<p>i'm a junior at a private, catholic all-girls school. my problem is that i have barely any ECs, and i don't know what to do about it. i was planning to play catch up this year, which is something i've just been repeatedly telling myself i would do each year, and i've failed again. i have one insignificant EC that i did for two years, but that's it. many times i've tried to start volunteering two days a week with outreach, even recently, but for the past two weeks i haven't been able to go because one day i had to take a test after school and the next i had a retreat. i'm also frustrated with it because it feels like one day a week isn't significant enough. i've been depressed for the past couple years and i have social anxiety, so usually it's hard to put myself out there and it's hard for me to care enough to actually do something about it. i mean, i care a lot, but usually it's hard because i never feel like doing anything. i feel like i've wasted my entire high school career being half the person i could've been, and there's so many things i could've done and wanted to do but didn't. i don't know what to do. </p>
<p>my grades aren't bad at all, but they're not brag worthy or comparable to most here on CC. i had a 3.53 freshman year but my gpa after first quarter/semester this year was up to 3.93, and now it's going to be over 4. i'm proud of pulling it up but no school's gonna want me if i don't have ECs. i could try volunteering as much as possible this summer and continue that into the year, but is that enough?</p>
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<p>No, you’re going to need to cure AIDS if you expect any school at all to accept you.</p>
<p>You have basically reached the point of not return for ECs. When somebody who has had basically no ECs for their entire high school career and then becomes heavily involved late junior year it is clear that they are doing it for colleges. Your best bet would be apply to schools that value ECs less (public schools where you are in-state will be your best bet).</p>
<p>^Wow, you guys are downers.
Look, just get involved in as many clubs/activities as possible. I think the whole “point of no return” thing is dumb. If a college is over-analyzing your ECs that much, you probably wouldn’t want to go there.
Try to spend at least three days a week doing some sort of EC. And anyway, if you explain your depression/social anxiety at some point in your application, colleges will know you had reasons from not participating, and that you really put some effort in during your junior year.</p>
<p>And you said that “no school is going to want [you]”. That’s ridiculous. Sure, you might have to make sure that you’re applying to realistic schools, but there will always be a school eager to accept you :)</p>
<p>Start thinking about how much you love your one significant EC, you sacrificed time and energy for it, you made major contributions to society via it, and it changed your life, made you a better person, and prepared you for the future.</p>
<p>What? That’s not true? Well now it is.</p>
<p>Halogen I love your post…</p>
<p>^Lol Halogen 
Don’t forget to mention the numerous life lessons it taught you!</p>
<p>In my opinion-Ec’s are primarily for the rejected. If the school runs a holistic adcom, then before rejection a candidates EC’s will be quickly reviewed for some indication of greatness. For all others, Ec’s will likely come in a distant to fifth to grades, boards, essay and recomendations. If your EC’s are weak then make it up in the other areas. BTW, there no reason why you can’t get in a 100-200 hours community service over the summer.</p>
<p>^
That’s true for a lot of colleges, but with very selective colleges ECs are important because basically all the applicants have amazing grades/scores.</p>
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sad, but true. luckily, you do have one option left given the one EC you have.
what is the one EC, and exactly how significant is it to you? how much time have you dedicated? if you want to do some more stuff what’s left of this year and for senior year, make it related to the EC you’ve already been doing. that way it might look like you care for your new ECs, since you obviously cared for your related old EC.</p>
<p>I’m sure you do something outside of school that could be considered an EC. A hobby? Something creative? Or a sport (even if it’s non-competitive)? Even academic things like learning languages, making a website, doing Project Euler challenges, or tutoring kids could be ECs. :)</p>
<p>ECs are not limited to school or community clubs, but if there’s one that interests you, you could consider joining it. If you enjoy attending the club, then that’s good in itself.</p>
<p>In regard to volunteering, maybe ask for a flexible schedule, if possible? Or ask to change your hours to something more convenient?
Giving up your time to volunteer for others is always a positive thing, and colleges will probably appreciate that.</p>
<p>Please don’t give up on something you enjoy (or a new activity you think you’ll enjoy) just because it doesn’t seem that “colleges will value it.” The ECs part of the Common App is just a concise way of writing what you do in your spare time, whether it’s a club, volunteering, a job/work experience, or a hobby. You don’t even need to write about ECs in your essay, and there’s no reason why you can’t choose a new EC for the additional info box, and explain why you chose it, why you enjoy it, what you do, etc.</p>
<p>Sorry for this being so long. I’m not an admissions rep, I don’t know 100% what colleges are looking for, but even trying new activities for your own enjoyment and self-growth has merit.</p>
<p>PS: The reasons you listed for not participating as much in ECs are completely valid. It’s up to you if you feel comfortable about writing about it in your essay, but the fact that you’re willing to try new things and get involved is great.</p>