<p>I will be a senior next year. I have a good academic record (3.7 uw, 4.2 w, 1930 SAT, 28 ACT) and a great record of extra curricular activities. I am a DECA state officer, and hold many leadership positions in different clubs in my school. Obviously, schools award merit aid and grants on academic excellence. I was wondering if my activities could carry me beyond just getting accepted into colleges, and qualify me for grants and scholarships. Thanks!</p>
<p>Perhaps, but IMO, they will add depth and color to your college applications and they may provide a bump for admissions.
Adults connected to your ECs can also be good sources of recommendations.
From what I have observed, colleges like to see interests that have been pursued for some time. Both my kids for example did not have academic related ECs as some do, what with CTY & all that, ( they did do that, but didnt even include it on their apps) but they did have an EC that they were involved in for five years, & full time summers.</p>
<p>A job can fill the same space, cause it shows responsibilty, tenacity and determination.
Also gives you potential sources of recommendations.</p>
<p>Your EC may also have regional, national or local organizations that sponsor scholarships.
But most money comes from the colleges themselves.</p>
<p>At many/most schools, they have little to absolutely NO impact. </p>
<p>A number of schools award merit based on stats alone because that’s what helps their ranking and “improves” their incoming frosh class. So, ACT score or SAT (M+CR) and GPA are used.</p>
<p>However, at schools that award a limited number of competitive merit awards, they usually look at stats first, and then from that pool of qualified students, they may use ECs or diversity needs for the down-selecting to get to the number of awards that they’ll offer.</p>
<p>Schools offer merit scholarships to help themselves. ECs don’t really help a school. High stats, ethnic and regional diversity help a school, and talent (music, art, performing) help a school. All these things help a school “look good” and helps with rankings. A student who was president of a much of clubs doesn’t help a school with rankings.</p>
<p>It depends entirely on the scholarship. It can range from zip to a big deal. For outside scholarship, points are often given for things, and if you can find a scholarship actually geared for excellence in the things you are doing, your activities would have a huge impact and, in fact, be pretty much necessary for even consideration for an award. But the scholarships that an admissions office gives out to the applicant pool, tend to be statistics based. There might be some performing arts and departmental awards as well but general extra curriculars are uncommon.</p>