ACTIVITIES Colleges DON'T Care About - I Learned This The Hard Way...

[@justinholmes8015]

Colleges may not care much about sports but there’s more to life than only doing things that appeal to elite college admissions. It’s pretty simple - if you like something, do it.

[@cae_okinaga1019]

Colleges do care if you excell in those sports/ are dedicated to the sport

[@happyvibesx3]

I love both volleyball and dance, and I really don't think I could drop those.

[@chongwan9647]

Justin Holmes I agree

[@suprajasowrirajan930]

I believe that colleges will care if girls play sports........

[@mslightbulb]

Yes, but also don’t do everything you like. Because there are only 24 hours in a day.

[@zarvonrejaee8147]

I just do what I like and strive to be the best at it. Don’t let an institution determine what you do with your life; do what u wanna do

[@vinayak1487]

Exactly bro, just don't spend these 4 valuable years of ur life just to get into a college do what u love !!

[@the_boss2194]

Vinayak singh it’s just high school dude. They’re not valuable lmao

[@keatonband7704]

He made a video on how depressed people are in ivy leagues but its probably because they quit activities that they genuinely enjoy just to “look good” to colleges

[@clintonoreofe]

exactly don’t just quit a sport because you want to go to Harvard those memories will haunt you begin the degree

[@nightshade8538]

And what if you don’t know what your like/what you like is not that academically impressive

[@emmanuelaaboagye6962]

1. Sports *everyone has played a sport* (unless you are really good or the captain) 2. Volunteer Work (make sure it you are passionate about it) *it has to have a theme* 3. Position of Club (if you are founder or officer of club) *most importantly your contributions* 4. Random activities that feel bottom slots (it is very tempting!)

[@PrepExpert]

Great synopsis!

[@julianzhang6067]

the world needs more people like you

[@bluerag789]

Thanks for saving 10 minutes of my time

[@prettycutiepie12345]

you're right, Brown did not care about my conspiracy theory club i started... but UCSB did 😎

[@CloroxBeachLLC]

Jasmine D. Lmao

[@marllymbungu1721]

It’s different because you started it

[@maryteodosio2776]

Goat

[@isabellataliamicallef]

haha!

[@scoatbeats2379]

lmaoooo lemme join

[@Carp0z0]

Sometimes people get too caught up in the next step and forget to enjoy the one they are at. I get it a lot of people play sports and it might not look that good for colleges, but in the end of the day the bonds formed on those teams wins out.

[@miguelsaucedo80]

I would counter that sports argument because if it really does take up so much time (it does im on the track and field team) it shows that even with that strict schedule you are able to maintain great grades and even do some other extracurriculars it shows you are responsible and have great time management skills. Not to mention that you are dedicated to what you love to do.

[@ishaansinha9247]

I just want to point out that you may be a little biased since you are in a time-intensive sport.

[@saminates2002]

Ishaan Sinha Track is crazy man.. time managing is literally everything

[@swimats544]

You are 100% correct. I am a year-round swimmer and have been since 6 years old. I dedicate almost 30 hrs a week to travel time, practice, and gym workouts. This commitment undoubtedly showed who I am to these schools. I still maintained high grades, received great scores, and still swam. They like to see you balancing more than just school to the extreme. I still had various other ECs that I was dedicated to as well.

[@carlbismark2841]

ig it all comes down to what school you want to go to. a college that majors in computer science wouldn’t be as impressed with you being on the football team vs you being in a computer science club or extracurriculars related to such .

[@EllaMitsch123]

i 100% agree, i've been doing rowing since year 9, (frehsman year of hs in aus) and first of all, i loved it, still do, it allowed me to be aware that there are only so many hours in a day and if i wanted to row and do well in school i had to be aware that i had to knuckle down and get stuff done. I love sport, i found this argument toxic because it would detract people away from pursuing a sport they love. DO WHAT YOU LOVE!!!

[@enjoyfanta9382]

I agree about the volunteer work especially. I’m currently a junior, and wasted my freshman and sophomore years doing useless volunteer work. This year, I started volunteering at my local library to teach 1st-8th graders math because I’m very passionate about math and I’m planning to major in it. It makes me feel like I’m making a difference in someone’s life because most of the kids I work with weren’t interested in math and I understand that because I hated math at first until my 7th grade math teacher made me really interested in the subject. I try to teach them in a fun and interesting way to share my passion with them, and the best thing for me is when one of the students has a bright look on their face after understanding something challenging for them.

[@siddharthsharma9700]

Great videos man. You changed my perception of the college admissions process

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thanks! Glad I could help out

[@StudiosAdVanced]

Actually, if you are honestly putting in hard work and effort into an activity, don’t hesitate to include it in your college apps. The ONLY scenario where colleges won’t care about activities you do (or will it hurt your app in any way) is if you just sign up for 1000 clubs/organizations and rarely show up or dedicate yourself.

[@cerealbeforemilk8976]

"Colleges really care that all of your activities have a theme in common and that you're not just doing volunteer work for college."

[@codechamp27]

Hi Busan

[@carmenmeinson2678]

Ahahah! “2 languages at once😱”. I love how this is a big thing for Americans, but like in Estonia (or many other countries) 2 foreign languages are mandatory.....and many even take 3.

[@jenniferreed1636]

Carmen Meinson omg wowwwww

[@RaivoltG]

Carmen Meinson our education system is basically a joke :/

[@jarjar4095]

Carmen Meinson that's probably because there are a lot more common languages in Europe than in North America

[@yasminfarzan6371]

I guess it could be because lots of these countries don't really teach it as thoroughly as they do in America. More than half the world struggles to speak simple English

[@qualquerum3158]

I'm learning 3 languages at school, and one at home hahahaj

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Question: are people seeing my custom thumbnail? For some reason when I search this video up, I just see a frame from the video... this happened to all my videos recently...

[@Park-xk6fy]

Yes it is like you freaking out :) You are hiding your face with your hand

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@Park-xk6fy Thanks!!

[@ariyazheng5146]

Yup!! I can feel that fear of rejection over screen lol

[@CollegeAdvisor]

hahhaha

[@soum8975]

Greg Smith Hey Greg, I have a a little bit of a disparate situation because I did something other than the common mistakes you described in video. It's not a mistake but not relevant to my major. Can I describe it more elaborately to you in email? Getting an advice from an IVY league student will mean a lot to me! Thank you in anticipation :) Liked, Subscribed, the first video I watched of you was SAT tips - I still remember your tip, to write down why I my answer response to a question was incorrect, since then I'm following you on KZbin.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Get Very Affordable Advice From TOP Harvard, Yale, Stanford, And Other Top School Advisors On Your Application ➤ collegeadvisor.com/gregsmith

[@nataliaoliveira8465]

Hello, Greg. My name is Natália, I'm brazilian and the extracurricular system here in Brazil is very different, in fact there are not so many options. I finished high school last year and started a two-year interdisciplinary course at a university (but the course is not considered an undergraduate course). I will apply to the USA at the end of 2021 and I intend to choose the economics course, you can indicate extracurricular activities for that area, so you can choose one that you like. Thank you

[@kans01a76]

8 extra curriculars? Joker! I'm in what I think Americans call 'Middle School' (im 13) and I do 15! Try beating that😂😂😂

[@therealxenith3237]

These videos help me more than my guidance counselors at school!

[@julia-pw8fz]

FACTS

[@13adam131]

You made all these “mistakes” and still got in...

[@declandonovan1612]

Also, you can just stick with an extracurricular if you enjoy doing it! As someone who also signed up for way too many clubs my freshman year (tennis, track, drama, model un, mock trial, etc) I can tell you that you should stick with what you love, not if it will make your application look “perfect” because the perfect application is the one that’s the most authentic! You don’t need to be president of the club to seem dedicated, you don’t need to be captain of the team to show you love a sport. It’ll all work out.

[@Maria-ik2vf]

I know you posted this like 4 years ago but it’s so helpful to know that you don’t need to be a president to seem dedicated! Still having issues with that now haha

[@pa5730]

My passion is learning about the Universe and the extracurriculars I do are: °Volunteering at my nearest planetarium. °Publishing articles on scientific topics at the news paper every week °Astrophotography °Student Government are these extracurriculars enough or should I do more? Is having all 10 extracurriculars necessary? If yes then can you suggest some more which are related to astrophysics? Other than joining clubs.

[@friedrice4015]

Most colleges dislike students who fill all 10 slots, as it speaks to a student that is spread thin. The goal should be to do as much as possible in a few activities.

[@bobbyswanson3498]

I’m almost done with my early applications and tbh I rarely thought about college through high school and nothing I did besides take ap’s was with the intention of helping me get into college. I just did what I liked and what I thought would be fun.

[@TheHappychickadee]

No offense, but who cares if colleges don’t care about sports. A lot of people do it to help them mentally regulate and be physically fit. That is WAY more important than being accepted into a fancy school.

[@dr3amyskies436]

Thank you so much, I am a rising senior and this video helped a lot!!

[@jeremylangton8711]

Thank god I’m finding out about you my junior year of high school. I am basing my application off of what you are saying

[@janaeg2698]

Colleges like well rounded, passionate, and committed students

[@_iamlilla]

ive actually heard they don't want well-rounded students, but a well-rounded class. im not saying only do one thing, but they would rather see you do a few things and stick with them, compared to doing a bunch of activities but not doing them for a long time

[@janaeg2698]

@@_iamlilla exactly!

[@haruhidaso]

No, that’s a common misconception. You actually rather want to be a unique and expert at one thing. For example, college would be much more impressed at science olympia champion than seeing a person participating in 10 different activity while achieving nothing.

[@Naomi-xu4hq]

@@haruhidaso were not all going to Ivy League colleges, you don’t have top be top 10% in your class with insane achievements. Just be above average and you’re good high school does not matter after your accepted so don’t burn yourself out

[@janaeg2698]

@@haruhidaso yes exactly but you don’t want to only be good at one thing. Have at least 2-3 different small interests and one main passion is optimal

[@vasco6251]

One thing, from American education system, that I wish to have here in Europe, is the variety of clubs and extracurricular activities on school. We barely have more than 4 extracurricular activities in our schools (and most of them are sports).

[@diva7316]

I feel like it helps to join a bunch of clubs at the beginning of 9th grade just to get a feel of what you actually enjoy. After attending for a little while, just cut out the ones you don't find that interesting. I experimented and then stuck with the 2 or 3 that I thought I could pursue for the rest of high school.

[@Fishzify_]

Best tip^^

[@twintek1099]

So am I fucked as an International Student... where we don't have like any of those opportunities?

[@angelartamesia2]

THANK GOD I only signed up for Key Club. I need to focuse on academics and sewing and writing. MY HOBBIES are the things I love!

[@friedrice4015]

Regarding Volunteer work, it's worth looking into sponsorship programs early into you highschool career. For example, Florida will give you hella money if you meet a few fairly easy standards, including 100 hours of volunteer work over your highschool career.

[@monsoon1616]

Update from 5 years later. The bright futures scholarship from Florida now accepts work hours as well.

[@AkhileshBitla]

Hey Greg! I honestly love this advice you give us as the public. This is helping me decide which colleges I want to go now. I'm a sophomore currently, and I'm wanting to start a club myself as a junior. My passion is Computer Science. Can you give me some tips on how I can apply that knowledge to do something like community service? This would be helpful. One more thing, thanks for the great information!

[@Sadnessiuseless]

Where are you now?

[@angelaz2576]

I totally agree about the sports one. I've spent so much time on sports in my freshman and sophomore years (6 hours per week in the spring) and it felt like a waste of time when I didn't excel in it nor have any leadership positions. Luckily I got to be the captain in my junior year and I wrote that in one of my essays. Thing is, you either spend a lot of time on it and make sure you get RECOGNIZED and get a million AWARDS or just not do it (unless it's for pleasure, like listening to music is to me).

[@jamsuns19]

This is only because your parents are reliving their past.

[@BelanyZhang]

3:07 recruiters will GO THE EXTRA MILE ahaha sorry I had to

[@Whyismy9732]

They will never do that unless you they like you in the interview in my opinion

[@redheadedcutie7691]

I am going to correct this kid. Do the activity you enjoy, do not do an activity just for college applications. If playing a sport makes you light up like a Christmas Tree level happy, then stick with it. Even if you are not good at it. Do the activity that is going to make you the most centered mentally. If doing a sport makes you miserable, than quit. Same goes for all other clubs and volunteer activity. College admissions people can tell whether the activity that you chose was done just for an impressive app or done because you are passionate about it.

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

Hey greg! I'll come after 2 years.... insha-allaah....

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Haha see ya!

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

@@CollegeAdvisor yep!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@tasmihimunmun8060 There will be another video next week tho..

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

@@CollegeAdvisor oh! that's a good news..

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

@@CollegeAdvisor hey greg when you'll upload your new video??

[@paulacruzp.3057]

Hey Greg! I'm very interested in literature instruction and the role that high school plays in student motivation to read (or lack thereof)-especially as a student from a country where nationwide reading rates are notably low. I've been involved in a number of projects related to this: started a student book club and a literary magazine, wrote a research project about how different approaches in class affect reading rates and interest, and am now hoping to spread reading habits joining a team of volunteers who teach English at a disadvantaged neighborhood. My "problem" is that while I know that I want this to be my "main thread" so to speak, I've also spent a lot of time, in the past year especially, involved in orchestra activities-festivals, conservatory classes, some work experience. It's a hobby that means a lot to me and has been my most consistent extracurricular over the years, but not what I want to focus on in college. I don't think omitting this whole musical background would make sense because it has inevitably been a large part of my life, but I'm struggling to find a way to connect it to the rest of my application. Any tips? (Sorry for how long this turned out!!)

[@andre1987eph]

I only had an after school job as my "activities" in high school. I didn't do any sports. I told my interviewer at Williams College in 1983 that I "feel I can help out the Track Team". I got admitted to Williams College, matriculated, then forgot about this promise until I saw the indoor track team practicing in the field house in January. I was messing around on some of the equipment and the coach invited me to the track meet the following day. He gave me a huge pair of shorts that flew up like a dress and some track cleats that looked like they came from the 1960 😂. I ended up setting Williams College outdoor 800M record in 1986, which stands to this day. It felt great that someone believed in me to let me in to this prestigious school, despite not having great high school portfolio. Every time I trained in the hills around Williamstown I kept this gratitude in my heart. 👍

[@yasminfarzan6371]

This was very helpful and honest. Thank you! I want to pursue energy-engineering, please let me know if you have any ideas about what clubs I should join.

[@kreativekavita2024]

Hi, you mentioned that you raised lots of money. Where did you donate ? Do you need to show it to the colleges' receipt of donations ? Please suggest

[@themariomine3420]

mans changed from greg smith to college advisor

[@billalsheik5777]

Hey Greg, I wanted to ask you about the whole 'IQ' thing and I've been wanting to hear what you had to say about it. I recall seeing an individual speaking about how you required to have a 125 IQ and if you had anything lower then you oughtn't consider going into a prestigious Ivy League. Do you think it has to do with innate intelligence or does it have to do more with work ethic and putting time and dedication into academics?

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Wow. Whoever told you that is so, so, SOOO wrong. Here at Princeton, I know a few people with really high IQs who are struggling, like, a lot. And I know others who are not conventionally super smart but do practice test after practice test for each final and have a stellar GPA. Whether it’s getting into college, doing well in college, or doing well in life, work ethic will ALWAYS beat out raw talent. If you adopt the mindset that YOU alone are responsible for your successes and failures, and that you have the power to decide them, then you will be much better off than the person whose ego relies on a test they took one afternoon five years ago.

[@billalsheik5777]

@@CollegeAdvisor Thank you so much, Greg! I felt so demotivated when I came across that person's comment (especially with them attempting to come off as absolutely certain), but now that you debunked that myth it gave me so much hope again!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@billalsheik5777 I'm glad to hear that! Honestly, I've never taken an IQ test and never will. Knowing whether an arbitrary test thinks I'm "smart" will do nothing except mess with my self confidence.

[@coffee5736]

My school has like 3 clubs and they're all dead as hell. I don't want to do sports. All I really want to do is come home and play guitar.

[@deaththekid5445]

doesn’t your school have a band? join that

Dude, start up a garage band, ratchet up some good vibes, and start out playing at nursing homes and volunteer events, until you get good enough to start getting gigs.

[@mollyjirgal3048]

Is giving back to an organization that helped me a lot a good form a community service to put on applications even if it doesn’t fit my theme a good idea?

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Yes!! I worked in the box office of a local theater that I did a lot of shows in growing up without getting paid and included that. Go for it!

[@1haniestan278]

"everyone has played a sport" My school doesn't even offer any sports ..my school has like 360 kinds and A BUNCH of clubs so most of the kids are in several clubs...I'm a senior in 5 clubs and I was president of my class last year. Honestly I'd just say to do what you want and work hard, if you love it and try your best you'll find the school that's right for you.

[@ilovemydoggysomuch]

I think sports can be useful for college depending on the sport you do. If you do soccer or football, it would be quite hard to stand out. However, if you did something like archery, or fencing (which I do), or sailing, not many people do it, so your chances of standing out will get higher.

[@lexiehobbs8928]

My current activities are FBLA, academic decathlon, volleyball, and chorus

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Great! What's academic decathlon?

[@lexiehobbs8928]

Academic decathlon is when you’re on a team and you compete against other teams and answer questions about random stuff

[@rihamission487]

My passions are physics, music (especially playing bass), and video games. I can write whole essays on each of these. But I have no notable achievements in any of these. My main eca is that I co-founded my school's outreach club and served as the vice president (IT) of that club. This is the first ever outreach club in any institution in my (developing) country. I preached the idea of educational outreach to thousands of students in my school who had never even heard the word 'outreach' before. I also surveyed hundreds of underprivileged familiies living in slums and found out the 5 root problems that they had and collaborated with my country's top NGO to solve those problems. Additionally, I have 5 years of experience in graphic design in various non-profit organisations. As you can see, my ECAs are all over the place and none of them are even remotely related to my passions. Would you please help me connect the dots and somehow find a way to present my ECAs as relevant to my yearnings? That would be a great help!

[@nehadavaluri9926]

i’m a sophomore rn and my gpa is currently a 3.6 weighted and i want to be a criminal defense attorney and study political science in college and then go to lawschool. right now im in theatre, on the board for young social activists club which my friends and i founded ourselves and have done 4 service projects, i’m the secretary for our debate club (working towards president next year) and i’m now the secretary of mock trial (working towards president for senior year) and it’s the biggest thing that i’ve commuted myself to because i love it and i’ve won a best attorney’s award, and my team is 4th in country, 3rd in the county. it takes a lot of commitment tho because i have 10 hours of practice every week and it’s taken a lot of my time away for school. my passion is the law, legal studies, and politics. i also founded thirst project club where we hold fundraisers to raise money to give water to ppl in countries that don’t have access to it. to add on, i’m in 2 Ap classes, and one honors class so i’m CONSTANTLY stressed and i’m scared that i’m not gonna get into college with this many activities and stuff. i’m passionate about all the stuff i do so i don’t know anymore

[@nehadavaluri9926]

i’m also south asian (indian) so i guess i fall into a minority group ? but i’m upper middle class and don’t have any connections cuz my parents didn’t even go to college in this country so i’m just like super stressed now

[@faithlyl]

great vid! thanks a lot!!!

[@jeremyb807]

i almost quit track freshman year because i wasn't as good as i was in middle school but then it ended up getting me recruited for williams and it got other good schools like emory and pomona to reach out to me so it's good i didn't quit

[@mariamrizvi9284]

i’m interested in art, additionally psychology and human behavior really fascinates me, helping others + social change, and reading/writing. i feel like all my interests are too diverse to create one specific narrative for my application. do you have any advice? additionally, any volunteering which would correlate towards my interests?

[@emersoneducation3819]

Write an article on psychology

[@danielleelizabeth9417]

Protest involvement, the psychology of activist movements. Now is a great time for it, that’s what I did.

[@bonkers4488]

i have the exact same interests and same the EXACT same way. i have so many interests and love to try everything its too hard for me to narrow it down. but one thing is im always curious and question, but i just dont know what to really focus on

[@juanbaquero3819]

Hey I went to a military boarding school , never really had the opportunity to do any of things you speak of😕 , im now taking a year off to be an au pair in effort to be more dynamic . My dream school is northwestern

[@summermonkey5954]

You have helped me so much

[@joebrady4743]

Hi Greg!! Throughout high school, I was not sure what I wanted to study because I liked both my STEM and humanities courses but found myself mainly doing the humanities with debating and writing. I am a junior now and still really love those extracurricular activities so want to for sure continue those but I find myself more and more liking business and technology because of how much I enjoyed my math and computer science courses. I am trying to gain more experience in the business/tech while continuing to do the humanities extracurriculars I am passionate about but I am worried that I don't have much consistency in my "story" and it's hard to choose what theme to really focus on as I like both STEM and humanities a lot but am stronger in terms of extracurriculars in the latter. I also feel like it's too late for me to get into anything like competitive math or coding since I've focused majority of high school so far in my other extracurriculars. I would be beyond thankful for any advice! Ur videos are awesome n I subscribed right away!.

[@virginialiang2338]

Honestly same

[@duckman2480]

As an all American athelete, they care about sports. Got into tufts with a 4.7 and I was already a captain in sophomore year.

[@TheOneMusketeer]

270 hours in 6 months? That’s light work. I play 80 hours a month

[@luck3y778]

Sparta Kush how’s princeton?

[@yohanndsouza6620]

@@luck3y778 LMAOO

[@AV4Life]

@@luck3y778 damn you destroyed this guy in seconds

[@vandanasahu666]

I am really interested in Computer Science + Economics. What are some ways to pursue those activities?

[@olainthewild]

Hey Greg, So I’m going to be a freshman in high school next year, but this summer I’m hoping to establish my foundations for The extracurriculars I’m planning to do throughout high school. The thing is, I play volleyball club and it’s the exact situation with you and your track team. I’m hoping to get a volleyball scholarship, but it doesn’t look very likely to happen if you compare my skills to my teammates. However , volleyball at my school is way less competitive and I think I can become president of my school volleyball team, so I’m debating whether or not I should continue volleyball. I’m also really interested in Language Arts and I’m positive I could win a few writing competitions or join a few clubs if I wanted to. The last aspect of my situation (sorry that this is so long, I’m just really stressed about it!), is that I’m planning to be a medical doctor. Both of my parents are doctors, so I’m guaranteed a few research assistant positions and volunteer work at my local hospital. Overall, I’m just really confused about what direction I should take and if I should continue volleyball or not, even though I spend probably more than 300 hours on it, I just love it a lot.

[@beckaf.9359]

hey girl! You should continue in volleyball because it sounds like you really enjoy it. And for language arts, you should definitely pursue that interest and do writing

[@beckaf.9359]

do what ya love and be passionate, don't even worry about college. If you are doing what you're passionate about, you'll be gold on applications

[@saltycornchip]

what if we didn't have clubs in school but took part in competitions

[@tddfofficial2193]

Yeah! Quite good information you have given. I found a community service organisation 5 yrs earlier. Does it impact on my profile? The thing is, this organisation is not so big. It serves just in our area. Activities like: Cleaning our surroundings, helping poor, teaching students for free and so on. Moreover, I found a Physics club in my hi school after immediately graduating the senior year 😢. I had to manage the guidance, the Principal and many other issues. So I can't established it during my hi school time. Does it impact negatively? Or positively.

[@angelaz2576]

I've figured that doing academic olympiads are super helpful. like if you excel in USAMO, USABO, USAPhO, USNCO, USACO, you're basically guaranteed into MIT.

[@eavannickolas4571]

I like mock trial though. It’s really fun, but I’m sad they don’t care about it. I started last year and am doing it again. Good thing the only sport I do is archery.

[@amazingme894]

I love being canadian so I dont have to stress like this

[@lexvw2133]

Basically, ALL OF THEM

[@earlessroboticcat7102]

I did 6 clubs for freshmen year and 7 clubs for sophomore. I’m going to try to do 7 again for junior, if that doesn’t work for colleges, donations... 😂😭😅

[@miriamnelson8151]

Hi! I’m a sophomore in high school and I’m really passionate about politics. It’s one of my dreams to get into Harvard. I definitely did what you did when you were in high school cause I have a ton of activities going on. I’m on the track team, the rotary board, model UN, color guard, student council, and orchestra. The problem is that I really don’t want to drop any of these activities because I enjoy all of them and I think I will be able to get a leadership role in them. I’m doing two projects working with the principal right now, one to start a ceiling tile painting program and one to set up open dialogue between the administration and the students. However, I’m really scared that I’m doing the classic “well rounded but no spike” that a lot of kids trying to get into Ivy Leagues do. If you read this, I was hoping you might have some advice for how I can get a “spike” for my application? And I know that I should drop a couple extracurriculars but i really don’t think I’ll be able to bring myself to. Thanks!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hi Miriam! I definitely get your situation, like I mentioned in the video, I was on the same path. You don't necessarily have to drop all of your activities, you just have to find a way to thread them together into a coherent story rather than a bunch of random activities. Based on the list you gave, one common "theme" I see is government/international affairs (Model UN, student council, rotary club). I usually recommend you only have 1-2 passions, or themes, but if you're handling track and orchestra well it might be ok to have two 'weaker' passions like that since you're primary one is so strong. My recommendation would be to quit either track or orchestra and work to develop a 'spike' in one of those. As part of student government, I'd advise you to brainstorm a unique initiative you could pitch and execute based on the problems your school faces, so you have made a contribution in that sense too. Good luck!

[@miriamnelson8151]

Greg Smith thank you so much for this I’m glad I commented and watched this video because I think I have a clearer goal in mind now for my high school path. Please keep doing what you’re doing!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@miriamnelson8151 No problem! I'm glad you watched as well. I'll definitely keep posting so stay subscribed ;)

[@Ash-bl7vm]

@@miriamnelson8151 how did it go??

[@miriamnelson8151]

@@Ash-bl7vm Omg I totally forgot about this post. I did make to harvard and am a sophomore here now! I wish I could go back and tell myself not to worry because there are far more important things in life. Overall very grateful. :)

[@nowhennowantnoworry]

I’m really into music but I feel stuck when considering what I can do. I’ve been in my church choir since I was eight but I’m a junior now and I don’t know how to do something interesting with music that colleges will be interested in that also gives me community service hours

[@valentinesfrog]

Liyah D. see if any nursing homes or soup kitchens are looking for volunteers to perform!! i know tons of people who do that and it makes both the performers and the audience happy. look into non profit organizations online dealing with music (strings4smiles on instagram is a good one). join a youth choir!! a lot of them have tours for community service credit. coach younger kids maybe. hope this helps!!

[@radishproductions1933]

do you think colleges(non-music universities) will be interested in music? especially composing?

[@creativeaxolotl]

Don' make your life revolve around want colleges want- do what makes you happy and pushes you (within reason). Highschool is for discovering what you enjoy.

[@nabi5864]

Admissions Committee see right through apps that screams ”I did all this for YOU!!!”

[@GraceXia]

Is it weird that I’m the president of four clubs? My biggest interest is art but I wanna apply as a business major and I’m good at math and I’m an international student... so I’m the president of art club, business club, math club, and international club 😂😂

[@element1935]

greg do us dirty with a clickbait face😂😂😂

[@CollegeAdvisor]

You know me ;)

[@element1935]

@@CollegeAdvisor i want your channel to grow but at the same time i feel sad you woulnd be able to answer every comment in the future :")

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@element1935 Aw thanks. I'll do my best to answer all the comments no matter how big I get

[@pain6595]

Doesn’t playing sports for a long term of time demonstrate determination?

[@milkcee12]

Great video Greg! Just a suggestion, could you make a video on improving your writing for college essays or how to write one? Also, my admissions situation is like this so far: I'm super passionate about the visual arts, and also interested in computer science, but to a lesser extent. My current extracurriculars are: Being part of a selective art program at my high school, volunteering at a local library where we give kids art lessons, creating web applications for clients wanting to digitalize some part of their routine (including the local recreation center), and working on a comic book that promotes environmental health. Despite being a part of these activities, I'm not sure how to make an impact or major contribution. Also, do you think these are good things to put on my college resume? Thank you for reading!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hi Michaela, I actually did a video on the Common App essay over the summer! Head over to my channel to check it out. I think you've done a really great job of making sure all of your activities/passions follow a common thread-- great job! I also think you're already doing some high-impact work to improve the community around you- volunteering at the library, using computer science skills to help local businesses, etc. Maybe you could talk to the librarian about teaching some of the kids how to code, and you can develop the curriculum etc. yourself. That's just an idea off the top of my head, as it'll help you to stand out as proactive and innovative-- you saw that art class was helping kids, and you wanted to share your second passion with them as well. Hope this helps! Overall you're looking really good though!

[@abrahambueso5990]

Hey, I'm really into economics but don't know what activity I could do with that, for my applications

[@arjunprasad1642]

Abraham Bueso look into different clubs/programs at your school that offer business/economic related activities. Consider forming a club/company yourself, demonstrating leadership and pursuing your interest and the same time!

[@dangoad1542]

Hey Greg I am a freshman in highschool who hopes to one day attend film school. I was wondering if you had some recommendations on how I could improve my chances of getting into my dream school USC

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hey Dan! Sounds like an awesome goal you've set! I would join your school's photography/film club if there is one, or start your own. I would also do photography courses online (there are free ones here on KZbin) and start creating short films (maybe do a KZbin channel). You can then submit these to a ton of film festivals and hopefully rack up some rewards!

[@pcbv1]

Pay to get into lol

[@pinklady7184]

Dan Goad If you ever want *FREE* softwares for editing photos and films, for storyboards, VFX, greenscreens, check out the open sources as those below: *Gimp* - useful for editing photos. *Krita* - alternative to Photoshop for photo editors, artists and animators. *MyPaint* - EASY, light-weight digital painting software. One of my favourites. *Inkscape* - free alternative to Adobe Illustrator. *Hitfilm Express* - free lite software for video editing. This is plentiful for your needs, unless you want advanced features as those in *Hitfilm Pro,* which is the paid version. *Blender* - free open source software for video editing, 3D modelling, 2D & 3D animation, etc. Beware, Blender has a steep learning curve. *Audacity* - free audio editing. *Storyboarder* - free storyboarding software. *Daz Studio* - alternative to Poser Pro. You can pose 3D models for your storyboards. *Natron* - alternative to Nuke Studio. *LMMS* - digital composing music. On my PC, I have roughly over 25 free open sources and affordables, none of your overpriced rental softwares like Maya, Houdini, etc.

[@thatonelordnerd9693]

Hello there... First thing, I love your videos! I know, cliche, but it's the truth Second thing, I had something similar to my freshman year(all clubs, but no sports), but I remained the first of my class for the year.... and I was wondering... How do college students run their clubs with the creativity that got them into college in the first place?

[@reyansh5968]

thank you really helped

[@elliot_ps420]

Where I am from clubs and “volunteer work” doesn’t exist. When I entered the U.S. school environment I now just realize the competitiveness. It’s not good for children though I personally think because there’s so much on the plate, no one will truly feel passionate about a specific subject when they’re told to do EVERYTHING, and go above and beyond. You can truly only have passion for something if you are truly focused on that specific something.

[@ashtyncote2184]

Hi Greg! My name is Ashtyn and I'm a sophomore in HS. I was wondering if you could tell me your opinion on my extracurriculars? I plan to go into Immunology (the science of the immune system). I get all As (Hopefully I continue to haha). My resume is themed around my passion for science, cooking/baking, and swimming. 1. *Science* - I am volunteering at St. Lukes. At St. Lukes, I mostly restock, make patient beds, and transport patients via stretchers/wheelchairs. I'm not sure if this matters, but I also got an extremely high score on my Biology Keystones (1670). I plan to take the PSAT, SAT, and ACT this year/summer. 2. *Cooking/Baking* - I am also volunteering at my local soup kitchen and it really influenced the way I see things (since I was born kind of privileged, it was an eye-opening kind of experience). I am involved in the Cooking Club at my school as well and hope to secure a position in it this year (such as a treasurer or secretary, etc etc). I have a website with recipes without specific allergens (as a way to reference my passion for Immunology) and plan to start a club modeled on the website my junior year. 3. *Swim* - I am on the swim team/club and I am on the varsity team (as a sophomore) and *hopefully* will become captain my senior year. Per week, I work out (with my team/Swim club) for ~16 hours and 30 minutes per week, not including swim meets (competitions). During summer, I lifeguard at my local pool. I also teach kids how to swim year-round through my school and pool. Overall, I am very involved with the swim team and volunteer on Saturdays (for both St. Lukes and the soup kitchen) regularly. I will have 1,000+ volunteer hours if I continue with these activities. In addition to this, I am also wondering how many referrals I should get? Should I get them mainly from science teachers? Does it matter what kind of teachers I get referrals from? Thanks for your help!!

[@emmazhang2418]

i actually think a job is worth mentioning (esspecially a service job) bc it shows your humility and it’s real life experience with money

[@aidanarmas2667]

Telling people to quit stuff they are passionate about to get into an Ivy League school is just dumb, what’s the point of getting into Yale if you’re going to be miserable for 4 years

[@AaronGarton666]

Interesting video. But on the other hand, few who apply are going to get into Ivy League schools, and there is a great deal of luck involved in getting in. Plus there is the enormous tuition involved should one get in. Bottom line: Don't count on getting into the Ivies. Enjoy the extracurriculars in high school, achieve scholastically, and hope for the best. There are many fine colleges and universities that can prepare you to be a success.

[@rachellondon1474]

Hey Greg, this was very helpful! I have been doing lots of volunteer work at this afterschool place for kids. I have organized fundraisers for them and organized several volunteer events for them throughout my hs experience. Is this the type of volunteer work that they would care about?

[@gman7167]

I am really interested in engineering/computer science and leadership. For leadership, I do boy scouts (working on my eagle) and also the president of a programming club. Are there any activities I could do that would fall under either of these categories. Thanks so much!

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

I agree that work at a fast food chain probably doesn't belong on an application, unless perhaps you worked your way up to some level of supervision and are a prospective Business major. However, it might be appropriate information to provide in an interview: When I'm talking to an applicant for my Ivy, I will sometimes hear about all the time they put in at a menial job... maybe just to help pay the family bills. If they also evidence strong academic effort/time commitment, then I'm able to say on the interview form here is someone who clearly has the sort of time management skills needed for success at a highly-selective college. Right there, that checks one of the boxes which Admissions is concerned with. More generally, don't get psyched out by what may seem to be impossible standards when it comes to "what colleges are looking for". Some of that is more mythology than reality. We know you are all high school students, like we once were, and not everything about you is going to be or needs to be totally amazing. Do you live in an urban area, with lots of extracurricular opportunities? Great. Out in the middle of nowhere? In some cases the Ivys will be looking even harder for you, if you show promise (which can be demonstrated in numerous ways). Rightly or wrongly, Ivys/highly-selectives are not looking for the very best students, but rather for the very best entering class. An amazingly diverse yet synergistic group of individuals who over four years will challenge each other and support each other and along the way become the whole which is greater than the sum of the parts. Given that an applicant's particulars will only be a part of what figures in to the admission decision -- along with how well they do or don't happen to fit in to the overall mosaic of applicants under consideration -- it becomes even more of a guessing game as to what strategy might be best. So absorb the good ideas presented in this video and others, but ultimately trust in yourself to pick a path which is right for you. That's "personal leadership"... what colleges are looking for! ; )

I disagree about the menial jobs. They teach HUMILITY, something that the arrogant bitches from Ivies are missing. They teach how to take orders, interact with customers, take criticism, and accept responsibility.

[@Someone-ig7we]

I love to help people. I really love to help people with their situations and get them into a better place or take off some of their work load. I don't know what volunteering I should do for this, though, because it sounds so cliché that I'm worried that colleges just won't care. I've always been giving as much as I can to people who ask for things they need. Please help. I am also interested in puzzles! Not jigsaw puzzles or rubiks cubes. I like box puzzles, Hanayama puzzles, metal puzzles! But there isn't really much I can do with this.. I can't find any organizations or clubs or meetups/groups that explore this sort of thing, and I don't think there are many people who are interested or even know of this. I am also interested in nature and spend as much of my free time as I can in the ravine outside my backyard! What can I do to get leadership positions or volunteering etc. in these ? I'm feeling pretty hopeless as of right now. I was thinking I could create a puzzle club but we already have a board game club and I'm afraid the school would think it's too similar. Any suggestions are appreciated! :)

[@angaddhupia4730]

Hey Greg I have a business studies stream and am looking for colleges in Canada/USA, along with that I am perplexed with what activities to take up to get into good universities.

[@dominicyankiv6665]

What if you were on a varsity team since freshman year? I'm nothing special, but doesn't it still look good?

[@SaadAli-oz3sz]

If I am the captain of a sports team, and I coach a sports team, and the captain of many academic clubs, a representative of my grade in student government for about 7 years, is that too much padding?

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hi Saad! If you're the captain of a sports team AND coaching (the same sport, preferably), that sport can certainly count as one of your passions. If you're in student government and lots of academic clubs, that can be good, but you might be spreading yourself a little too thin-- make sure you're giving yourself enough time to make real contributions to those clubs.

[@SaadAli-oz3sz]

Greg Smith Alright thanks

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@SaadAli-oz3sz Yep! No problem!

[@CarlosTorres-vb5mb]

I stopped watching this video as soon as he said stop doing sports because maybe they aren't THE thing that'll get me into a school, but if I genuinely am dedicated to my sport and enjoy spending my time doing it, I don't care what they think. I don't do activities for the sake of a college acceptance, I do these things because I enjoy them and I'll stand by that. I'm not going to dedicated my 4 years of highschool to looking good on an application.

[@PheonixStarsx]

I was in a drama club in grade 8 (I’m in grade 9) and then the clubs stopped half way though the year , I play with dolls and draw stuff on a iPad so I wonder if that’s a good thing for future college application

[@ananyamohan6805]

Hey! Do model UN conferences look good on college applications? That's pretty much the only activity that I'm into, if you don't count my school's Senate (I've held positions like the school's vice captain and the school editor which the editorial head). BTW your videos are very helpful :)

[@saramckain2466]

Hey Ananya, I’m in the same boat as you. For my school, conference is only a weekend so I’m working with some friends to teach the public speaking skills and lessons that we get from a conference experience to smaller children, since they don’t have a lot of civics activities for kids in my area. If you’re looking to take your MUN passion to next level try bringing into your community in someway like this. Hope this helps!

[@saramckain2466]

Kevin S, sorry for the late reply, but I would love to know more about your project.

[@snigdharoy9001]

Hi Greg, I realized two months ago as a freshman that my passion is to help the environment. Do you have any ideas as to how I can expand my passion into out-of-the-box projects? Thanks.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hey there! Thanks for the question. There's a number of things you could do-- for starters, begin a "sustainability club" at your high school and try to spread knowledge about ways that people can easily reduce their carbon footprint (i.e. not eating as much meat, switching to a reusable water bottle) You could also maybe try to pair up with student government or the school's administration/cafeteria staff to launch a "no meat Monday" initiative so the school is overall contributing less to global warming. Outside of school, you could volunteer to pick up trash or other related community service. You could join Model UN and focus on environmental policy if that's what you're into. There's a lot of opportunities out there!

[@snigdharoy9001]

Greg Smith Interesting you mention that, I reignited our environmental outreach because it’s been dead lately. I love your “No meat Monday” idea, thanks so much. Coastal Steward holds beach clean ups in the Spring and I will surely help out there. I am in Model UN as of now and thanks for the idea on environmental policy, we’re assigned Syria.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@snigdharoy9001 That's really great to hear! I'm so excited for you. Go for the meatless Mondays if you can!

[@snigdharoy9001]

Greg Smith Thanks! I love your channel, keep up the great content 😊

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@snigdharoy9001 You're welcome! I'll certainly do that, hoping to post once per week.

[@winmychiu6825]

I'm a senior in high school, I never join clubs or activities in school, but I do learn an instrument outside of school. Is it ok?

[@mollybyrd7001]

Does this apply to NHS? (National honor society)

[@clairoyz6869]

Molly Byrd yes

[@yasminfarzan6371]

literally everyone is part of NHS, so colleges do not care about it

[@DaniaNeveryday]

Aww man I have to do an internship then.

[@abhradeepdey9054]

Are achievements in singing competitions noteworthy?

[@braylyntoes]

I like science.. I’m a sophomore ,and I’m currently doing no extracurriculars... I wish I was more involved , but nothing seems to interest me. I’m currently doing very well in school , but I have no extracurriculars. I’m confused on what extra curricular I should do. I really like science though. Please blow me Greg.

[@sofiadesanto3563]

Hey Greg! Loved the video!! I have a question... I’m a junior who is very passionate about the arts- performing and visual. I am the founder and leader of my speak up club which brings together all speech, debate, and performance type clubs and I put my artwork into many statewide and national shows/ competitions. I just joined dance this year and made the varsity team but found that it has been taking up so much of my time, energy, and life in general really. Because of it, I can’t focus on properly running my clubs and memorizing my speeches. I feel the need to quit but do not want to let down my coach, the team, and even myself. I’m so conflicted over this and was wondering if you had any advice! Thanks so much for the video, it was really helpful in my realization of this issue haha!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hmm. That's a really tough situation. I faced a similar one with the Track team while I was in high school-- didn't want to let down my coach or my friends. How long does the Dance season last? Is it a club that runs all year? In that case, you really need to choose between your speak up club and Dance... if you choose dance, you could frame your passion as "art" and use Dance & your competition artwork to support that. It seems to me though, that your true passion lies in your speak up club, which you founded and run yourself! One of my favorite quotes comes to mind: “Whatever you are, be a good one.” (Abraham Lincoln) Want to be a dancer? Then go dance. Pour your heart and soul into it. That's awesome. But if you want to run a successful club that makes an impact, get good at that. You will have to make sacrifices no matter what.

[@sofiadesanto3563]

Greg Smith wow thanks so much for responding! The club lasts for the majority of the school year and ends in March unless we make nationals. I agree with what you said, I think the speak up club really is my passion and dance almost detracts from it. I only started this year and know I do not want to go into dancing as a career at all. Do you think that quitting mid season is a bad idea? Thank you for all the advice!! :)

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Quitting mid-season will probably feel awkward but I think if you explain to your friends/coach that you know your calling is the Speak Up club and want to dedicate more time to that, they will undoubtedly understand. High school clubs are about trying new things and seeing what you're interested in, you don't have to stick to everything!

[@sofiadesanto3563]

Greg Smith you have such a good point here! I’m leaving dance this week and fully dedicating myself to my theatrics and speak up club. Thank you so much for your help in this, Greg! :)

[@JM-hu3pk]

My extracurricular activities: Soccer team: 3 years, working on becoming captain. My soccer coach is also my apush teacher and I think that'll make for a good rec letter. Creative Writing Club: A club I've started but is low on membership. (2-3 members) Should I try to increase membership or drop the club? How can I increase membership, the people at my school don't seem to be interested? USABO: I was studying it for it but my school is administering the test when I'm taking an important class. :( Toronto Biology Olympiad: My school isn’t registering for it anymore. What extra-curriculars can I do to show interest in science? I want to be an engineer and I want to spend my free time doing something science related

[@somamukherjee6266]

Olympiads are extracurriculars? Ohhhh

[@Park-xk6fy]

Thank you greg! Because of you, I got 1year of prep, and I am tutoring every day, which is my passion! If I make an organization of teaching, do you think I am very competitive? Do you have any advice?

[@CollegeAdvisor]

You're very welcome Park! So glad I was able to inspire you! I think creating a teaching organization is a great way to distinguish yourself from other applicants. What sorts of tutoring do you do?

[@Park-xk6fy]

@@CollegeAdvisor I tutor chemistry, math, and spanish like you said the last video!

[@Park-xk6fy]

@@CollegeAdvisor I also am in a Korean school which I teach korean

[@CollegeAdvisor]

@@Park-xk6fy Wow! That's really great Park. Work hard on that passion and expand it as much as you can.

[@prod.pink3]

I play the cello and am in an orchestra and I’m trying to think of ways to get volunteer hours . How should I connect these two things together?

[@mariablaesing329]

Maybe offer free lessons?

[@lilliangames1626]

I kinda disagree with your sports argument. It does take a lot of time and if you have good grades it shows you have good time management and are passionate in something. My sister does fencing and UPENN and my other sister lacrosse at Tufts. So maybe I just think that doing a sport gets you into college.

[@EyeLean5280]

Also, you shouldn't volunteer just to impress colleges because everyone at the shelter (or whatever) will be able to tell you're being self-serving and dislike being around you. Yes, you are indeed that transparent - we all are. AND college interviewers will know it, too. If you're going to volunteer, the one and only reason should be because you care about the cause. If care so much that you'd do it regardless of your college application, again, it will show and everyone around you will know.