5 Activities That Don’t Help Your College Application

SupertutorTV · May 18, 2017 at 8:24 pm

IN RESPONSE TO YOUR CRITIQUES — Check out the response video to this somewhat controversial topic for more:

Taylor Williams · September 25, 2017 at 10:05 pm

This video is really confusing because for almost all of the scholarships I’ve applied to, I was asked what leadership summits and programs I have been apart of.

WrapFiqah · September 27, 2017 at 10:02 am

Volunteer work is important I thought and also my school doesn’t require any

cemcelikbas · October 6, 2017 at 4:04 pm

What a ho

Madeline Nickerson · October 9, 2017 at 9:14 pm

Make sure and do these things if you enjoy doing them. College applications should not run your high school life.
-a busy high school senior

Nathan Bailey · October 11, 2017 at 6:36 pm

Well, looks like community college is for me :/

Justin C · October 14, 2017 at 3:42 am

Examples of extracurriculars that help you get into Harvard: Boys/Girls Nation (not state…nation), Eagle Scout, Debate Team Captain, Sports Team Captain, Class President or Student Body President, Black belt in a martial art, Cheerleading Captain (yes, cheerleading really helps), creating phone apps or other software that becomes popular (especially if you’re a girl), having scientific research published in a peer-reviewed journal with you as a lead author, being conductor of an orchestra. Starting clubs or organizations doesn’t help much because it’s very common nowadays. 20-30 years ago, it helped a little.

Basically, find a couple of activities you’re really interested in and go after the top level of leadership and accomplishment in those couple of activities.

Things that really don’t help much for Harvard: Starting a club or organization that you are “president” of (unless it’s something that really became big on a state or national level, not just your school), volunteering, tutoring, mentoring, random clubs (FBLA, HOSA, chess club, math club, etc.), summer camps and programs (unless they are extremely selective and prestigious like TASP or Research Science Institute…usually those types of programs are free), and “leadership programs/retreats/institutes.” In the summer, it would be better to take challenging courses (in Calculus, English Lit, U.S. History, etc.) at a nearby 4-year university and get As in them…that would look good, especially if the courses are in the subject you plan on concentrating (i.e. majoring) in at Harvard.

Hopefully you have near-perfect (or perfect) grades and test scores. Being #1 or #2 in your class looks good. If you’ve taken AP or IB exams, it looks good to show them a bunch of 5s (or 7s on IB exams), and nothing below a 4 (6 on IB). It helps (a little) to be from an underrepresented state like Mississippi or Wyoming. It helps to express interest in an unpopular concentration like Linguistics or Anthropology, especially if your interest for that subject shows in your essays or activities. It helps to be a girl interested in a STEM major as long as your grades and test scores strongly back up your STEM ability.

Oh, and if you’re poor or even middle class (family income less than ~$70k or so), that helps quite a bit. Incorporate that into your essays somehow. Yes, they could just look on your FAFSA form to see your family’s income, but they really like kids from poor or middle class (not upper middle, haha) backgrounds. They like kids who overcame adversity or lack of opportunities in their communities and schools. This won’t overcome less than great grades and test scores, but it will definitely help.

And if you don’t get in, it’s fine, really. Harvard (or Yale or any other school) is FAR from a guarantee of any success in life. You will have to make your own success in life regardless of where you graduate from college.

AndrewHasGames · October 14, 2017 at 8:07 am

The vast majority student athletes aren’t varsity and don’t get sports scholar ships. However, the reason why they are so attractive to colleges isn’t their athletic ability, it’s their time management skills, dedication/commitment, and capability to work hard.

DK Tech · October 16, 2017 at 4:53 am

JV at our school is only Sophomore and maybe 1 or 2 freshman.

Rachael Hutchins · October 18, 2017 at 8:55 pm

so pretty much u just said I can’t play ice hockey at all if I’m not competitive and want to get into a good college I mean I am extremely competitive but like some people aren’t that competitive but that is there passion and did u know that they can get more competitive just saying cause basically u just told everyone that if your not competitive at all then they can’t play that sport if they want to get into your dream college just saying

Rachael Hutchins · October 18, 2017 at 8:59 pm

I’m extremely competitive at ice hockey but let’s just say that 1 person one my team in not competitive but ice hockey is there passion you basically just said to that one person to not do it anymore quite the team and play another sport just saying that’s the worst advice I would EVER EVER give to someone

Amelie Todd · October 19, 2017 at 11:08 pm

I am going to Swaziland and Mozambique to build schools and do marine conservation, will this help or not affect my application

Zoe P. · October 20, 2017 at 12:57 pm

Silly me, I thought activities were for fun, things that are enjoyed. Some people volunteer simply because they actually want to help people.

Mac · October 21, 2017 at 3:10 pm

My high school just opened so we had for activities beside basketball and track- yearbook, Anime club, stage crew and in the school play. I was in all of these except the play because I couldn’t sing

Ellie Elephant · October 25, 2017 at 3:54 am

I disagree about the competitive part. I’ve danced for 13 years and am not super good at it and I’m not on the competition team, but I really enjoy it, take regular classes and I think the reason behind what you commit your time to is more important to them than competitiveness…

Smallz 101 · October 29, 2017 at 1:30 am

Vid starts at 1:05