College applications and extracurricular activities?

Question

Right now I am an upcoming senior dual enrolling at a community college. I dual enrolled during my junior year as well.

Currently, I am looking at taking the SAT/ACT for a scholarship and not applying to any colleges, opting to instead continue going to the community college for my general AA, which I will be getting at the end of fall '09. I don't know what I want to major in (it changes all the time), and I don't have any careers in mind at the moment, so I was considering joining AmeriCorps NCCC or the Navy in the mean time.

I'm just looking for some thoughts or advice on my situation.

Also, if I do decide to apply to any colleges, I don't have any extracurricular activities, nor have I had any. What are some things I could start doing?

Answer 1

If you're about to be a senior, and haven't done any extra curriculars to date, I'm not sure I'd have you bother doing any now. It'll be pretty obvious what you're doing. However, if you're academically motivated, and all your efforts have been there, the extra curriculars I'd have you consider are those that are a logical progression of that: tutoring, maybe, might be a good option.

Know that it is possible to get into a college without extra curriculars. If your grades and SATs are on target for them, perhaps at the high ends of their ranges, they could well admit you. It really depends on what you bring to the table.

You should take the SAT whether or not you're applying to college, as if you decide to transfer to a university after your associates, the uni may require SAT scores. Better to do those now, while some of that stuff is fresher in your mind, than two years from now when you haven't done that type of math in a year.

Know that the Navy has its own community college, so if that's a path you chose, that may be something you'd want to look into.

If you did go into the Navy, and when you came out, applied to colleges, your not having extra curriculars wouldn't matter. The Navy would, in effect, be your extracurricular. Not an issue.