How do I Create A "Spike" Through Extracurriculars In My College Applications?Answered
Hello! I am a current sophomore in high school, and I am trying to decide on what my "spike" is. I am really good at and interested in a broad selection of areas, but I know this approach won't serve me well when applying to college. I would love to double major in sociology and political science (or maybe business?), and minor in philosophy. My dream schools are Columbia, UCLA, and NYU. I am working on crafting my extracurricular resume, and I want to make sure I chose activities that align with my "spike".
Here is the list of EC's I am currently engaged in:
-Mock trial (I am a trial attorney)
-I am the co-president of a book club I founded at my school promoting diverse literature
-I am the research director of a charity club at my school serving the homeless population
-I am getting my private pilot's license to fly for fun
-I am the executive director of a chapter of a nonprofit (I started the chapter, and recruited our board.)
-I am in an acting program at my school and have had principal/supporting roles in 3 shows
-I write, record, and release music
Now, here are the extracurriculars I am thinking of engaging in:
-Research internship at a very reputable college (I have the connections to get this position, but it is in psychology which is not what I want to study)
-Political internship with a candidate in my City (I have the connections to get in touch with their team)
-Model United Nations Club
-Me and my friend want to start an entrepreneurship club
-OR we might start a chapter of amnesty international, DECA, or maybe another academic org?
What extracurriculars in my idea list do you think would best serve my spike?
Thank you so much!
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1 answer
Hello! I'd say your extracurricular resume is already pretty great! I'm actually kind of jealous haha.
Your ECs, as I have noticed, are already very humanities-related, so they not only tie to your intended major, but they also have a spike. If you want to study political science and sociology, I strongly suggest doing the political internship. Model UN is something available to may students, and so MANY people take part in it, so doing something which actually puts you in the field of political science will make you stand out and give you hands-on experience. Also, if you can find the time, the psychology internship looks pretty good too (fun fact: sociology and psychology are pretty closely ties together).
As for the entrepreneurship club, what exactly are you aiming for? If it's just a club in school, you've already started clubs, so what would another add to your profile? If its an actual entrepreneurship, like an actual business, then please, please, please go for it! Entrepreneurship shows your drive, your business knowledge and your creativity. All these traits are highly valued by colleges.
It's important to manage your time, so pick something only if you are absolutely 100% sure that you're going to continue with in junior and senior year, and trust me, school gets really hard in these two years.
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I agree with @nerdartsy - you have an awesome EC profile as is, but the two activity ideas that would stand out most are the research internship and political internship. These are a lot more uncommon for HS students and fit in nicely with your intended majors.