Can someone get into highly selective schools without extreme ECs?Answered
So many of the people that get into super selective schools seem to have outstanding extracurriculars, like starting a business or becoming a well-known artist. Is there a chance for someone to get into schools like the Ivies without being recognized nationally or doing something extremely rare? I'm a junior, and while I've mostly focused on a specific area and done extracurriculars and leadership within that area, I'm unsure if that is enough.
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2 answers
Yes, you can! This is a common misconception. One of my friends got into NYU with only two ECs, and she just tutored kids. There are so many different things that go into an application. If you feel like your ECs aren't strong enough, make other parts of your applications stronger. (My friend has some great essays.) During this time, there are so many ECs that you can do virtually. Try making a virtual club, start tutoring kids online, etc. You don't need to have created a six-figure business or raised 1 million dollars for hungry children to get into a highly selective school.
Besides, most universities prefer students who have focused on one specific area and tailored their ECs and leaderships within that area. Trends are important.
Ivies are ivies kinda enough said
but for ELITE public schools like VIrgina UT Austin UCLA Wisconsin Madison they are much more feasible and so long as your ECs are okay/decent the care more about academics so a 3.25 wont cut it but a 3.8 plus intangibles would help you across the finish line in most cases.
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