Reply to What are the most common/unremarkable ECs?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]AOs are not looking for[b] “time consuming.[/b]”  Not the standard.[/quote]

correct. AO are looking for:
"distance traveled"
or
demonstrable impact
or
passion

if you really are trying to figure out what a college is looking for, look in their strategic plan. Cornell's tells you it directly:
https://cornellsun.com/2023/09/14/university-task-force-issues-admissions-recommendations/

Identify and recruit students who show the following attributes/life experiences that have been identified as enriching the educational experience in the classroom:

a) Academic achievement, and achievement in other areas
b) Inquiry: intellectual rigor, passion, curiosity, creativity, exploration
c) Distance traveled: overcoming obstacles or barriers; experience working part-time; overcoming feelings of isolation or disempowerment, headwinds, invisibility, struggles
d) Persistence: grit, resilience, perseverance, focus
e) Community orientation: demonstrate kindness, demonstrate compassion, teamwork focus, impact, pride in culture or heritage, situational awareness, service, engagement
f) Leadership: influential, trend-setter, lights up room
g) Knowledge of and appreciation for Cornell’s unique history and mission

Implementing this recommendation will call for [b]comprehensive training of admissions staff and readers to consistently identify these characteristics in application materials[/b].[/quote]

What about a kid who doesn't do these extra ECs? What if a kid is just a good student and has some of their own interests outside the school? It thought the goal of summer job is to make some bucks. Is it to get into Yale?  It is absurd that high school students have to sail across the Atlantic or have a startup or publish a paper to get into a good college.

[/quote]

My question is, if a student doesn't do these fancy ECs, but has excellent grades and can also demonstrate excellent writing, can they get into the top 20? 
[/quote]

What is excellent writing? Writes well but no impact (journalism, interviews, published, anthology, awards)?[/quote]

I have no idea. Even if they publish a book, it could be written by a bot. Not sure.  I mean, do these extra-crazy ECS really help a student succeed in college? In life? I just want my students to know the basics of math and to be able to write well.  To surive in a high energy physics course, will sailing to France form New York really help???

[/quote]

Is the kid into writing? Or just writing for the sake of a different EC? If it's kid's interest, they should pursue it regardless. [/quote]

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