schools for student with no extra curriculars

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Gulp.

[Anonymous]

What about her service hours? Any consistent volunteering?

[Anonymous]

This is a box on the common application that allows you to explain any special circumstances. At the suggestion of a college admissions rep, DC used it last year to write an explanation of why DC had some C's in 9th grade. Your DD could use that box to explain how she loves being a student and uses her time outside of school to write and sing on her own.

It also isn't too late for her to do something this summer and next fall that would go on the application. But, I don't think that EC's really matter that much compared to grades and scores.

[Anonymous]

What are you and she doing to treat the anxiety? That will be a bigger bar to her college success than lack of activities.

[Anonymous]

Look at schools in Canada or UK. Grades and test scores are all that are considered.

But I agree she needs professional treatment for the anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Most large State U's are numbers based. You're IN based on SAT/GPA on a sliding scale. Keep the unweighted GPA at 3.8 and above and she will have many merit aid offers. She could likely pay in-state tuition at out of state public. Also, I doubt she will have no EC's. She is likely to have something --- she's just late finding her niche. Maybe President/Officer of an Honor Society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you and she doing to treat the anxiety? That will be a bigger bar to her college success than lack of activities.

You make an excellent point. She has been in treatment for anxiety since age 9. She is ok in small group project situations and even giving presentations as required so it’s not affecting her grades. We have worked hard to teach her to self-advocate and this year she has been great about working directly with her teachers to solve any issues that arise. So we don’t have any academic worries at this time. She just can’t be pushed to do anything more than get through the school day and study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at schools in Canada or UK. Grades and test scores are all that are considered.

But I agree she needs professional treatment for the anxiety.

OP here. Thanks. She has been in treatment since age 9. She has already come a long way!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a box on the common application that allows you to explain any special circumstances. At the suggestion of a college admissions rep, DC used it last year to write an explanation of why DC had some C's in 9th grade. Your DD could use that box to explain how she loves being a student and uses her time outside of school to write and sing on her own.

It also isn't too late for her to do something this summer and next fall that would go on the application. But, I don't think that EC's really matter that much compared to grades and scores.

Thank you. I had hoped there would be a place for her to explain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at schools in Canada or UK. Grades and test scores are all that are considered.

But I agree she needs professional treatment for the anxiety.

OP here. Thanks. She has been in treatment since age 9. She has already come a long way!

The go Canada. McGill and U of Toronto are great schools but large.

Or aim lower than her scores may indicate. Schools with a median 1100 SAT may overlook the lack of extracurricular for those scores.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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!

[Anonymous]

"OP here. Thanks. She has been in treatment since age 9. She has already come a long way!"

This IS your DD's extra curricular! It is something she spends her time doing and she is committed to succeeding at it.

You are not limited to writing about this in the Please tell us anything else we should know box. It is a huge EC and many schools will be impressed.

You read about lots of schools who understand that some extra curriculars are practical. Students who need to hold a job to help support their family or who need to take care of siblings so parents can work.

My guess is that over the years she has hit milestones, like last year signing up for the club, that can be described as part of this EC.

Now that you/she have heard this idea, over the next two summers and junior year, you can specifically devise milestones to show off how far she has come.

If pushed, I would have to agree that there are some schools that will not see it as a strong EC but really all that means is that they feel their school is an anxiety inducing place and wouldn't be a good fit.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"OP here. Thanks. She has been in treatment since age 9. She has already come a long way!"

This IS your DD's extra curricular! It is something she spends her time doing and she is committed to succeeding at it.

You are not limited to writing about this in the Please tell us anything else we should know box. It is a huge EC and many schools will be impressed.

You read about lots of schools who understand that some extra curriculars are practical. Students who need to hold a job to help support their family or who need to take care of siblings so parents can work.

My guess is that over the years she has hit milestones, like last year signing up for the club, that can be described as part of this EC.

Now that you/she have heard this idea, over the next two summers and junior year, you can specifically devise milestones to show off how far she has come.

If pushed, I would have to agree that there are some schools that will not see it as a strong EC but really all that means is that they feel their school is an anxiety inducing place and wouldn't be a good fit.

Good luck

PP,
Your post is one of the kindest and most supportive posts I have come across on DCUM. I never thought about it this way. Thank you for the perspective!
OP