Is a major related EC required for sub 20% admit schools?Answered
So I am rising junior and am in a dilemma I am interested in a few very selected schools notably Rice and acoording to CV my ECs need to improve but for Mich my ECs are excellent. I am a bit baffled at that but oh well.
My ECs are
Tier D 1x
Tier H 3x
Tier J 1x
Tier F 3x
Tier E 1x
I should be adding another EC a Tier F and one of my tier Hs should improve to an F.
I would no “bonuses“ as I’m white male from Great Plains
Is a STEM club necessary (want to major in engineering) necessary to be highly competitive in ivy+ admission (Yale MIT Stanford Rice etc)?
Two of my ECs (2 Fs) overlap and would combine so I would have 10 ECs.
Thank you!
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2 answers
The reason the engine is saying your ECs need improvement for Rice but not UMich is likely because Rice is more competitive.
If you're aiming to study engineering at selective schools, having some related ECs is certainly helpful. They can demonstrate your skills in STEM, and help you write a stronger essay on why you want to go into that field. You generally do want your ECs to back up your intended field of study, though not everything needs to be directly related. If you don't have any STEM-related ECs though, your interest in engineering won't be "backed up" by your activities.
If that's the case for you, are there ways to incorporate related skills into your existing ECs? (like building a website or app, as many engineering fields require some form of programming). Can you participate in competitions or clubs (like robotics)? Here's a list of some potentially relevant ECs: https://blog.collegevine.com/extracurriculars-for-high-schoolers-interested-in-studying-engineering/
Also remember it's most important to have a strong academic background in the subjects related to engineering. It's great that you're taking an intro to engineering class this year - that's a good way to solidify your interest. It's also helpful if you're getting good grades in advanced math & physics classes. You may also want to take the SAT Subject Tests for Math II and Physics, as many schools will require them for engineering majors.
Hope this helps!
Not a STEM club per se but you should demonstrate your interests in engineering. You can do a personal research project or with a professor at a local university, or an internship. You can also start your own blog or publish articles on Medium on engineering. Also, make sure to highlight your interests in your essays.
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Not a STEM club per se but you should demonstrate your interests in engineering. You can do a personal research project or with a professor at a local university, or an internship. You can also start your own blog or publish articles on Medium on engineering. Also, make sure to highlight your interests in your essays.