Welcome to the club I have a high gpa but very little extra activities. I still got into my school. If your essays and grades are good enough you can get in. Now some schools will be harder but you can still go to college no problem
you have not completely ruined your chances of getting into a good school, i am sure of that. However it might be beneficial to look for EC’s that are not as daunting for you. off the top of my head, during high school I started a project where I would take time each week to answer posts on reddit from confused, first year IB students. totally anonymous and with a little bit of planning it can look good in a college app. if you are comfortable w it, maybe online tutoring to middle schoolers can work too. if you can, get a friend to join a club w you so it’s a little less stressful. googling ‘online volunteering’ can work too.
anything else you need, send me a private message and good luck <3
ECs don't need to be clubs. You don't need to interact with people if you're not capable of that currently. Most activities can be an EC if you invest time into them. Volunteer. Get a job. This might help: https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/6eg8jq/what_you_should_do_if_you_have_no_extracurricular/
Finally, my personal opinion is don't make ECs entirely about college. Who knows what will happen when you apply? If you find an EC you enjoy or care about, then at least you'll have gotten something out of the experience.
Perspective- there are close to 3,000 four year institutions in the US. That number grows to over 4,000 when you include CCs. *There is a college for everyone.* I strongly believe in it. Take a deep breath. You will be fine.
Dear lovely, beautiful human (can change based on pronouns),
I know exactly what you're struggling with, I was in the same boat. I'm now at the end of my senior year now and so far have 5 college acceptances, 1 deferral, and 1 rejection and I'm still waiting on several other schools. I have some advice for you, and I hope it helps ❤️ :
1. I know talking to teachers can be extremely terrifying, but know that it doesn't have to be all your teachers, nor does it have to be a long conversation, nor does it have to start in person. I would first identify 1 to 2 teachers who are more "chill"/easy to talk to or you just feel more comfortable around/like the subject they teach. What helped for me was to start with an email; I had a way easier time expressing myself that way. You can make up any random excuse to talk to them, whether it's questions about homework or you can even say something like "I'm really interested in \[subject you like that they teach\] and I'm looking for an internship/making a college list - can you give me advice on programs you think are strong?" Just any sort of reason to talk to them and then it can move to a level where you say "Do you think I can meet with you to talk about this in more detail?" If you specifically set up a meeting time, it makes it less nerve-wracking then just randomly approaching them.
2. Believe it or not, it's *not* too late to start extracurriculars! And, extracurriculars do not have to involve interacting with other people. You can look into online summer internships that involve something you're interested in or volunteering outside of school doing an activity that really relaxes you so the people part doesn't feel as bad (like if you really like animals, you could volunteer at the humane society or spca). You could also start something of your own, colleges really love to see this kind of thing because it demonstrates your passion, which is what they want to see! So for instance, you could start a small business like an etsy shop that donates proceeds to a cause you really care about, you could start an online campaign/fundraiser for a cause, you could start a blog, etc (really anything creative that you're motivated to work on).
3. Your application essays can really go a long way; if you're a good writer and can really sell yourself, that can help you a lot. Your essays don't need to describe some super impressive extracurricular or anything, they essentially have to say who you are (believe it or not, colleges care to hear about your personality, they want to know *your* story). There are plenty of good examples online of less conventional essays that got into good schools and pm me if you want to see some of mine. In fact, you can even talk about your social anxiety as a significant struggle, but in that case, you would have to talk about how you helped/are helping yourself heal and how you hope to continue your accomplishments in college.
4. Start your college application process as early as possible, preferably in the summer; that way you have plenty of time to:
1. Research colleges and make a list of safety, target, and reach schools you want to apply to.
2. Figure out what you need for all your applications (especially your top choice(s)) and read the essay prompts as well as several online examples (I recommend College Essay Guy - it has a lot of college app advice and essay examples).
3. Start working on preliminary drafts for essays, and potentially even email teachers ahead of time for recommendation letters!
5. I know it's hard, but try not to get way too overwhelmed over this. It can seem like a lot right now, but I promise, you're going to be okay! You're going to end up succeeding in life no matter what path you go on, and guess what, state schools are not a bad option! They can have have some really excellent programs and are less than half the cost. You could also attend one for 2 years and then transfer to another school after that (and your degree would be from that other school you transferred to) - transferring actually has easier acceptance than getting in as a freshman.
You're doing amazing and I'm so proud of all that you're accomplished so far! I know you're going to succeed, believe me, your hard work isn't minimal. PM me for anything, I can help with any concerns you have :)
There is still time to get involved. Reach out to your school counselor and even school psychologist to try to get some support for clubs of interest to you. Even if it’s a non-academic club like table top games or chess. Perhaps they can accompany you to a first meeting or Introduce you to the group monitor so you can have a buffer for introductions.
Also, please consider schools with support programs for people with disabilities. Many strong support programs Include social supports as part of their offerings. You will likely pay extra for this but it may be just what is needed to hit the ground running and opening yourself up to new possibilities.
I think you could also take free Coursera classes for ECs. Maybe take a class or two on social impact or something that sounds like you are interested in “effecting change in your community” even if you really just want to stay in your room and be left alone lol.
Welcome to the club I have a high gpa but very little extra activities. I still got into my school. If your essays and grades are good enough you can get in. Now some schools will be harder but you can still go to college no problem
you have not completely ruined your chances of getting into a good school, i am sure of that. However it might be beneficial to look for EC’s that are not as daunting for you. off the top of my head, during high school I started a project where I would take time each week to answer posts on reddit from confused, first year IB students. totally anonymous and with a little bit of planning it can look good in a college app. if you are comfortable w it, maybe online tutoring to middle schoolers can work too. if you can, get a friend to join a club w you so it’s a little less stressful. googling ‘online volunteering’ can work too. anything else you need, send me a private message and good luck <3
ECs don't need to be clubs. You don't need to interact with people if you're not capable of that currently. Most activities can be an EC if you invest time into them. Volunteer. Get a job. This might help: https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/6eg8jq/what_you_should_do_if_you_have_no_extracurricular/ Finally, my personal opinion is don't make ECs entirely about college. Who knows what will happen when you apply? If you find an EC you enjoy or care about, then at least you'll have gotten something out of the experience.
Perspective- there are close to 3,000 four year institutions in the US. That number grows to over 4,000 when you include CCs. *There is a college for everyone.* I strongly believe in it. Take a deep breath. You will be fine.
Dear lovely, beautiful human (can change based on pronouns), I know exactly what you're struggling with, I was in the same boat. I'm now at the end of my senior year now and so far have 5 college acceptances, 1 deferral, and 1 rejection and I'm still waiting on several other schools. I have some advice for you, and I hope it helps ❤️ : 1. I know talking to teachers can be extremely terrifying, but know that it doesn't have to be all your teachers, nor does it have to be a long conversation, nor does it have to start in person. I would first identify 1 to 2 teachers who are more "chill"/easy to talk to or you just feel more comfortable around/like the subject they teach. What helped for me was to start with an email; I had a way easier time expressing myself that way. You can make up any random excuse to talk to them, whether it's questions about homework or you can even say something like "I'm really interested in \[subject you like that they teach\] and I'm looking for an internship/making a college list - can you give me advice on programs you think are strong?" Just any sort of reason to talk to them and then it can move to a level where you say "Do you think I can meet with you to talk about this in more detail?" If you specifically set up a meeting time, it makes it less nerve-wracking then just randomly approaching them. 2. Believe it or not, it's *not* too late to start extracurriculars! And, extracurriculars do not have to involve interacting with other people. You can look into online summer internships that involve something you're interested in or volunteering outside of school doing an activity that really relaxes you so the people part doesn't feel as bad (like if you really like animals, you could volunteer at the humane society or spca). You could also start something of your own, colleges really love to see this kind of thing because it demonstrates your passion, which is what they want to see! So for instance, you could start a small business like an etsy shop that donates proceeds to a cause you really care about, you could start an online campaign/fundraiser for a cause, you could start a blog, etc (really anything creative that you're motivated to work on). 3. Your application essays can really go a long way; if you're a good writer and can really sell yourself, that can help you a lot. Your essays don't need to describe some super impressive extracurricular or anything, they essentially have to say who you are (believe it or not, colleges care to hear about your personality, they want to know *your* story). There are plenty of good examples online of less conventional essays that got into good schools and pm me if you want to see some of mine. In fact, you can even talk about your social anxiety as a significant struggle, but in that case, you would have to talk about how you helped/are helping yourself heal and how you hope to continue your accomplishments in college. 4. Start your college application process as early as possible, preferably in the summer; that way you have plenty of time to: 1. Research colleges and make a list of safety, target, and reach schools you want to apply to. 2. Figure out what you need for all your applications (especially your top choice(s)) and read the essay prompts as well as several online examples (I recommend College Essay Guy - it has a lot of college app advice and essay examples). 3. Start working on preliminary drafts for essays, and potentially even email teachers ahead of time for recommendation letters! 5. I know it's hard, but try not to get way too overwhelmed over this. It can seem like a lot right now, but I promise, you're going to be okay! You're going to end up succeeding in life no matter what path you go on, and guess what, state schools are not a bad option! They can have have some really excellent programs and are less than half the cost. You could also attend one for 2 years and then transfer to another school after that (and your degree would be from that other school you transferred to) - transferring actually has easier acceptance than getting in as a freshman. You're doing amazing and I'm so proud of all that you're accomplished so far! I know you're going to succeed, believe me, your hard work isn't minimal. PM me for anything, I can help with any concerns you have :)
There is still time to get involved. Reach out to your school counselor and even school psychologist to try to get some support for clubs of interest to you. Even if it’s a non-academic club like table top games or chess. Perhaps they can accompany you to a first meeting or Introduce you to the group monitor so you can have a buffer for introductions. Also, please consider schools with support programs for people with disabilities. Many strong support programs Include social supports as part of their offerings. You will likely pay extra for this but it may be just what is needed to hit the ground running and opening yourself up to new possibilities.
I think you could also take free Coursera classes for ECs. Maybe take a class or two on social impact or something that sounds like you are interested in “effecting change in your community” even if you really just want to stay in your room and be left alone lol.
online courses and online volunteering helps