What are your kids’ EC’s?

[Anonymous]

My son is a senior. He's has two different summer jobs. During the school year, he was in the cybersecurity club for three years. This year, he will be joining the Hispanic council instead. He also volunteered at a summer camp in the summer after 9th grade. This is not a rigorous list but it worked well for him.

[Anonymous]

My kids had:

Varsity sport in HS, both captains and both MVPs of their sport
Part time jobs
No leadership in clubs but some involvement

My DD also had a national level non HS sport. My DS was in a few bands in school but no awards or anything.

Typical honor societies including NHS.

My DS felt his list was sub par so he actually made his humorous, describing them in a witty way.

They both got into UVA via ED.

[Anonymous]

My college freshman had maybe three ECs and got into a great college.

[Anonymous]

My kid has zero sports
Very little volunteer activity
Didn't do honor societies
Has had a paid part time job for a year
Has a leadership role in one club since middle school
Has a 2 other light-involvement clubs
Has an online site with original essays
So, nothing spectacular according to DCUM standards

Hopefully these will help:
Has national, regional and local awards
Was selected for a competitive summer program
Good SAT score
Is in the top 10% of class
Will complete 13 APs
Is a fantastic cook

[Anonymous]

Couch sitting
Playing shooter video games
Laughing at YouTube videos
Streaming Spotify
Bingeing Netflix
Eating
Sleeping

Wants to go to Harvard

[Anonymous]

My DD did the following
Fall sport 4 years
Winter sport 1-2 years
Spring sport 1-2 years
Rec soccer 3 years
Summer/school year PT job
Clubs 2 years
Hobby at home/personal time

I think what distinguished my DD was 1) only doing ECs she was really interested in and 2) finding new activities to keep busy with during COVID when some of her usual activities were canceled. She joined two clubs during COVID and also returned to rec soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couch sitting
Playing shooter video games
Laughing at YouTube videos
Streaming Spotify
Bingeing Netflix
Eating
Sleeping

Wants to go to Harvard

We must have twins!

[Anonymous]

Oldest was super busy -
Marching band. Section leader his senior year. Scouts - was an Eagle Scout. Year round club sport. Two high school sports. Was captain of both teams his senior year. Part time job. Quiz bowl. It's Academic.

Youngest is a high school senior.
Plays 3 varsity sports: golf, swimming, lacrosse. Has a part time job. He works 8 hours every Saturday during the school year. During the summer, he was working about 20 hours a week. Head of the school's "hype squad" and runs the school's "pep rally" social media accounts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

there's no way she can do all this stuff except at a very superficial level. I think colleges look at lists like this and don't buy the BS.
I have varsity athletes and there's no way they can simultaneously work a part-time job (practice is every day after school plus games or practice every Saturday). There is no time for volunteer work on top of this.
And the clubs... she's a member of a half dozen of them? When do they meet? Once a month, max? What is the point of that?
This list is a mile wide and an inch deep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

Whoa! Did your kid have any homework and if so, did she sleep?

[Anonymous]

Professional actor (union status, national award), 4 yrs
All state + regional award in music performance, 4 yrs
Regional award in music composition, 4 yrs
3 years F/W varsity sport, Capt
4 years club, Pres
Bunch of honor societies + tutoring/activities they require, 2-3 yrs
Church volunteering, 4 yrs
Served on local arts board, 1 yr
Tutoring (paid), 3 yrs
School ambassador, 1 yr

Seems like a lot, but some if these were more time consuming (sport/music perf) than others (music comp, arts board, ambassador).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

Wow! My DC will have a much smaller list. The main activity demands 16-20 hours a week year round. There just isn’t enough time with school in the way. :p

I think colleges looking at a list like pp’s will tend to assume her commitment to most of the activities was fairly minimal, maybe an hour or two a month at most.

Don’t bash other kids ECs that you know nothing about. Fostering alone is 1-2 hours a day on good days. Have you bottled feed/stimulated neonates? It’s an overnight affair.

As long as your kid’s time outside school is filled with thing that matter to your child, you are ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

Wow! My DC will have a much smaller list. The main activity demands 16-20 hours a week year round. There just isn’t enough time with school in the way. :p

I think colleges looking at a list like pp’s will tend to assume her commitment to most of the activities was fairly minimal, maybe an hour or two a month at most.

Good news! The common app makes applicants calculate how many hours per week, how many weeks a year, and how many years (high school only).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

Wow! My DC will have a much smaller list. The main activity demands 16-20 hours a week year round. There just isn’t enough time with school in the way. :p

I think colleges looking at a list like pp’s will tend to assume her commitment to most of the activities was fairly minimal, maybe an hour or two a month at most.

Good news! The common app makes applicants calculate how many hours per week, how many weeks a year, and how many years (high school only).

Yes, but self reported and people will inflate and lie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my daughter’s list. She is a lot more motivated than I am!

Fall/Spring sports all 4 years, plus winter training
Volunteers 2x month doing food distribution
Foster kittens (lots of time involved in this)
Member of a county wide board
Social media manager for one club
President of Model UN
Secretary for another club
Tutoring through English Honor Society
Member of a few other clubs
Works part time
Volunteers for student government projects at school
Member of a district wide advisory committee.

Wow! My DC will have a much smaller list. The main activity demands 16-20 hours a week year round. There just isn’t enough time with school in the way. :p

I think colleges looking at a list like pp’s will tend to assume her commitment to most of the activities was fairly minimal, maybe an hour or two a month at most.

Good news! The common app makes applicants calculate how many hours per week, how many weeks a year, and how many years (high school only).

Maybe but they'll catch on when a kid (like previous poster's) says she does extracurriculars for 40 hours a week.
Yes, but self reported and people will inflate and lie.