schools for student with no extra curriculars

[Anonymous]

If she likes to sing require her to sign up for choir as her fine arts class.

Make this non negotiable.

Even with anxiety she will enjoy the class because she can sing and blend in with the crowd.

[Anonymous]

You should have her do extracurriculars this summer, next summer, and junior year. And senior in the fall. It isn't too late.

Writing about her anxiety on the college app could backfire IMO.

[Anonymous]

OP. I would focus on looking for a school that would be a good fit for your child and then figure out where she is like to get in based on her stats and ECs.
I know there are lists of schools that are good for students with learning disabilities. Although your child doesn’t have a LD some of these schools might be nurturing places that look out for individual students and have robust student services
Also check out Colleges that Change Lives and check out both UMD and st Mary’s. Also don’t rule out community college especially if she needs a little more time to continue making progress with her anxiety. She could then easily transfer to UMD if she has a B average or better.

[Anonymous]

You should have her do extracurriculars this summer, next summer, and junior year. And senior in the fall. It isn't too late.

Writing about her anxiety on the college app could backfire IMO.

+1

[Anonymous]

Canada, Scotland and the UK. Not kidding. They are increasingly becoming magnets for US students want to be assessed for admission based on academic performance (as opposed to extracurriculars, legacy, sports, and urm status). Many good schools available across academic levels.

[Anonymous]

NP. This is defiitely one of the kindest most helpful posts in DCUM land. Thanks for the positivity as many of us share similar challenges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look for schools where her stats and scores are in the top 25%. She sounds like she may fit in at a "Colleges that Change Lives" LAC, so maybe check those out.

She still has a year and a half before she submits applications. If she doesn't want to do something at school, she could find a job, get a regular volunteer gig, take voice or music lessons, etc.

My older kid (2016 grad) had very few ECs, decent grades and good test scores, and was accepted to some public flagships and CTCL schools. If you have specific questions about UMD, you should check with your DD's guidance counselor.

Thank you! You’ve given me hope!

I have a similar DC who just got accepted this year to UMDCP, plus a variety of other types of schools. Strong schedule, not the greatest grades, strong SATs, really no ECs. I have no idea what they actually wrote that they did (besides far too much Minecraft ), but recreational soccer and service projects through church are about the only semi-consistent thing they were involved in. Is your family a member of a faith community? Or regular participants in some type of community activity? ECs don't have to be "I founded a club", they really are there to show how your child spends their time besides on school work. A quiet passion for singing and writing is a fine thing as an EC. Schools that are a good fit for your daughter will recognize it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I need help identifying a few schools for DD.

-current sophomore
-Unweighted GPA is 3.7 (but almost all classes will be honors/AP so weighted GPA is much higher)
-1350-1400 SAT (projected based on PSAT and plans for SAT prep)
Here’s the big challenge. She has absolutely no extra curriculars!

We have stressed to her over the years that she needs to do something but she is extremely introverted. She did finally agree to join a service club this year but never attemded a single meeting or event. She hasn’t played sports since elementary school. Her two hobbies are singing and writing but she won’t perform or enter literary contests. She has very severe anxiety so I can only push so far. So what do bright kids do who have none? I don’t care that she won’t attend a top or second tier college but I would love for her to attend somewhere where she will be happy.

UMD College Park is on the list but do they take kids with no ECs? Since she is introverted, we think an SLAC might be the best fit but it sounds like they all look at ECs. Any suggestions are welcome.

I would consult a professional college counselor. I'm sure they have come across this situation before and can provide some guidance. She will definitely have choices and they can help guide you. I know Prep Matters in Bethesda works with anxious candidates so you may want to start there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You should have her do extracurriculars this summer, next summer, and junior year. And senior in the fall. It isn't too late.

Writing about her anxiety on the college app could backfire IMO.

+1

+2

Start with this summer. She needs to do something besides sitting around the house playing on the internet and watching Netflix. A camp. A job. A volunteer opportunity.

She needs to build up her "socialization muscles" otherwise how is she ever going to be able to function as a working adult? At some point she's going to have to find a job, interview, interact with co-workers, etc. Otherwise you're going to be supporting a 30-year-old living in your house. This is what happened to my sister and now that my parents have died, she's a jobless 49-year-old woman who lives in their house, living off her inheritance.

When your DD comes home from school just she hide away in her room and hang out on her computer?

[Anonymous]

Op - have you tried medication for your child? I only ask as my daughter had terrible social anxiety for many years. We did therapy also for many years. Finally, I insitsted on consulting a psychiatrist who put her on medication and the results have been phenomenal. She is much happier, more social, more confident. It’s not all perfect of course, but much, mich better. Anyway, I know some people have realy strong feelings about this, but I did want to mention our experience. I know it’s also possible you tried this already.


Part of me wishes we put her on then years ago, but I also feel more confident that we made the right choice about the medication as we did try therapy for so many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - have you tried medication for your child? I only ask as my daughter had terrible social anxiety for many years. We did therapy also for many years. Finally, I insitsted on consulting a psychiatrist who put her on medication and the results have been phenomenal. She is much happier, more social, more confident. It’s not all perfect of course, but much, mich better. Anyway, I know some people have realy strong feelings about this, but I did want to mention our experience. I know it’s also possible you tried this already.


Part of me wishes we put her on then years ago, but I also feel more confident that we made the right choice about the medication as we did try therapy for so many years.

She’s actually medicated. She has an excellent psychiatrist who has tweaked meds over the years to get the best possible outcome. Unfortunately, this is as good as it gets in terms of the social piece which is the source of the lack of ECs.

[Anonymous]

What does the school guidance counselor say? I agree that the #1 priority is finding a school that is going to lift her up and support her, and not send her into a tailspin.

And then, as a PP said, this goes under "special considerations" on the application, and can even be the subject of her essay.

She can always stay home (or live int he dorms somewhere close by) for the first year and transfer, too, if she's uncertain about managing the greater flexibility and freedom of college life. That way, she could ease into it with her familiar supports close by.

[Anonymous]

Your DD has really good SATs and GPA so she will get into PLENTY of schools even without ECs if she applies wisely. However, now may be a good time to get her to try to do something (just a little bit) outside her comfort zone – not because it will help her get into college, but because it will help her work on the anxiety while she is still at home and working with her therapist. It doesn’t have to be a competitive or performance activity either. Don’t know if you are in Montgomery County, but something like these teen writing clubs might interest your DD:
http://host.evanced.info/montgomerycountymd/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?kw=write&ln=ALL&ag=teens&nd=15

Small schools may or not be helpful for your DD because there is no correct answer. Some introverts find larger schools and larger classes more comfortable, others thrive in a smaller setting. When looking for schools, pay attention to the types of activities and opportunities available to students so that there will be something that your DD will feel comfortable getting involved in, even if it just a writing or poetry club that meets once a week. Also pay attention to the mental health services available on campus. As a mental health professional, I was amazed by the variability in this at different SLACs we toured but you definitely have to ask to get answers. Some of the “best” schools we visited had very little to help struggling students.

My DD with anxiety is doing well at St. Mary’s College of Maryland because she feels more comfortable in the small, supportive environment. She loves the campus where there are many peaceful and beautiful places to get away from it all and recharge. Also, knowing that she has the option to drive herself home anytime she needs to has really helped. She has rarely used that option, but just knowing she is relatively close to home has helped.

I know it is hard, but try not to stress over the college application process. There really is a school out there for everyone. You sound like a very caring mother who prioritizes the importance of your DDs mental health and happiness and that alone is the most important thing.

[Anonymous]

For her writing... my DD is similar in that she loves to write but will not enter contests. She doesn't want that kind of pressure. But, she started posting her writing (mostly fan fiction but also other work) on Wattpad and it has been great for her confidence. The community on Wattpad seems to be very friendly and supportive. It's the only "social media" DD engages in, mostly reading each other's work, commenting on it (generally very positive and constructive), and getting into other conversations about the things like like. Identities are anonymous. With the confidence in her work that she gained from that, she decided to put some of her writing in the school literary journal.

[Anonymous]

The extracurriculars are beside the point. You should be looking for a school where my DD would be comfortable and do well. I would imagine being concerned with distance, size, and overall culture far more than with the lack of ECs. Once you have an idea of those things, the list of schools will sort itself out. You might want (or might not) not so far away, relatively small, supportive friendly atmosphere. So, a school like SMCM might be a good fit.