Anonymous
01/12/2026 14:18
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
This is what I’m shocked by.
These are hard to do though. And hard to write about well (with sufficient detail) if you haven't actually done it (meaning you can't really lie). So these weird and niche interests are from weird and niche kids. Not your avg soccer or lacrosse kid.
And, no offense, this is why the top 20 schools are filled with weird and niche kids. It is palpable when walking around campus these days.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 14:14
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
This is what I’m shocked by.
These are hard to do though. And hard to write about well (with sufficient detail) if you haven't actually done it (meaning you can't really lie). So these weird and niche interests are from weird and niche kids. Not your avg soccer or lacrosse kid.
Unless that college is looking for their next soccer or lacrosse player to join their team. You just never know. Don't give up your EC if you are enjoying it, teens.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 13:14
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
This is what I’m shocked by.
These are hard to do though. And hard to write about well (with sufficient detail) if you haven't actually done it (meaning you can't really lie). So these weird and niche interests are from weird and niche kids. Not your avg soccer or lacrosse kid.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 13:10
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anything interesting mentioned in this thread would have 10 students pursuing it the next few years. The AO's at T10 would be wondering how such a niche thing got 10 students just from DC Metro area.
This is funny!
The CV padding aspects of American college admission are so stupid. I hope they realize it is not at all helpful to recruit students who will do well in college, rather,
a test of how resourceful and strategic the parents are.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 13:08
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
I feel like I see many of these "unusual" ones now - on reddit or even at our private.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 09:02
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:How about construction? That really lit a fuse under some parents in a previous thread.
Was mentioned earlier in this thread.
Anonymous
01/12/2026 03:45
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:Anything interesting mentioned in this thread would have 10 students pursuing it the next few years. The AO's at T10 would be wondering how such a niche thing got 10 students just from DC Metro area.
This is funny!
Anonymous
01/12/2026 03:34
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
Anonymous wrote:I know of a kid who, along with his brother, created cardboard sculptures of comic book characters and sold it to vendors for display at conferences. got into stanford and mit.
Love this
Anonymous
01/12/2026 00:08
Subject: ECs - the most unusual or memorable ones
How about construction? That really lit a fuse under some parents in a previous thread.
Anonymous
01/11/2026 23:56
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 what I’m shocked by.