What to do..

Fengawr

5-Year Member
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Feb 16, 2011
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129
Just found out today that I did not make a position on the student government at my high school for junior year. I am really not involved in other extra curricular activities except sports, that of which I do all year round. I feel like not making it on for junior year will affect my chances of getting into USMA. Thus the reason that I am thinking about joining a club or something that my school is a part of. I am considering joining the speech and debate team, I believe that this will improve my public speaking skills as well as being an extra-curricular. What are your guys' thoughts regarding my situation and such?
 
^
Join debate team. And be awesome at it ;)

Are you a captain of your sports team(s)?

Also, why don't you create a club? That's what I had to do, for my school does not have many ECs (if any, besides sports).
 
I am pretty sure this next year I will be captain of the cross country team (There is always two), but for racquetball and track, they don't really have captains.. I also want to try and be in the nation honors society, but they haven't really said much about that at my school yet.
 
I got involved sophomore year in my school's Mu Alpha Theta chapter (National Mathematics Honors Society). I dunno if you are a math nerd or whatever, but I got member of the year the first year and I'm president of the club this year and probably next. Try to find a club that is either an honors society or an academic-oriented club and seek a leadership position for your senior year. It helped me alot for my resume, maybe it can help you.
 
I got involved sophomore year in my school's Mu Alpha Theta chapter (National Mathematics Honors Society). I dunno if you are a math nerd or whatever, but I got member of the year the first year and I'm president of the club this year and probably next. Try to find a club that is either an honors society or an academic-oriented club and seek a leadership position for your senior year. It helped me alot for my resume, maybe it can help you.

There is a math club at my school, but as far as that goes, I have never really heard much about it. But I believe they go to tournaments and such. Which seems pretty cool and would help me out..
 
Go for leadership positions on the sports team. Also try to be your school's representative at the American Legion Boy's State Convention. Apply for the West Point Sumer leadership seminar.
 
I'll agree with BigNick, I got into Boy's State this year and will be going to SLS in 10 days (YAY!), but don't limit your scope. I also applied for Governors School for Math and Science and got in. Look in your state for state-sponsored academic programs to participate in during the summer after your junior year. Also, there are a crap load of essay competitions out there. One of my teachers has a page devoted to upcoming deadlines for various essays. Look into those and write a few to try and place or get honorable mentions. If the admissions board sees that you have been active physically, academically, and in your community, that will go a long way when they look over your file. And about the math club, that was just a personal example, if you have taken a foreign language, look into that language's club, if there isn't one, petition your principal to create one (that'd be even better). Beyond that, even glance around at the debate, academic challenge team, yearbook staff, anything that is not only another EC for your resume, but a club you feel you can become actively involved in and look for a leadership position in senior year.
 
I did debate and speech in HS, loved them both. I'm probably bias, but they'll help you with your interviews among their numerous other benefits.

What ever you do, be good at it. Quality usually beats quantity (preferably you would have both though lol)
 
^
Join debate team. And be awesome at it ;)

Debate is a good idea for admissions. So is Model UN. If your school doesn't have it, look it up. You can probably find resources online, conferences in your area, stuff like that. If you START the model UN club/team at your school that may look even better. Really, you just need a moderator and some cash for conferences. The best part is that if you go to a lot of conferences, you can rack up a lot of awards in a pretty short time, although that would lead to major burnout IMAO.

For me, it's a great activity because I learn about the global issues of today, I learn how to research, I learn how to speak, and I learn it all in an interesting way. Yeah, debate is supposed to do a lot of this as well, but debate at my school sucks so there you go. MUN forever!
 
Debate is a good idea for admissions. So is Model UN. If your school doesn't have it, look it up. You can probably find resources online, conferences in your area, stuff like that. If you START the model UN club/team at your school that may look even better. Really, you just need a moderator and some cash for conferences. The best part is that if you go to a lot of conferences, you can rack up a lot of awards in a pretty short time, although that would lead to major burnout IMAO.

For me, it's a great activity because I learn about the global issues of today, I learn how to research, I learn how to speak, and I learn it all in an interesting way. Yeah, debate is supposed to do a lot of this as well, but debate at my school sucks so there you go. MUN forever!

This year I was sent along with a friend of mine and a teacher as an observer to Sao Paulo's largest "Model UN" for HS students.

We are brainstorming on how to create our own delegation and possibly a model UN for our school, this year or the next.

Would that look good, you are saying?
 
This year I was sent along with a friend of mine and a teacher as an observer to Sao Paulo's largest "Model UN" for HS students.

We are brainstorming on how to create our own delegation and possibly a model UN for our school, this year or the next.

Would that look good, you are saying?

That would look GREAT. I don't know how hard it is to sign a delegation up for a conference in Brazil, but where I live (CA) it's pretty easy. PM me for more help on setting up/managing a model UN team. My personal advice is not to start at a big conference. They're REALLY hard. On the other hand, it's like getting a crash course in MUN so you learn really quickly that way.

Also, sorry for getting off topic peeps! :biggrin:
 
My personal advice is not to start at a big conference. They're REALLY hard. On the other hand, it's like getting a crash course in MUN so you learn really quickly that way.

I'm an MUNer too and I have to agree. My school chose me to go to the North American Invitational MUN Conference in Washington DC my freshman year and, with only a few conferences under my belt, I was way out of my league. However, I had a GREAT time and I really improved at being a delegate because I got to see some other outstanding delegations in action.

MUN is really fun if (here's the caveat!) you know a little bit about foreign affairs and public speaking. Having friends do it with you makes it an awesome experience.
 
That would look GREAT. I don't know how hard it is to sign a delegation up for a conference in Brazil, but where I live (CA) it's pretty easy. PM me for more help on setting up/managing a model UN team. My personal advice is not to start at a big conference. They're REALLY hard. On the other hand, it's like getting a crash course in MUN so you learn really quickly that way.


I'm an MUNer too and I have to agree. My school chose me to go to the North American Invitational MUN Conference in Washington DC my freshman year and, with only a few conferences under my belt, I was way out of my league. However, I had a GREAT time and I really improved at being a delegate because I got to see some other outstanding delegations in action.

MUN is really fun if (here's the caveat!) you know a little bit about foreign affairs and public speaking. Having friends do it with you makes it an awesome experience.

Duly noted.

In Brazil, it is apparently not too common for schools to have debate or MUN teams (though there are some).

My school has a huge lack of club. That's why I had to create a voluntary project, otherwise I would be lacking (though I have a few other Leadership Roles).

I was accepted into SLS though... Not sure if this is because of my credentials or because of my congressional district (not sure if competitive) - I have selected MA 08, for I was born there, I have spent one Summer on said district back in 2007 and will spend this summer as well (both on Summer Courses), my dad got his LL.M there... I'll have a talk to that Office, I hope they will consider me, for we have no current residence (or voting district) in the U.S. Wish me luck!


BTW Granuaile, thanks for the offer. I might PM you in the following days. It happens that I have found a guy in my school whose former school had a MUN, but internal (no other schools participated). I hope to use his know-how, but another perspective will surely be something to add to the meeting we'll have in the next week ;)
 
I believe my school has Model UN and it is definitely something that I will consider for my Junior year. I am pretty sure my school has a club fair at the beginning of the year where you can go and see all the clubs, so I will probably go to that and check the clubs out.
 
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