<p>Can you include ECs that you did on the summer going into 9th grade?</p>
<p>Bumpitty Bump!</p>
<p>yes you can</p>
<p>The way the CA section is structured, summer activities pre-9th can be listed. Just check 9th and summer. Just make sure they are worth listing and that the most significant, long-term committments come first. Watch out for fluff. It’s painfully easy to spot fillers. Lots of kids describe glorious activities and then note it was 1 hr/week. The description makes it so impossible that they accomplished anything legit in that time frame. Eg, planned group vol work at local shelter, cooked meals and served- 1 hour. No way they could get their coats off and pull out the pots, plus cook and serve, much less plan and organize. One diff is academic activities- noting math bowl, 2 hours/6weeks can absolutely reflect the prep time devoted in a short competitive season.</p>
<p>Well the summer going into 9th and 10th grade, I volunteered in this Christian program through my church called “Group Work Camp.” It was pretty much helping the less fortunate of a town rebuild their homes and I guess also spread the message of God in some way.</p>
<p>We get 30 hours of volunteer credit (we attend for a whole week). But what I really want to do is to incorporate into one of my possible college essays. I wanted to write about my amazing experience at Work Camp, but how I will be disappointed that I will no longer be attending (By Junior year) due to my disappointment in fellow Christians (which led me to stop attending church) and stuff.</p>
<p>Anyways, thanks for answering the question guys! It’s really appreciated! :]</p>
<p>due to my disappointment in fellow Christians
Calvin! Gotta watch the critiques. You can convey the same important message in an essay (perhaps you already know this) but phrase it in a way that doesn’t seem like a criticism. Ie, you can say, it was so meaningful, blah, blah, that it inspired greater faith in you. Or, that it made you aware you could take your talents to another program. You can sometimes subtly say that, when you realized some took it socially or skipped the hard parts or didn’t interact with those you helped or whatever, you decided to seek another venue. The point of any essay (even topic of your choice) is, ultimately, to show your strengths, how “what” you learned translated to some new even better attitude or the next effort or was reflected in acdemic work, etc. k? Criticizing can run flat with adcoms.</p>
<p>By all means, show the rebuilding back to the summer before 9th. It is so meaningful.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! And thanks a bunch for the advice too! I’ll make sure I keep that it consideration when I write my college essays. :]</p>