Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:42
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:What are the most unusual or memorable ECs you've heard about this year?
I have a senior and an 8th grader - so it's really just curiosity or nosiness at this point.
If you are in the midwest on the country side, have family with high school grads and you do something in stem.....that makes it memorable for the AOs.
No kid from even TJ got into CEE RSI program this year so nothing unique that they haven't seen already. Very hard being in DC area
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:40
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I started a running list of memorable ECs (from this site's old posts and what I hear from our school community or see on reddit). See below. Please add on!
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
In our school kids with these niche ECs (fabricating a car engine, etc.) did not get into T20 schools. Most of them went to state schools.
Car mechanics, for example, was cool when someone first uses it as EC. Once it's known and replicated, a dime a dozen.
If your kids are truly interested in these and enjoy doing it, go ahead.
I know 2 car mechanics in my non-DMV city this year. I don't know if its that common, or maybe not in our area?
One ED into Northwestern.
One REA into Yale.
Have heard the manual labor kind of ECs are the best ones to do nowadays.
Manual labor has been popular for many years. Clique. Have to be a truly unique manual labor.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:32
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
How exactly do you start doing "cartography" or mapmaking as an EC? In a class at a college?
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:29
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I started a running list of memorable ECs (from this site's old posts and what I hear from our school community or see on reddit). See below. Please add on!
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
In our school kids with these niche ECs (fabricating a car engine, etc.) did not get into T20 schools. Most of them went to state schools.
Car mechanics, for example, was cool when someone first uses it as EC. Once it's known and replicated, a dime a dozen.
If your kids are truly interested in these and enjoy doing it, go ahead.
I know 2 car mechanics in my non-DMV city this year. I don't know if its that common, or maybe not in our area?
One ED into Northwestern.
One REA into Yale.
Have heard the manual labor kind of ECs are the best ones to do nowadays.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:25
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:I started a running list of memorable ECs (from this site's old posts and what I hear from our school community or see on reddit). See below. Please add on!
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
In our school kids with these niche ECs (fabricating a car engine, etc.) did not get into T20 schools. Most of them went to state schools.
Car mechanics, for example, was cool when someone first uses it as EC. Once it's known and replicated, a dime a dozen.
If your kids are truly interested in these and enjoy doing it, go ahead.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:23
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
I mean you can bet everyone would know your kid as the obituary writer if that was their PT job/EC.....
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:21
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:I started a running list of memorable ECs (from this site's old posts and what I hear from our school community or see on reddit). See below. Please add on!
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
This is like a Christopher Guest movie
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:20
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Not in this year. There was a student who went on a journey of being a sailor. Then "wrote" a book about that experience, published. Got in stanford.
Risky, but worked.
omg. sounds amazingly fascinating. like the kind of person you'd love to talk to.
Keep in mind that it's difficult to manufacture this. Minors can never being allowed to be a sailor, it means that the family has resource to make this happen, either they own a company or have connections that take the kid.
Exactly. But so much independence and drive, assuming the kid actually has the sailing skills. How long was the journey?
Believe it's a summer long. Things I can think of ... for example, a month-long deep sea exploration. Without resources, it's difficult to do it. Being truly unique comes with a price tag, often times.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:18
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
I started a running list of memorable ECs (from this site's old posts and what I hear from our school community or see on reddit). See below. Please add on!
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
STEM RELATED
Working as a car mechanic;
Restoring pinball machines or vintage arcade games;
Getting licensed as a HAM radio operator;
Clock repair/watchmaking;
Working with a glassblower or in a scientific glassware repair shop;
Telescope making - esp if interested in astronomy; and
Working on model trains (modernization and automation).
CS RELATED
business founder for computer repair
"Hobby Engineering" (independent projects)
HUMANITIES RELATED
Letterpress printing and bookbinding
Cartography and mapmaking
Puppetry and marionette making
OUTDOOR HOBBIES
fishing, rock climbing, archery
OTHER HOBBIES:
origami, coin collecting, birdwatching, crocheting, blacksmithing, woodworking, master reseller on FB marketplace
PT JOBS:
car mechanic
oil repair/oil change mechanic
seamstress
butchering
makeup artist
obituary writer for local small-town paper
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:13
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Not in this year. There was a student who went on a journey of being a sailor. Then "wrote" a book about that experience, published. Got in stanford.
Risky, but worked.
omg. sounds amazingly fascinating. like the kind of person you'd love to talk to.
Keep in mind that it's difficult to manufacture this. Minors can never being allowed to be a sailor, it means that the family has resource to make this happen, either they own a company or have connections that take the kid.
Exactly. But so much independence and drive, assuming the kid actually has the sailing skills. How long was the journey?
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:10
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Not in this year. There was a student who went on a journey of being a sailor. Then "wrote" a book about that experience, published. Got in stanford.
Risky, but worked.
omg. sounds amazingly fascinating. like the kind of person you'd love to talk to.
Keep in mind that it's difficult to manufacture this. Minors can never being allowed to be a sailor, it means that the family has resource to make this happen, either they own a company or have connections that take the kid.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:03
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Not in this year. There was a student who went on a journey of being a sailor. Then "wrote" a book about that experience, published. Got in stanford.
Risky, but worked.
omg. sounds amazingly fascinating. like the kind of person you'd love to talk to.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:02
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Not in this year. There was a student who went on a journey of being a sailor. Then "wrote" a book about that experience, published. Got in stanford.
Risky, but worked.
Risky, but worked.
Anonymous
03/13/2025 15:02
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:What are the most unusual or memorable ECs you've heard about this year?
I have a senior and an 8th grader - so it's really just curiosity or nosiness at this point.
Nothing is unique including patents, research papers publications etc. They have to do something creative out of the opportunities they have
Anonymous
03/13/2025 14:59
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
What are the most unusual or memorable ECs you've heard about this year?
I have a senior and an 8th grader - so it's really just curiosity or nosiness at this point.
I have a senior and an 8th grader - so it's really just curiosity or nosiness at this point.