One thing that I'm having some trouble with is getting some unbelievable ECs, because that's where I'm the weakest right now. I rather not speak about my GPA yet, but I want to focus more on wowing the people that are going to read my application or interview me if I do manage to get in. I'm not asking people to choose ECs for me, but I would like to know if there is any ECs in particular that is more valued and a "gold mine" for applicants (such as joining peace corp, missionary work, etc.).
All I have to offer is I run a martial arts association at my school where I teach newcomers in various art forms, I'm on the school's "spirit squad" (mascot actually), I was involved with the engineering department in constructing a "soccer machine" for several physically disabled children, I was a assistant to the chairman of the children's section of my local library where I helped planned events, I am a part time amateur comic artist and photographer (I have a site, but I don't want to share it right now), I tutored various students in English and History, and I have worked with some churches and a mosque in blood drives in my community. I feel like this isn't enough to convince anyone that I'm law school worthy and I would REALLY appreciate it if someone can critique me (please do, because I want to impress anyone that reads this!). In addition, please let me know if there is anything the admissions of any school in general is looking for.
Need help with ECs Forum
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WaltGrace83
- Posts: 719
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:55 pm
Re: Need help with ECs
If you want to do extracurriculars to "wow" law schools, don't even bother. There is no good soft that is easy to come by, otherwise we would all have them. All good softs require dedication and passion to something, not because it looks good to law school, but because the applicant wanted to do them. This applicant couldn't care less about how it would affect law school admissions.
On another note, if you do in fact join an organization like peace corps for law school admissions, you will never make it. Do you realize that it is a two year commitment and, in many cases, it requires living in a third-world country? The best soft that I have (which is not even very good for law school admissions anyway) is being an RA. It is an outstanding leadership position in which I had to respond to crises and emergencies on a daily basis. This won't make an impact on law school admissions and quite frankly I don't care that it doesn't. I did it because I really really really wanted to do it.
On another note, if you do in fact join an organization like peace corps for law school admissions, you will never make it. Do you realize that it is a two year commitment and, in many cases, it requires living in a third-world country? The best soft that I have (which is not even very good for law school admissions anyway) is being an RA. It is an outstanding leadership position in which I had to respond to crises and emergencies on a daily basis. This won't make an impact on law school admissions and quite frankly I don't care that it doesn't. I did it because I really really really wanted to do it.
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iamgeorgebush
- Posts: 911
- Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2013 3:57 pm
Re: Need help with ECs
Agreed with the above, except I don't think it's necessarily true that being an RA will have no effect on law school admissions. In and of itself, it probably means close to nothing, but if it gives you good material for a PS, it could help. Dealing with crises on a day-to-day basis sounds like a goldmine for PS material, and a solid PS can push a borderline candidate over the edge, just as a poor one can cause a borderline candidate to get nixed.WaltGrace83 wrote:If you want to do extracurriculars to "wow" law schools, don't even bother. There is no good soft that is easy to come by, otherwise we would all have them. All good softs require dedication and passion to something, not because it looks good to law school, but because the applicant wanted to do them. This applicant couldn't care less about how it would affect law school admissions.
On another note, if you do in fact join an organization like peace corps for law school admissions, you will never make it. Do you realize that it is a two year commitment and, in many cases, it requires living in a third-world country? The best soft that I have (which is not even very good for law school admissions anyway) is being an RA. It is an outstanding leadership position in which I had to respond to crises and emergencies on a daily basis. This won't make an impact on law school admissions and quite frankly I don't care that it doesn't. I did it because I really really really wanted to do it.
Anyway, OP, your softs do sound interesting to me, so don't despair that you seem boring. I guess if I were you, I'd focus on one particular organization where you can show leadership and accomplish something noteworthy. Maybe you expand the martial arts organization into town and teach indigent elementary and middle school students too. Like the above poster said, being passionate about that thing is important, because if you're just doing it for the sake of law school admissions, you're bound to fall short.
