary magazine with a half-million readers. I wrote an environmental and a sports article. I also have my own travel / lifestyle blog on wordpress.com, where I have maybe 30 readers. I have considered leaving certain things out of my application so it doesn't seem like I do way too much.
I am trying to get myself on the Huffington Post Teen website or Rookie Mag, but I have not had much luck. Besides the fact that I enjoy writing, I feel that these opportunities would seem impressive.
I was going to write my college essay about how much I love to read, or how much I love learning French, or possible how I love to travel and how that has shaped me as a person.
I am lost as to what I should push for on my application. What do you think???
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<p>Published in Teen Ink, although impressive, is not that big of a deal in college admissions. The process is arbitrary because a lot of it involves voting for other submissions. I know people who would post the link to their stories on twitter (with 500+ followers) and their stories would instantly get dozens of positive votes. Therefore a lot of Teen Ink isn’t focused on the merit of the writer. Also what kind of published were you? Were you published on the online magazine or the actual print magazine?</p>

<p>I don’t think limiting what you put on your app is a good idea. Put whatever you do that you feel passionate about; don’t neglect to put something because you don’t want too many activities.</p>

<p>And if I don’t say it, others will: put your ECs in order of whatever you feel most passionate about. Admissions won’t think badly of you because your writing ECs are #4, 5 and 6 vs. #1, 2, and 3. It’s okay to feel that your most important EC was dance, although you want to pursue a career in writing. Your college is app is very different than a job application. Admissions wants to get to know YOU, not an edited version of yourself that you think will look more impressive. </p>

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<p>Great response! I guess I’ll put everything that I do. Sounds like a good choice.
I was in the Teen Ink print magazine, not just online. </p>