<p>Which do you think look best on an application?</p>
<p>the simple answer: </p>
<p>whatever you like. </p>
<p>i will let other posters elaborate.</p>
<p>shouldn't you be doing ECs for your own interest, not just for the application?
O_o</p>
<p>well, i participated in ECs that interested me and showed my passion, and it worked out well for me.</p>
<p>Correct, the ones you're most passionate about. Go with whatever excites you.</p>
<p>Admissions people can smell resume boosters a mile away.</p>
<p>Follow your passion.</p>
<p>How can an adcom make a well-written made up passion from a poorly-expressed true one?</p>
<p>I see a lot of people asking this type of questions, and the answer is always "Do what you have passion for". But the problem is that you cant only do things you like or things you have passion for. There are always things admissions like more than the other.</p>
<p>
[quote]
There are always things admissions like more than the other.
[/quote]
[quote]
Admissions people can smell resume boosters a mile away.
[/quote]
Believe it!</p>
<p>yes but if helping people is truly your passion and you volunteer at a hospital just like almost every other applicant just for the college boost then that kind of sucks.</p>
<p>hmm, well since no one else is really answering the question, I may give it a shot.</p>
<p>Do what you're interested in.</p>
<p>Assuming, however, that you are equally interested in different things, or are attempting to narrow your focus, here's some ideas I think might be at the very least worth considering, in some degree of order:
1) the college application process is more than a place to put activities and grades on, it also involves things like essays, interviews, etc. So joining the speech/debate team might help you gain some experience in the interview process, and ability to quickly react to questions you hadn't considered. Similarly, writing for the newspaper might give you a better ear for good grammar and being concise that would be very valuable writing those applications. (Anyone here can tell you how confining the word limits for applications are. Being used to writing concisely would likely help you out there.) Unless you're interviewer asks you to do push-ups, football et. al may not seem as enticing.
2) While volunteering is fairly standard fare for college apps (indeed, probably a bit overrated from what I've heard), they wield disproportionate influence in the scholarship process, many of which are focused on how you've given back to your community.
3) Getting into more controversial territory, it might be worth looking into, yes, what's going to look best on a resume. If your school has a chess/wrestling/swimming/etc. team that's coached a state champion 5 years in a row, you might recognize that the chances of you reaching the pinnacle are higher. Smaller clubs may make the odds of you winning a leadership position greater. Check into your state to see if there are any teams with notoriously low thresholds for making it into the state competition, or if you have an easy region/district/section in a particular event.
4) Pick a club who's sponsor can write you a good recommendation. The art behind this varies a lot from school to school, but it might be worth thinking about as you make decisions.</p>
<p>But, once again, do what interests you.</p>
<p>What would be a good EC for someone interested in math/science?</p>
<p>Study hard and get in USAMO if you truly love math, try picking up the Art of Problem Solving books and going over them, it's a lot funner than you think ;) I really regret not having done this in my high school years (got introduced to competitive math in junior year T_T)</p>
<p>If you have a particular knack for physics, chemistry, or biology, try to get USAPhO, USAChO, or USABO by studying the one you truly love. </p>
<p>Or you can take the research route and try to do research over the summer (or school year if you have time) and get awards for Intel, Siemens, or ISEF.</p>
<p>Those are the major awards; if you want specific EC's, you can do like science olympiad, science bowl, math club, etc. (stuff that your school would hopefully offer) There is also ARML (search it) if you're interested in team math competitions. It's a lot of fun.</p>
<p>"yes but if helping people is truly your passion and you volunteer at a hospital just like almost every other applicant just for the college boost then that kind of sucks."</p>
<hr>
<p>But, if you volunteer at a hospital and have a solid track record, such as joining HOSA and other health care clubs, then admissions can see that you are genuine. If it's that in a sea of Young Entrepreneurs of America activities or whatever, then they might be suspicious.</p>
<p>""yes but if helping people is truly your passion and you volunteer at a hospital just like almost every other applicant just for the college boost then that kind of sucks.""</p>
<p>If it's truly your passion, you'll go above and beyond what other students do who are only volunteering for the hours. You'll have filled some needs that you recognized because you cared. You'll also be aware of some issues that students just going through the motions wouldn't have noticed.</p>
<p>You'll have established some relationships with patients and staff that will influence your life. This may even have resulted in your being able to watch procedures or sit on on meetings or paticipate in other activities that the going-through-the-motions volunteers weren't able to do (and wouldn't have wanted to do).</p>
<p>You also probably would have done things with your school organizations that would have been related to your volunteer experiences. Examples: inviting hospital staff to participate in your school's career day; getting your NHS to host a party or provide gifts to hospitalized kids, etc.</p>
<p>If you are good at a sport and can demonstrate passion [done it a long time, had recognition of some sort] regarding the sport, it can take you a long way.</p>
<p>opqpop: ugh you're so right</p>
<p>Boy Scouts...become an Eagle Scout. It gives a distinction of leadership, and success. You won't have to list off dumb numbers of hours of community service. They'll know that you had to do community service, in addition to your own Service Project to get your award. You will be seen as a well rounded person as a result of all the merit badges you have to earn.</p>
<p>Its old fashion, and it doesn't seem like too many people on this board ever have it when listing their EC's...so if your just as strong as someone academically, you will probably be the more favorable candidate.</p>
<p>I was an Eagle Scout...I was in Scouts (Cub Scouts, then Webelos, then Boy Scouts) since 2nd grade ha.</p>
<p>I'm an Eagle too - depending on the age of the OP, might be a little hard to get all the way to Eagle before graduating. Good suggestion, though.</p>
<p>Eaaagglllle!!! (Scrubs.)</p>