<p>I have been combing through some of the "chance me" threads for various schools for a little while now, and I am just shocked at the number of ECs everyone has. I only have 4 (flying, drama, tennis, academic team) that I really care about. I'm not into student council or community service or a whole bunch of clubs because I find all that stuff quite stressful and it takes away from everything else I do, but I feel more and more pressured to do those things just because it looks good. </p>
<p>I just had an alumni interview with Yale, and my interviewer asked me what I liked to do for fun, and I told her my 4 activities, then she kept asking me about my ECs as if she was expecting more for me. Finally, I just had to tell her that I find community service extremely stressful and I don't think that's fair because you're supposed to do it to make yourself and others happy, but it doesn't make me happy, so why should I do it?</p>
<p>I'm really sick of this new trend where I as a high school student have to be president of every organization that I come across or can think of, and I wish that I could just hang out with my friends and family. There is enough work and stress in the years ahead for me, and I think childhood should be a time of exploration and relaxation, not filled with worry and activities I don't really care about, but that could just be me. What do you all think?</p>
<p>There isn't ANY kind of community service that would make you happy? What about tutoring kids, coaching tennis, that kind of thing? </p>
<p>I personally don't know how you can't find ANYTHING. I used to hate community service before I got involved in coaching and I have hundreds of hours of community service from that.</p>
<p>I tutor and teach tennis as summer jobs, but during the year, I don't have time for that, but during the summer I spend almost all my time flying, so I only have a job for maybe 4 weeks. I put a lot of my time into my studies, and I recently moved, so I've been dealing with all that as well, so I don't think I should be pushed into doing things that I do not want to deal with right now. I think community service and all the other tons of activities people do these days they do just so they can look good for college, and I don't think that's right.</p>
<p>No, it's not right to do it just for college, this is true. Colleges want to see it though because it shows your sense of community and it shows that you'd be willing to help others. </p>
<p>I'm sure you'll find something, if not then it wasn't meant to happen. But, like I said, don't do it just because of colleges, do it for you.</p>
<p>^i agree, but sometimes, we just question our motives i guess. but i do what i do b/c i actually have an interest in it. i don't just join anything and everything to put on my college app.</p>
<p>I'm only in band and Reach For The Top (Canadian trivia thing). Outside of school I volunteer 5 hours a week and take private guitar lessons. I think it's dumb to commit yourself to a bunch of ECs just for the sake of having them on your application. However, I do wish I joined some other clubs like Debate Team at my high school. Oh well, there's always next year, I'm only a freshman anyways so it's not like I'm trying to cram in a bunch of ECs so I can polish up an application.</p>
<p>"And by the way it was really dumb of you to tell your interviewer you don't see the point in doing community service."</p>
<p>I did not tell her that because I do in fact see the point in community service. I just told her it doesn't bring me joy like doing community service does for other people, so I'm not going to do it just because it looks good. I'm an honest and straightforward person and I feel very strongly about this issue, and I'm not going to compromise my beliefs to get into a school because that would only perpetuate the problem that I see. If you see differently, then good for you.</p>
<p>What's so invaluable about ecs like Student Government is the opportunities that such an organization offers you. I've gotten so much really varied experience (from chairing dances, talent shows, sweatshirts, $20,000 leadership conferences to helping out at the food bank). </p>
<p>I really like this type of stuff, but I can understand why others wouldn't; I guess the important thing to remember is that the chances that you'd be happy at a university that doesn't value you exactly for who you are are very slim, so don't sweat it.</p>
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ST FU keshira. Don't bag on her for keepin' it real.
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I'm an honest and straightforward person and I feel very strongly about this issue, and I'm not going to compromise my beliefs to get into a school because that would only perpetuate the problem that I see. If you see differently, then good for you.
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<p>Sigh.
I'm not saying she should have lied and waxed enthusiastic about how much joy community service brings her, but there is this little thing called tact and it can bring you very far in life.
I'm all for being straightforward, but being brutally honest to an interviewer is just not smart. Personally, I think the way you came off in that interview is similar to the way you come off to me- opinionated but extremely inflexible. <em>shrugs</em> I think you should've put a positive spin on the subject or diverted her into talking about your hobbies, but hey, if that's just not something you can do...</p>
<p>WOW you have no idea how relieving it is for SOMEONE to actually seem normal and not have a billion extracurriculars... I only have four too... theatre, newspaper, basketball, and girl scouts</p>
<p>I have two: Drama Club and Ballroom Dance. However, I've done 16 shows so far for Drama, and #17 is going up at the end of February. Ballroom Dance only started this year, but I love it--we're performing a tango routine at some culture-thing at my school. I also work, so I guess that's 3-ish? I love my work too, though, even if it's retail and I spend my days running to the stockrooms and folding things.</p>
<p>Of course, I <em>used</em> to do Boy Scouts, I went on a mission trip once, and I directed a 10-minute play once. Not like any of those were terribly important to me, though. =/</p>
<p>Edit: I've also never done any academic contests, because it didn't seem worth it to me. "What do I win if I do well?" "Recognition." "How hard is the test?" "The genius in your math class got a 5/50." "Pass!"</p>
<p>I only do karate and volunteering, plus a few clubs at school that I don't have huge leadership positions in. I'm really relieved that not everyone has a ton of extracurriculars.</p>
<p>I've really got four: my volunteer work at a local hippotherapy stable, my Latin activities, my work on the Teen Advisory Board (AKA the library club), and my tutoring work/NHS. Thing is, the Latin stuff consists mainly of studying and learning my stuff in preperation for JCL conventions and tests, since our previous Latin teacher, who was awesome, lost his job and everyone hates the new guy, so Latin club and Certamen have pretty much gone down the toilet at my school. Tutoring is good, but I've been having problems meeting with my tutoree. TAB does pretty much nothing. About the only EC I've got that I feel means anything is my work at the stable, and because of assorted collegy things like SATs and college visits and scholarship weekends I keep missing it, since the only day I can work there is Saturday. :/ I feel sort of guilty about that, although I've felt less so since we got a freshman coming in that loves doing the same work I do and who I think will be glad to take over my job (mentoring new volunteers and doing barn work, largely) when I head off to college. </p>
<p>Am I the only one who feels like ECs don't do anything but make you look good? About the only things I've accomplished that I'm at all proud of are my JCL awards and my work at the hippotherapy stable.</p>
<p>hey, i agree with Keshira...tact does get people far in life.</p>
<p>okay am I supposd to enjoy community service? Volunteering at the hospital and servicing snobby, cranky old people isn't fun. I quit that. The only volunteering i enjoy is...well... I tutor, but it takes SO MUCH TIME...and i'm not even tutoring underprivileged children just people who suck at school. And i think I should get paid even though i don't =) honestly, tutoring *is *fun but having to come a few hours before school isn't.</p>