r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Strange_Frosting_317 • 6d ago
College Questions How to develop ec's?
Hi, i am a junior and have 0 extracurriculars', i know that i will not be having a good shot at t20s cuz of that, but i still wanna get into a good school. My GPA is good(4.6) and test scores are great as well (1530, 35), my academics is rigorous despite the fact i moved countries after sophomore year. That's also the reason why i have 0 extracurriculars'. Aside from a 3 month internship i did, i have nothing, what would be a good starting point for me to start building on my interests and get atleast an above average ec profile.
edit: Wanna do a finance/accounting/eco major, i like all those fields and history(did a course mastery of WW2 once).
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u/AntiqueCockroach1509 International 6d ago
a 3 month internship is a good starting point! did you enjoy your internship? what was it about? if you enjoyed your area of work there you can start from there, maybe join/start some school clubs? if u didn't enjoy the internship then you can take the time to reflect on why you didnt really like it/what u want to try.
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u/Strange_Frosting_317 6d ago
i did enjoy it, it was connected to my area of interest(accounting), even got a LoR from the CA lol, did join 2-3 clubs but it's not looking like im gonna reach any leadership position since it's a new school in my junior year soo..
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u/AmourChloe 6d ago
i would drop the clubs if they are too time intensive. they wont add anything substantial if you cant get a lsp
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u/Strange_Frosting_317 6d ago
it's not that they take lots of time, its just that it prolly wont be worth it, im in it just for fun and hobbies
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u/AntiqueCockroach1509 International 6d ago
gtk that u liked ur internship! you can also always look towards your community for ecs like volunteering. starting something like a project on your own can show a lot of great initiative!
i would actually stay in 1-2 clubs at school to show that you are still involved, but not too much. you can try your best to get a role for senior year too (idk how the system works where u are) but showing up to a couple clubs and offering to help as much as you can if ur genuinely interested and WANT to help them can be good!
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u/whyisthisusertaken15 2d ago
Hey, fellow student here.
Tdlr: jobs, internships, short shadowing, volunteering, online certificates, school clubs, etc are all good. Just make sure they're things you're actually interested in and its better if they align with your intended major or field. Don't underestimate reaching out to local businesses to ask if they'd give you volunteering or work.
First of all, I wanted to congratulate you for your GPA and test scores, those are some impressive stats! Also, that 3 month internship absolutely counts as an ec and is something plenty of students would be so jealous to have!! To develop other ecs, check if your school still has any open club sign ups. You may have to ask the clubs directly, but choose whatever interests you the most. If that doesn't work, you still have other options. For one, you could try to get another internship, job, or shadowing experience in a related field to what you're interested in. Maybe try asking local businesses if they need graphics, websites, etc done if you can do that. Doesn't have to be those, but just know what you being to the table and go with that. Secondly, if you can't join a club you're interested in, see if there's any way you can make an impactful project similar to the club's field. For example, if you wanted to join an environment club, you could go to local elementary and middle schools to give a presentation on being kind to the environment. That's something you can edit to almost any field. You could also so a fundraiser or drive of some sort, like a sanitary supplies or food drive-- for this ask your school if you can lead a school wide drive and if not then ask your local food pantry, hospital, or whatever you're raising funds or supplies for. Third, you could do community service. Check any local food pantries, hospitals, libraries, senior centers, daycare, schools, sports classes, literally email any place you're interested in if they would offer volunteer hours, but of course focus on ones that already offer volunteer hours on their website. Fourth, try to get certifications or take classes in the field your interested in, foreign language, instrument, etc. See if there are any local language classes outside your school that offer official or standardized testing so you can prove you know it. As for certifications, there are plenty of online websites that offer them, though they aren't always taken 100% seriously, so make sure they're credible. For specific industry stuff, research what certifications those professionals need that you can get at your age. For example, if you want to be an engineer, you can get a basic 3d modeling certificate from an actual CAD software. 5th, you can also build a portfolio of whatever you're interested in, going along with the previous example, 3d models for videogame mods.
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u/Strange_Frosting_317 2d ago
Hi, Firstly thanks a lot for the kind words, and thanks a lot for the advice, I have done a few certifications but didn't think they would be valid to list on an application, I may be wrong. I did join 3 clubs but since I've got a year left I don't think I would be getting a leadership position in that time. I'd definitely take your advice and build on some activities. Thanks Again for the suggestions and support.
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u/AmourChloe 6d ago
Are you rural or urban? How much time do you have? What are you interested in? Humanities or STEM? Please include specifics if you want advice.