<p>Every Sunday, I tutor AP Calculus AB to 2 kids at the library for 2-3 hours to get them ready for the Calculus AB AP Exam for free.
These kids are not taking AP Calculus AB but are taking Honors Pre-Calculus and Algebra II.
I have accumulated a total of 31 hours in tutoring them so far and will continue to do so until the AP Exam.
Additionally, I tutor Punjabi at my local Gurudwara (religious place of worship) to 4 kids every Sunday too for free.
I have accumulated a total of 12 hours for this service so far.
I am a sophomore currently and am planning on doing these tutoring services until senior year.
Will this help me get into a more prestigious college or have all my efforts been wasted?</p>
<p>if you’re doing ec’s to get into college, I feel bad for you son</p>
<p>yes tutoring will help</p>
<p>They won’t hurt you, for sure… but in general, I’d hope for there to be some kind of altruistic sentiment on your part :D</p>
<p>It’s an EC and it’s at least better than nothing.</p>
<p>no
10char</p>
<p>Why tutor for free?</p>
<p>You shouldn’t do it if it’s just for college admissions. It’s not going to be enough of a boost to your chances for it to be worth doing something you don’t like.</p>
<p>I agree. Don’t do something <em>just</em> to pad your app. Find something you enjoy and do activities related to that. Write about it in an essay. Explain why you love it and what you got out of it. Even if it’s a small thing that you love, it could potentially be worth more than a rich kid flying all over the world helping the poor just because they want to get Harvard, Yale, etc. when it comes to college apps, IMO.</p>
<p>Well, if the OP’s doing all this for the right reasons, it’ll shine in his essays. But I mean, quality over quantity. </p>
<p>These things won’t hurt you, but I think it’s better if OP finds a passion that is genuinely enjoys and continue at it until he makes something out of it. “Makes something out of it” is key, don’t wanna start filling the Activities section of the Common app and find out that theres nothing you can add to “basket weaving”. “Got a gold freaking medal at the basket weaving world championships”, though, that’s something lol.</p>
<p>And variety. You’re a person not a robot, but you’ll look like one if all you do is the same thing → tutoring. Aim to do an internship, language exchange, job, mix it up. but i mean still got two years, so not to worry.</p>
<p>@chihalim and the basket weaving jokes: Hey! Not cool. Basket weaving is a legitimate hobby. :)</p>
<p>@sonofgod908: I think it’s a good EC. Don’t tutor if you hate it and are just doing it for college apps, though.</p>
<p>Oh ok, thanks alot guys.</p>
<p>Maybe you can take it to the next level. Create a curriculum, do pre- and post-assessments and track the AP test outcomes. Introduce arts into the language classes. Etc. Deepen your tutoring in coming years.</p>
<p>@basketweaver <3 Much apologies, i meant no disrespect :)</p>
<p>Basket weaving is only seen at pointless when it’s done underwater:)</p>
<p>Hey! Johnny Manziel’s majoring in that! Dont hate on him!</p>
<p>Haha, no offense taken. I don’t weave, but I know someone who does.</p>
<p>But I have an A in underwater basket weaving. Come to think of it, everyone in my class does. <em>ba-dam-chi</em> Sorry. That was a bad attempt at a joke.</p>
<p>Who’s that? Johnny Manziel that is.</p>
<p>Edit: never mind. Football player. Google told me so.</p>
<p>As others have said, I’d do more then just that but it definitely helps. On what else you could do, look into something that you actually enjoy. If you enjoy writing, contact the local newspaper and see if they have a teen writers program (I didn’t think mine did, but, it does.) If helping people is something that you genuinely like, see about volunteering at a old folks home or a hospital.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars are like women - you don’t chase them, you let them come to you. Unless you like to chase your women, which I wouldn’t recommend. Lawsuits are the last thing you need. </p>
<p>All jokes aside, I think you should worry less about EC’s and “padding up” your resume and more about building character. Do stuff you enjoy. If that means helping people, well then go help people and do a damn good job at it. If you do plan on starting some sort of class for the younger kids in your community, do let me know. I’ve been running all sorts of classes/seminars out of my local community for the past 2-3 years. I’ve got some spare curriculums laying around that I wouldn’t mind sending your way (for a fee that is! Just pulling your strings).</p>