Activities question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump

Why tho

Per the other thread. Hope it helps. Helped my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:both my kids grouped activities to fit within the 10 slots, eg: "club athletics: soccer, tennis, 3 years"

Volunteering: animal shelter, library, x hours a month

Did this work well?

[Anonymous]

Thinking ahead to RD applications. I think my DC's EC descriptions could/should be revamped slightly. Please help.


Should activities descriptions be like those listed here - with lots of data and metrics?

Or should they be softer, more descriptive focused on how the activity impacted the kid or the kid impacted the world?

DATA HEAVY EXAMPLE?
Crimson Activities List Example 1: Student Admitted to Stanford Class of 2028

1. Volunteer: City Department of Sustainability (only youth member)
16 hr/wk, 24 wk/yr. Developed cultural food distribution strategies for the city’s first Food Plan. Built 2 cultural gardens with 12 types of crop, 50+ Ibs food harvested

2. Capstone: Founder & President, SmartSustainableCities
12 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr. Nonprofit w/ 6 intl. chapters, 90+ members. Spoke at 3 UN conferences about smart transit equity; created 2 city plans promoting walkability.

3. Cultural: Youth intern, National Museum of Asian Art
8 hr/wk, 10 wk/yr. Learned x-ray based analysis and paper conservation techniques w/ archival records. Studied Japanese art curation methods.

4. Research: Student Researcher, George Mason University
30 hr/wk, 8 wk/yr. Researched relationship b/w freeway capping & gentrification through statistical modeling; paper under review at Transportation Research Board.

5. Student Govt: Elected Chair Ambassador (1 of 32), City Youth Council
6 hr/wk, 36 wk/yr. Rep’d 200k+ youth. Directed policy initiatives on homelessness; Curated national workshop for BIPOC-owned businesses: 70+ attendees

6. Volunteer: Intern, Asian American Resource Center
6 hr/wk, 24 wk/yr. Curated youth program on cultural education w/ 16 participants and 3k in funding. Led an intergenerational storytelling event w/ 80+ attendees

7. Debate: Co-Novice Coordinator, Speech & Debate Team
12 hr/wk, 36 wk/yr. Ranked top 5 LD debaters in state. Created/ taught 1:1 curriculum w/ 6 students; debated Asian American critical race arguments

8. Research: Student Researcher, UC Santa Cruz Summer Internship Program
20 hr/wk, 8 wk/yr. Developed code book from 11 interviews w/ members of Black nonprofits. Presented impact of land-based, Black resistance on contemporary racial justice

9. Research: Student Researcher, UT Austin
4 hr/wk, 26 wk/yr. Researched the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on 8 Indigenous communities in the Pacific; published 3 Op-Eds on Indigeneity in geopolitics.

10. Other: Photographer
2 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr. Curated 5 photo-essays w/ 10+ pictures each; created online exhibit w/ 80+ views on involuntary displacement, urban sprawl, and parking in city

DESCRIPTIVE EXAMPLE?
Is there an example in this old chain of a different type? Something that's softer and more descriptive without being a data dump?

I found this but not sure how descriptive they are:
https://www.crimsoneducation.org/us/blog/extracurricular-activities-list/

[Anonymous]

Descriptive - found on CollegeVine:
https://blog.collegevine.com/the-common-app-analyzed-4-successful-activity-entries-explained


Example 1 – Volunteer Work

Topic Title: Volunteer Tutor, NYC Cares

Declared Time Commitment: 2 hours per week, 16 weeks per year

Description: Provided homework and study help to underprivileged kids. I studied with one girl until her Cs became As. I love being the “go-to” mentor.


Example 2 – Performing Arts

Topic Title: Chorus and Select Chorus

Declared Time Commitment: 2.5 hours per week, 34 weeks per year

Description: I was chosen to sing the only complete solo piece in the Christmas concert this year.


Example 4 – Retreat Leader


Topic Title: Retreat Leader

Declared Time Commitment: 1 hour per week, 30 weeks per year

Description: 9 seniors are chosen as leaders of the junior retreat. We meet weekly to critique each other’s speeches and learn to mediate small-group discussion.


Example 5 – Lifelong Musician

Topic Title: Piano

Declared Time Commitment: 3 hours per week, 40 weeks per year

Description: I have been studying piano and performing in recitals since kindergarten. I’m currently working on Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor from Opus 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So there are 10 slots. What happens if your kid has a very defined main activity like a varsity sport they do 40 hours a week during the season, and then every year tries different things: a different fall sport, different little jobs, volunteered a lot but not this past year due to sports...? How do they even weigh all this and do they view it negatively?

Captain of any? Put that at top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crimson has good templates/examples. Another one:

Activities List Example 1: Student Admitted to Stanford Class of 2028

1. Volunteer: City Department of Sustainability (only youth member)
16 hr/wk, 24 wk/yr. Developed cultural food distribution strategies for the city’s first Food Plan. Built 2 cultural gardens with 12 types of crop, 50+ Ibs food harvested

2. Capstone: Founder & President, SmartSustainableCities
12 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr. Nonprofit w/ 6 intl. chapters, 90+ members. Spoke at 3 UN conferences about smart transit equity; created 2 city plans promoting walkability.

3. Cultural: Youth intern, National Museum of Asian Art
8 hr/wk, 10 wk/yr. Learned x-ray based analysis and paper conservation techniques w/ archival records. Studied Japanese art curation methods.

4. Research: Student Researcher, George Mason University
30 hr/wk, 8 wk/yr. Researched relationship b/w freeway capping & gentrification through statistical modeling; paper under review at Transportation Research Board.

5. Student Govt: Elected Chair Ambassador (1 of 32), City Youth Council
6 hr/wk, 36 wk/yr. Rep’d 200k+ youth. Directed policy initiatives on homelessness; Curated national workshop for BIPOC-owned businesses: 70+ attendees

6. Volunteer: Intern, Asian American Resource Center
6 hr/wk, 24 wk/yr. Curated youth program on cultural education w/ 16 participants and 3k in funding. Led an intergenerational storytelling event w/ 80+ attendees

7. Debate: Co-Novice Coordinator, Speech & Debate Team
12 hr/wk, 36 wk/yr. Ranked top 5 LD debaters in state. Created/ taught 1:1 curriculum w/ 6 students; debated Asian American critical race arguments

8. Research: Student Researcher, UC Santa Cruz Summer Internship Program
20 hr/wk, 8 wk/yr. Developed code book from 11 interviews w/ members of Black nonprofits. Presented impact of land-based, Black resistance on contemporary racial justice

9. Research: Student Researcher, UT Austin
4 hr/wk, 26 wk/yr. Researched the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on 8 Indigenous communities in the Pacific; published 3 Op-Eds on Indigeneity in geopolitics.

10. Other: Photographer
2 hr/wk, 40 wk/yr. Curated 5 photo-essays w/ 10+ pictures each; created online exhibit w/ 80+ views on involuntary displacement, urban sprawl, and parking in city

These descriptions are helpful for those looking for ECs that standout.