<p>I am a sophomore taking the following classes:
AP Chemistry
AP World history
AP Statistics
Honors 2 English
Spanish 3 </p>
<p>Orchestra, Tennis, and MUN are my EC's, plus service club leadership positions in Pink ribbon club and key club
I also started a Science Olympiad at my school, and that takes up alot of my time even though it isn't counted as a class.
I have a huge dilemma because I am very stressed out and my mind is constantly turning... I just cant handle this much stuff anymore. I want to drop either MUN or orchestra, but I'm not sure which. Heres the thing: I've been doing orchestra for 6 years now and Ive heard if I stop now it wont make any difference for college so it will all be a waste. With MUN, I really don't know how useful it will be because I am a science person. Should I just drop that and spend my time studying bio? Should I try to enter the county science fair or get an internship at UCI doing research? These are all some goals of mine, any advice on how to reach them would be great. Thanks for your time!</p>
<p>Basically, is it worth it to take a variety of EC's, or should i just focus on being really good at 1 or 2?</p>
<p>I would drop either MUN or orchestra, whichever one you feel less passionate about. If you have been participating in orchestra for so many years, stopping it at this point is not going to erase everything you have done before. My D played club soccer for years and her last year (junior yr hs) was on a highly ranked team. But all the other players were seeking D1 scholarships and she didn’t want to play D1… the amount of time required (year round, extensive travel) simply began to compete with her ability to keep top grades and to be able to enjoy the other things she liked to do. She has never regretted her decision. Focus on what you enjoy the most and which allows you to maintain the best grades you can as well.</p>
<p>So do you actually just do orchestra so it will look good and you don’t have any personal use for it? It is only useful for your college application and a waste otherwise? In that case, it should be the first thing to go.</p>
<p>The best EC is to be good enough at a sport to be recruited as an athlete at a school you want to attend.</p>
<p>Other than that, an EC where you can reach the highest level of achievement or award is generally the most impressive. For example, winning a national chess tournament would be more impressive than winning a chess tournament at your school.</p>
<p>^^^Totally agree with ucbalumnus. The absolute best ECs are sports ECs, where you have some State or Regional stature. We see kids from second or third tier schools with B averages get into the Ivies ALL THE TIME because they are on the all-region lacrosse team or something. </p>
<p>You must understand that the colleges HAVE to FILL their sports teams!! And there are lots and lots of teams to fill! The colleges don’t have to fill their poetry classes (no “forfeits” or on-field embarrasment that make alumni angry).</p>
<p>It 100% sports as the best EC. On all the other ECs (music, dance, etc.) the billions of Koreans, Chinese, and Indians will have you beat every which way to Sunday. But, none of these ethnic groups know a lacrosse stick from a broomstick. There’s your advantage.</p>
<p>One does not simply wake up one morning and decide to be an All-Region lacrosse player or a State Record Holding Long Jumper. </p>
<p>Most good colleges and universities are primarily about academics, but are also about that whole-community experience, which, yes, often includes sports…but also includes the arts and community service. It sounds like the OP has a good selection of all of those things, but now it’s time to narrow it down. I think the best advice is to enhance those ECs that you genuinely feel passionate about. In those areas, step up into leadership roles, or, in the case of your community service clubs, consider taking the lead and spearheading new projects. Don’t chose your activities based on what you think colleges want! I think a better way to think about it is “which activities help me to grow into the kind of adult I want to be? How can I more engage more actively in those activities?” In my opinion, if you approach your HS years in that mindset, when the time comes to, say, write an application essay? You won’t be staring blankly at the page, wondering how to paraphrase “I ticked the boxes I think you’d like.”</p>
<p>I also found the questionable comment offensive.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that out of the 3,000 or so 4-year colleges in the US EC’s are important for admission at only a small fraction. Perhaps the most selective 100 or so. Many students worry needlessly about EC’s.</p>
<p>As you will see from that link, at the most selective colleges they are looking for depth more than just participation. Stanford, for example, says
</p>
<p>Assuming you are even applying to colleges that care about ECs (you can look up whether they do on their Common Data Set filing), I see some of your activities fall under “member of this, spent time doing that” and are unlikely to impressive the adcoms at selective colleges.</p>
<p>Makennacompton – I want you to read your last paragraph outloud to yourself. I just read it outloud to my husband. If you can not see the egregious overgeneralization and racism that is within your words, I pray to God that you (if you are a student) do not end up at the same LAC as my daughter unless you are prepared to do some heavy verbal sparring and debate. :)</p>