[quiksliver]

I've got about a 93% average right now, with 70 community service hours, but almost no extra ciriculars, and i want to get into buisness/economics/commerce in U of T, york or queens

so how many will i need to get so i can get in?

 

[JT33]

With your average, you won't need any extracurriculars at all!
Your average alone is high enough to get you into all 3 schools easily

 

[Gatto]

I wouldn't worry too much but if you are, is there a business club you can join? are you a senior graduating in the spring or a junior?

 

[aaron313]

Don't worry!

 

[crappyjones123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...ended up at one of the best schools in the world...

but i thought you went to berkeley...

jk

jokes aside, would it really hurt you to join a few clubs or volunteer at a hospital. in the process you get to meet new people and gain experience you wont be able to otherwise. but as aaron put very succinctly, grades matter a LOT more unless you have like 100000000 hours of community service. make sure those dont suffer. other than that, have fun if it is your last year in highschool. i wish i had loosened up a wee bit but i dont regret where not having fun landed me (one of the best non-hippy schools in the world

)

 

[roxxor]

I'd help you, but we had OAC's (grade 13) when I went to HS in Ontario back in the 90s... you guys have it easy...

 

[MoodySteve]

Start an audiophile club or something. Not only will this be an extracurricular, but listing yourself as 'Founder' will show some entrepreneurial spirit.

Although frankly, good grades should be all you need, but the politics of academia dictate otherwise.

 

[VicAjax]

i think the colleges will probably want you to know how to spell extracurricular.

 

[appophylite]

Grades and what classes you got those grades in matter a lot more than your extra-curriculars. In some cases extra curriculars come in handy, but they are usually not a deal breaker.

 

[G-man]

Hmm, well you should first decide which of the three you want to do, because those subjects are very different. Now, I am not sure about how the canada, or USA system works, but yes, some extra curricular is good. It would be better if it related to your subject. And also, any useful work experience is good.

If you do decide to do economics, read, read and read. That is one of the best things you can do. But in all honesty, all top universitites care more about your grades and marks than anyhting else.

Atleast you can display yours on your application, and if indeed they are good (again, i can not say if 93% is good in your subject, i averaged 95%, but my grades were all As, which you only need 80% for) then universities will not care as much about extra stuff. In the end, these intitutions are about studying, and learning. They do not care if you are brilliant at a sport or something, but they will care if you are indeed interested in studying above anything else. That is how it is supposed to work, and it should if you do not have a skewed system (like mine).

Good luck, and hope you get in.

G-man

 

[aaron313]

The reason why EC's are often a joke to certain schools is this that:

1) Universities have no real way of independently verifying the claims of students (this actually happened to a friend, who ended up contesting his rejection with proof, and they let him in. This is rare)

2) Schools that don't require letters of rec won't care much, and if the letter is not from a person whose opinion carries weight, nobody cares (like when you apply to grad school, don't have a TA write a letter; make sure it's a Prof. or Dean or Chancellor).

3) If you are passionate about a particular EC, then write about it in your admissions essays. I wrote about how tutoring changed my views on children (as in you can't make them smarter, but you can help them pass sixth grade "math"

)

4) If you like to write, get published, because then you can prove it. Don't list "reading" as an EC.

 

[quiksliver]

hmm that is true, but one of the more competitive business schools i want to get into(schulich school of buisness up in york university] takes like 350 kids out of 3000 applicants, so would THAT be somewhere where i would really need to crank up my ECs to get in?

 

[NoHands]

with that average and a half decent SAT score (2000+) youd be looking at ivy leagues as achievable reaches (but only because they accept so few people). For extracurriculars if you want to do some, do some that show teamwork (a sport) and some that show initiative ie. carrying out research on something that interests you in a local college/university. I have all of the above except the average, but hey, cambridge doesnt look at averages!

 

[G-man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoHands /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have all of the above except the average, but hey, cambridge doesnt look at averages!

not true. you can put your UMS in your special application. It is oxford that you can't, and even then you can put them in if you know how. The thing is, people (me including) are not 100% sure if the way works, but it is worth a try.

anyway, your interviews are very important, and you should prepare for those. the people who interview will easily be able to tell if you are smart, and as long as you are, you have a decent chance.

The thing is, in a lot of these applications, it is about luck. I have seen really stupid people get in, and people more deserving not, so you have to realise, that just because you are good enough, doesnt mean you will get in.

 

[NoHands]

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-man /img/forum/go_quote.gif not true. you can put your UMS in your special application. It is oxford that you can't, and even then you can put them in if you know how. The thing is, people (me including) are not 100% sure if the way works, but it is worth a try. anyway, your interviews are very important, and you should prepare for those. the people who interview will easily be able to tell if you are smart, and as long as you are, you have a decent chance. The thing is, in a lot of these applications, it is about luck. I have seen really stupid people get in, and people more deserving not, so you have to realise, that just because you are good enough, doesnt mean you will get in.

They got rid of it for 2009 i thought? from what i have read they have. and yes luck has a big part to play as well.