<p>So I'm really interested in science and I plan to be a doctor, but I'm also decent at writing poetry. Will they laugh if I put national/international poetry awards on my common app because they're so unrelated and seemingly juvenile?</p>
<p>I'm not about to win the Science Olympiad or anything so I figure poetry is pretty much my only shot at national/international awards. </p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>I don’t think they’ll laugh. I think they’ll appreciate that you are so diverse and like so many different things. It makes you unique :)</p>
<p>Thanks for your input :P</p>
<p>No. anything you have to make yourself stand out put it on there.</p>
<p>even for top 10 schools? would they prefer someone with amazing intel awards etc.?</p>
<p>Anyone?</p>
<p>no the adcoms wouldn’t laugh at all it’s not something funny lol but it would help your application.</p>
<p>I do not think they will laugh either. My son is a math and science - engineering guy and won a poetry contest Freshman year - admitted ED to Northwestern. And as an earlier poster noted - it can be a good thing to be different from your competitors.</p>
<p>… If they do it will only be in a good way. If you win any national/international award in anything, put it down.</p>
<p>They might lol a little bit but its not a reason for them to reject you…</p>
<p>A couple of admissions folks we listened to (group sessions - top 40 schools) said they preferred to see extra curriculars showing diverse interests and liked those that were more uncommon (not just school sports, etc). It showed them the student had more interest in life than just what their planned major was. They did want to see real involvement and not just loose memberships. Awards would show real involvement.</p>
<p>I suspect adding yours will be a plus and in no way a negative. Congratulations on the awards BTW.</p>
<p>This should not be a problem. My daughter is a rising senior physics major at Harvard and she did not participate in any math or science ECs in HS. No competitions, no research, nothing other than being a member of Mu Alpha Theta and tutoring other kids in math. He ECs were all about dance.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I feel a little better now ;)</p>
<p>Yes. M.I.T. will get a couple of their grad students in a lab to pose with your application burning it (for having, gasp, humanity ECs), and send you a post card. /sarcasm</p>