[YO ITZZ JASONN]

ive decided not to join any clubs. will this destroy my chances of getting into a "decent" 4 year college. i'm a junior and i just gave up on clubs. didn't join one my last 2 years cuz i was lazy and all i had was stress over my low grades and that ish is keep repeating and stressing me out so i decided not to join a club. kills my time and can't focus on it while i have other things to focus (hw, tests/quizzes, SAT's, volunteer work). i might regret this later on but will this decision destroy my chances? i hope i don't regret. i have a really low gpa too. so my prediction by the end of Summer 2009:

Cumulative GPA: 2.4
Clubs: NONE
Sports: NONE
Community Service: 100 hours
SAT's: HOPEFULLY a 1600+. Around the 1600's. Getting a 1800 or above seems impossible for me.

i actually do regret bein a dumbass my freshman and soph year slackin too much. at least this year im not slackin, im turning in all my work, and studying. i feel like i'm in a messy situation and i don't wana disgrace myself and my family line by not goin to college. my two cousins went to one of the best colleges in Korea, my other cousin got into an amazing school for fashion design or somethin like that and my other cousin at least went to CSU Fullerton

[xm1chelle]

honestly, i don't think a 2.4 gpa will get you to any 4 year college (for UC schools, you need a minimum of 3.0 GPA even for UC Merced, Riverside, Santa Cruz)...i think the best way to go for you is to attend community college and transfer to a four year college

[YO ITZZ JASONN]

honestly, i don't think a 2.4 gpa will get you to any 4 year college (for UC schools, you need a minimum of 3.0 GPA even for UC Merced, Riverside, Santa Cruz)...i think the best way to go for you is to attend community college and transfer to a four year college

idk if this is true but my cousin told me you only need like a 2.1 gpa to get into csu fullerton. (he attends there)

and i'm not going to attend a community college ... unfortunately i can't ... my parents don't want me going to a community college they already told me that, they said i have to go find a job and just work for the rest of my life if i don't make it to a 4 year college =[ they think it's a waste of money since only stupid kids attend community college. (that's what my parents think)

[lovecubedlee]

i don't think clubs make that big of an impact
i mean, i heard colleges don't care unless you held a TOP position/did something really important
but if you were just a member, no one cares...?
at least i hope..cuz...i never joined clubs either.

but i think you needa just focus on other things academically

honestly, CCs arent that big of a deal...they're relatively inexpensive since most things are paid by taxpayers
and if you're there for i think 2 years? you can transfer to some reallly good 4 year university
idk...but
good luck!

[x kisekiboshi]

Well this is me personally, but I think you should join maybe one or two clubs. You don't have to join a bunch because colleges look at more of the quality aspect. Like how long you've been in it and if you've had any leadership positions. Being in clubs also show that you are involved and not some kind of person who just dedicates a lot of their time to studying.

You could always try looking for clubs that meet only during lunch because then that wouldn't interfere with your school work.

Community college isn't really that bad. But it's just that going to university is better because you don't have to worry about some credits not possibly transferring over, people have established friendships, etc. But no way at all am I dissing community college. A lot of people who go to community end up at good schools. Community is also cheaper and if you're not sure what you wanna major in, it's a great way to find out what you want to do.

[alicimoo]

If you don't plan on doing any clubs or any sports, you still NEED to do some extracurricular activities. Volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, working, etc.

[Avex]

If you don't plan on doing any clubs or any sports, you still NEED to do some extracurricular activities. Volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, working, etc.

IMO, you can do anything you want. If you have like a fun hobby you want to do, just go for that hobby. Don't feel obliged to do something because IT LOOKS good for college. If you like to design clothes on your free time, for example (I'm just making this up), go ahead. If you like to experiment with making stuff, go do that. If you like making rap music (I've seen you before on createablog forums, lol), go ahead.

Don't feel forced to do volunteering if it isn't you.. seriously, how the heck are you going to describe your volunteering on your personal statement if you don't have any passion for it. You really have to do what you want to do. Colleges do want to pick people based on what kind of diversity of ideas,
beliefs, and actions people have, and you don't have to take the "volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, working path" to prove you've done something for college, unless you really want to do all that.

So yes, do something, but don't do like too many activities or be forced to do the stuff alicimoo pointed out unless that's what makes you who you are. I like how you are going to really spend your time working hard, but high school is a time for you to also explore what you want to do when you grow up. Really take the time to explore your interests. You take charge of what you want to do, and if you aren't going to support a club, I SUPPORT YOU. You are being different! BRAVO!

But, who are you really? That's what you have to discover yourself and show to college admissions officers.

IMO, you aren't destroying any chances at all. If I were a college admissions officer, I would be curious about what kind of diversity of ideas can you bring to the campus.

[xm1chelle]

idk if this is true but my cousin told me you only need like a 2.1 gpa to get into csu fullerton. (he attends there)

and i'm not going to attend a community college ... unfortunately i can't ... my parents don't want me going to a community college they already told me that, they said i have to go find a job and just work for the rest of my life if i don't make it to a 4 year college =[ they think it's a waste of money since only stupid kids attend community college. (that's what my parents think)

i think that you should join at least 2 clubs this year and try to obtain a position for next year (that way it actually counts)...oh yea, and also find a hobby that you want to do and accomplish something with it...if you're involved with church, go on a mission during the summer...if you like to do something, try to pursue it further...since you have two more years, you should work harder...try to raise up the GPA junior and senior year and remember, colleges like progress! so work hard & good luck!

[alicimoo]

._. I wasn't saying he has to do those activities I listed, those were just examples, but that he actually has to do something. Good colleges look for people who are able to do well academically and socially.

Even if he doesn't do clubs, he still has to be able to show the college admissions officers what he is all about by being involved in some kind of activity. If he doesn't do anything, then how can the college admissions officers know what he is like?


--
Okay..well my point, which has been reiterated numerous times, is that you have to something.
...this sounds like such a dumb post, since all I'm doing is stating the same thing over and over again. >___>

[prechuz_azn]

Honestly, just make it up.

It's just clubs..MAKE IT UP.


I joined the Careless Club.
I joined the Make Believe Club.

MAKE IT UP.

Clubs aren't all that important anyway...

btw, its nice that you're trying, I john teshed around my freshmen/sophomore grades too
(As and Bs ONLY though; but mostly Bs)

[maydai3333]

well, its not the clubs that will affect you, its your GPA. Going to a cc isnt all bad. You can always transfer to a good university after 2 years.

My advice to you, is not to worry about ur EC's but rather your GPA and SAT scores.

[mojomunkeez]

idk if this is true but my cousin told me you only need like a 2.1 gpa to get into csu fullerton. (he attends there)

and i'm not going to attend a community college ... unfortunately i can't ... my parents don't want me going to a community college they already told me that, they said i have to go find a job and just work for the rest of my life if i don't make it to a 4 year college =[ they think it's a waste of money since only stupid kids attend community college. (that's what my parents think)

You actually save money by going to community college. And in two years, you can transfer to a much better school like Berkeley. Then you can show your parents who really is stupid.


And for the record, I'm going to say this right now: only stupid kids go to schools like Fullerton.

[Avex]

I just noticed you were an out-of-state resident if you applied to CA schools. I don't know how your cousin got into CSU Fullerton (I don't know much about the school other than it is not as a high level CSU, as lets say, Cal Poly SLO), but generally out of state residents have a hard time getting into top CA schools than in-state. Good luck with working hard though.

But, maybe your cousin lives in CA. I don't know.

[misz.perfect.]

Honestly, colleges don't accept an applicant just because he/she joined a certain club in high school. Colleges want to see what you have contributed to the club and what you've learned from being in that club. It doesn't even have to be a club; it could be virtually any extracurricular activity. IMO, it's about passion, personal growth, and community building.

[xnimporte]

what of you have a good gpa, a bunch of ap/honors classes, high sat scores, and absolutely no E/Cs apart from volunteer work? i'm not much of a club person and would keel over and die if i joined any sport-- plus, i'm pretty sure that if i joined a club, i wouldn't become an officer or anything like that, as this is my junior year-- but should i just join 1-2 clubs for the heck of it or not even bother?

i was planning on joining the art club and maybe NHS next year (12th-- i have the grades, but not the time), because i'd rather focus on studies this year, but would that be too late for it to have any effect on my apps? i'm currently in french nhs and it sucksss; i am not devoted at all & am only in it to look good, but it's better than nothing at this point. :/ i've heard many times that colleges look for personal achievements/specialties, but don't they base these criteria mainly on clubs/ECs?

i'm not that worried, but should i be? i was thinking about seeking out contests and stuff for writing/arts & was wondering whether winning awards based on your hobbies would have a bigger impact on apps than joining long-term clubs. any&all advice would be appreciated-- sorry for all the q's, my guidance counselor is a total tard. ):

[Christinaisweird]

you better write one heck of an essay. maybe in your essay you can add in your hobbies and stuff you like to do.

[Prot]

Clubs do not mean anything. Try hard to pull that GPA up, study hard for your SAT, because in all honesty despite what people say about extracurriculars, GPA and SAT scores still have a cut off point and if you are lower than that point, it is really difficult for colleges to accept you. If you can't get into a four year college, get into a community college and transfer from there since nobody will consider your high school grade once you are attempting a higher degree, but they will look at your community college grade and your SAT.

[xclueless]

Honestly, just make it up.

It's just clubs..MAKE IT UP.


I joined the Careless Club.
I joined the Make Believe Club.

MAKE IT UP.

Clubs aren't all that important anyway...

btw, its nice that you're trying, I john teshed around my freshmen/sophomore grades too
(As and Bs ONLY though; but mostly Bs)

o.o I seriously do not think you should make up your clubs. If colleges found out you made it up, you're practically screwed for EVERY college.

To be honest, I don't think you should be worrying about joining any clubs at this moment but mainly on your studies. You will NOT even be eligible to apply to UCs with a cumulative gpa of 2.4 because they only accept applicants with overall GPAs of 3.0 or higher. If "decent" is what you're aiming for then to be perfectly honest, CSU's are the only colleges that will accept you. If Fullerton is your goal then you don't have to worry much, you'll most likely get in.

Seriously try to study HARD to make up for your grades and do really well on the SATs (at least 1800). If you know you can't do it alone, take classes and buy books! The SAT is all about strategy, has nothing to do with how smart or dumb you are. Clubs do make up apart of your college aps because colleges do like that you have a social life but that's ONLY if you have good grades as well. You can be in a zillion clubs and be president of all those clubs but you still won't make it to a decent college if you have a low gpa.

[fatcupoftea]

I honestly do NOT think joining a club makes a difference unless you are the president and are very passionate about your club or your club has a lot of prestige (that is the wrong word, but I can't think of the word I'm looking for...basically if your president of Key Club, Red Cross Club, etc. something with an organization attacted to it).

And I don't know if you are willing to spend some money, but you can always raise your GPA by taking classes at a community college or independent school. Sometimes you can even replace grades. I know because last year I struggled a lot emotionally (basically depression bleck ew) and totally screwed up my grades 1st semester junior year. My GPA dropped to a 3.0, I retook 2 classes at an independent school(math+physics) plus added some "easy" classes and raised my GPA to a 3.6 now. I'll warn that taking classes at an independent school cost a BUTTLOAD of $$. I think my total cost for my classes was $2000...although it was estimated my classes would be aroung $4000, but I learned really quickly which cut down the costs significantly.

STUDY YOUR ASS OFF FOR YOUR SATs!!!! + don't let your GPA drop any further (raise your GPA ).

&& there are a LOT of colleges. Just because you don't go to a "name brand" college doesn't mean your a failure.

[Azn_princess]

I heard that being in clubs will slightly affect your chances of getting in because my teacher said post-secondary schools are looking for well rounded people.