Extra curricular activities for computer-obsessed, introverted kid?

[creekmom]

I'm really worried about my son's college applications bc he isn't involved in much at all. I homeschooled him through 8th grade, and now he's in a public high school (junior). He's not athletic, not extroverted, not involved in church or community activities. He loves his computer, digital art, and ping pong and that's about it. He does well in school and recently scored in 99th percentile on his psat (221), so I think he'll make National Merit Semi Finalist for our state (KY). He wants a full scholarship to our local university, but I'm worried about his chances since he's such a homebody!!

He's in National Honor Society and the Tech Club at school. That's it, but his school really don't offer much for kids interested in computers and digital art. I'm looking into community service ideas I think he'll enjoy, and he will get a job this summer. Feeling like a failure bc I haven't pushed him enough to get involved in activities. Any advice?

[J-rap]

Is he good at graphic design?  Can he volunteer to make brochures, posters, etc. for local grassroots groups, volunteer groups, and organizations that have a limited budget?  For example, my husband chairs a local group that works on getting state funding for bike trails in our area.  We've hired our daughter (not for pay -- she just volunteers  :)) to design posters, mailers, keep up a Facebook page, design logos, etc.  It actually doesn't take her long to do and she loves doing it, plus it's one more thing she can add to her resume (that involves both her area of study and volunteering).

 

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

I was going to suggest something similar to J-rap, also maybe tutoring at the public library?

[FriedClams]

Is he good at graphic design? Can he volunteer to make brochures, posters, etc. for local grassroots groups, volunteer groups, and organizations that have a limited budget? For example, my husband chairs a local group that works on getting state funding for bike trails in our area. We've hired our daughter (not for pay -- she just volunteers :)) to design posters, mailers, keep up a Facebook page, design logos, etc. It actually doesn't take her long to do and she loves doing it, plus it's one more thing she can add to her resume (that involves both her area of study and volunteering).

I was going to suggest the same thing. I'd call around to organizations he appreciates, and volunteer top help. Habitat, churches, veteran's groups, etc. Our small town has a volunteer umbrella group, so if your town has one one I'd start looking there.

[creekmom]

I love those ideas! He would enjoy designing logos, brochures, etc.! Thank you!

[Cosmos]

He loves his computer, digital art, and ping pong and that's about it.

 

These are extra-curriculars, if he spends his free time on them, does productive activities, and works to improve. ECs don't have to mean joining a group. (I do think all people need social interaction, but that's a different conversation. I'm just commenting that solitary ECs are okay.)

 

You could just encourage him to take the things he is already doing and be more intentional about them, perhaps tracking hours and especially setting goals to achieve.

[Janeway]

I would just get out there and find tons of activities. Then make a list and let him pick. 

[dhudson]

My ds taught Scratch and programming to younger kids both irl and over the Internet. He also was heavily involved in the Scratch community which led him to some amazing opportunities.

[creekmom]

I would encourage him to come up with a service project and lead it.

Is this something your child did? Do you have any suggestions for types of projects?

[Lori D.]

On 1/25/2016 at 9:06 AM, creekmom said:

… He wants a full scholarship to our local university, but I'm worried about his chances since he's such a homebody!! ...

Quick side note:
Not sure what DS means by "full scholarship". There is the "full ride" scholarship, and there is the "full tuition" scholarship.

A "full ride" scholarship means the award covers all expenses: tuition + room & board, and occasionally also books and/or other supplies and costs. The "full ride" is very rare; according to college financial aid websites FastWeb and FinAid, less than 0.3% of students (under 20,000 students a year of the millions attending ALL colleges) are awarded a full ride each year. From the article "Can My Kid Get a Full Ride Scholarship", full ride scholarships are based on Nat'l Merit scores; ACT/SAT test scores; high GPA and academics. A very few are awarded by private corporations or organizations through competitive application—high academics/test scores are the first requirement, with activities that make the student stand out as the "tipping point" factor. (There is also the possibility of being awarded a combination of scholarships & grants to cover all expenses, but with so much less money to give out these days, colleges tend to take what scholarship monies they have and "spread it around" to more students.)

A "full tuition" scholarship covers all of the cost of tuition, but no other costs (books, room & board, etc.). These are a bit more available, and tend to go to National Merit Finalists, students with high GPA and high ACT (32-36 cumulative score) or SAT (1500-1600 Math + Critical Reading score), and athletes.

Gently, I'd help DS be realistic about the odds of a "full scholarship". Typically, good academics and high test scores will earn you merit aid that covers about 50% of tuition (does not include cost for books, supplies, room & board). If your family has high financial need, there may be some additional, smaller grants, and the offer of work study and loans. And then there may be the possibility of a few smaller scholarships ($500-$2500) for meeting other specific qualifications.

The great news is that your DS has a very high chance of being a National Merit (NM) Finalist, which does increase his potential for a full tuition scholarship (you have to select as your top college choice one of the colleges that does award full tuition scholarships for NM). :hurray:  But just don't *count* on a full ride. ?
 

On 1/25/2016 at 9:06 AM, creekmom said:

...He loves his computer, digital art, and ping pong and that's about it.
He does well in school and ... I think he'll make National Merit Semi Finalist...
...He's in National Honor Society and the Tech Club at school...
...I'm looking into community service ideas...
...and he will get a job this summer...

Sounds like he'll have two things for Honors & Awards (National Merit, National Honor Society), and one thing for an extracurricular (Tech Club).

Has he done any personal interest projects, or enjoyed fiddling with electronics, or built a computer or robot, or participated in a Science Fair? All of those are great things to add to an extracurriculars list.

Would DS be interested in assisting with running the sound board at church, or doing any video work, or helping with Power Point/slides for Sunday services, or if there are evening meetings or ministry? Tech people are such a blessing for making those things run smoothly, and it's a great way to serve quietly in your area of interest/expertise… And of course it makes a great community involvement activity on applications. Just a thought! ?

A job is a great way of showing initiative, responsibility, hard work, and the ability to juggle several responsibilities at once. Plus, he can use the funds to buy a vehicle to have transportation while in college. ?

Regular weekly volunteering/community service over a long period of time (at least a year), is what will most help your DS, as that accrues the volunteer hours that some scholarships require, but more, it shows colleges that your DS has a long-term interest in that cause, and isn't just "checking the box of volunteering" to "look good" for scholarships.

If he's not into extracurriculars, you might have him plan and execute a "senior project", which would be an excellent thing to add to his list of accomplishments. Perhaps setting up/running an after school or weekend robotics club or tech club for elementary students at the elementary school that is part of his public high school system?

Congrats to your DS on the NM standing! And BEST of luck to you and your DS as he heads in excellence towards the finish line of high school! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 26, 2018 by Lori D.

[angela in ohio]

Does the school have a robotics team? We love to get students just like him. There is a safety animation contest, we need someone to program the robot (there is a lot of opportunity to work on graphics with the user interface), we need CAD of the robot, and there are plenty of team materials to produce. He could go in any direction.

 

Also, what about the school yearbook? They usually end up with a lot of photographers/ writers and too few tech-y students.

 

There are plenty of online contests, too. Some are for teams, so the Tech Club could do them. Often it just takes one person to head up the organization and find sponsor money.

 

Instead of getting a job, he could start his own business with his skills, too.

 

 

[creekmom]

Quick side note:

Not sure which DS means by "full scholarship". There is the "full ride" scholarship, and there is the "full tuition" scholarship.

 

A "full ride" scholarship means the award covers all expenses: tuition + room & board, and occasionally also books and/or other supplies and costs. The "full ride" is very rare; according to college financial aid websites FastWeb and FinAid, less than 0.3% of students (under 20,000 students a year of the millions attending ALL colleges) are awarded a full ride each year. From the article "Can My Kid Get a Full Ride Scholarship", full ride scholarships are based on Nat'l Merit scores; ACT/SAT test scores; high GPA and academics. A very few are awarded by private corporations or organizations through competitive application—high academics/test scores are the first requirement, with activities that make the student stand out as the "tipping point" factor. (There is also the possibility of being awarded a combination of scholarships & grants to cover all expenses, but with so much less money to give out these days, colleges tend to take what scholarship monies they have and "spread it around" to more students.)

 

A "full tuition" scholarship covers all of the cost of tuition, but no other costs (books, room & board, etc.). These are a bit more available, and tend to go to National Merit Finalists, students with high GPA and high ACT (32-36 cumulative score) or SAT (1500-1600 Math + Critical Reading score), and athletes.

 

 

Lori - thank you for posting.  I've learned so much from your posts over the past several years on this forum.  DS is my first, so the college applications and scholarships are all new to me.  The scholarship he's hoping for is from UK and is automatic for National Merit Finalists who designate UK as 1st choice for college.  It appears to be a full ride, but maybe I'm mistaken?  What do you think?

 

Automatic Scholarships for Incoming Freshmen Patterson Scholarship for National Merit or Hispanic Finalists

National Merit® or Hispanic® Finalists who designate UK as their college choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by mid-April are eligible for the Patterson Scholarship. The Patterson Scholarship is in addition to the UK National Merit College-Sponsored Scholarship of $2,000, which is awarded though the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The Patterson Scholarship is a renewable scholarship, which provides the cost of tuition and an allowance for room and board. No scholarship application is required for the UK National Merit® or Hispanic® Finalist Patterson Scholarship. If a student is awarded a Singletary Scholarship, that award will replace the Patterson Scholarship. Students may receive only one scholarship through the Academic Scholarship Program

 

I think (hope) he will be a NMSF, but I have concerns about him making it to finalist.  I think he'll do well on SAT and essay but not sure about the application since he's not involved in much.  We've (son and I) talked a lot today about finding a way to use what you love to do to help others.  He's thinking hard about it and will hopefully come up with some good ideas.  Should have done this years ago - I know. :(

[JanetC]

Have you looked to see if the school in question actually offers full scholarships? If so, how many per year, and what are the criteria? His goal sounds pretty narrow to me: To have only one school in mind and needing a full scholarship to afford it. Without knowing the school or the kid, it sounds like putting too many eggs in one basket. I would have him choose at least 3-6 schools to apply to, including some that you can afford (use the school's Net Price Calculator), and multiple scholarship programs.

 

Thinking about admissions trends: has the local university signed on to Turning the Tide or The Colaition for Access and Affordabiliy?

 

The Turning the Tide group is looking for a year of "meaningful service to others," including working with a diverse group of peers.

 

The Coalition Group is looking for portfolio materials. So, saving artwork, making screen-capture demos of his apps, etc.

 

There are also scholarship search websites he can use to find other sources of money besides the school in question.

 

It is OK to do quality over quantity in activities. If he is enjoying Tech Club and Honor Society, have him work at being an officer or project leader for the things he is already doing and enjoying. Colleges like kids who do more than just show up.

[Lori D.]

On 1/25/2016 at 12:30 PM, creekmom said:

It appears to be a full ride, but maybe I'm mistaken?  What do you think?

Automatic Scholarships for Incoming Freshmen Patterson Scholarship for National Merit or Hispanic Finalists

National Merit® or Hispanic® Finalists who designate UK as their college choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by mid-April are eligible for the Patterson Scholarship. The Patterson Scholarship is in addition to the UK National Merit College-Sponsored Scholarship of $2,000, which is awarded though the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The Patterson Scholarship is a renewable scholarship, which provides the cost of tuition and an allowance for room and board. No scholarship application is required for the UK National Merit® or Hispanic® Finalist Patterson Scholarship. If a student is awarded a Singletary Scholarship, that award will replace the Patterson Scholarship. Students may receive only one scholarship through the Academic Scholarship Program

That sounds like full ride! ? However, it's always best to talk directly to the school's financial aid office to know for sure what is covered/not covered. From what you quoted from the school, it looks like you can only get one scholarship, either the Patterson or the Singletary -- and I would definitely look into how much of an award the Singletary is, is it renewable, and does it have any special requirements or restrictions -- in case the school awards that to DS rather than the Patterson.

And while you will know by senior year if DS has been awarded this full-ride scholarship to UK, as JanetC suggests in her GREAT post, you will want to be doing some exploring NOW in order to have a few other schools to consider applying to if the NM scholarship to UK does not come through.
 

On 1/25/2016 at 12:30 PM, creekmom said:

...since he's not involved in much.  We've (son and I) talked a lot today about finding a way to use what you love to do to help others.  He's thinking hard about it and will hopefully come up with some good ideas.  Should have done this years ago - I know.  ?

Please, please, do NOT beat yourself up! You and DS have been moving forward in HIS unique timetable. He's spent his time and energies on developing his strength of academics -- that's super! ? Now he is just beginning to bud and bloom in other areas -- responsibility, leadership, involvement in activities, community involvement… That is perfectly fine, and he has the time to determine what works for him -- you are okay and NOT in a time crunch yet! It's all good. ?

BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

Edited September 26, 2018 by Lori D.

[JanetC]

No personal experience, but from what I've heard on the hs2coll list, the path from NMSF -> Finalist is mostly about:

 

1. Did you jump through all the application hoops? (Apparently it's a real pain, particularly for homeschoolers.)

2. Are your PSAT scores a fluke, or are your grades and SAT scores also strong?

3. Have you had any "red flag" disciplinary issues in high school?

 

 

[...................]

First Robotics

vEx Robotics

Botball

Coder Dojo

EMacs (expensive classes)

Chess Club at local library

Math Club - check homeschool group or see if private or public middle will accept him - (MathCounts, Math Olympiad)

 

Believe it or not, swimming - a sport which is all about concentration and personal bests - is the only sport my son loves and is very good at. It does take an entire year to learn all the strokes and turns so patience is necessary but after that steady improvement is inevitable. It's not owerwhelming socially and swim friendships are built very slowly (after all your heads in the water 90% of the time!) but once they are built swim friendships usually last.

 

These are some things you can look into.

[GoodGrief]

Yes, University of Kentucky offers a full ride (with a limited meal plan though) to NMF! Hopefully that will continue next year, but it's a great option for your kiddo! It's one of my current senior's options that she is considering, precisely because of the generous package.

 

There are also a few schools that have generous packages for those who don't make Finalist, if that is a concern. Ole Miss is one that I have heard about. And if he makes Finalist,  University of Oklahoma is another fabulous option. They are not full ride, but they offer full tuition for five years, plus some extra money. They really court the National Merit kids.

 

I wouldn't stress too much about adding new extracurriculars if UK is his goal. It may look like resume padding this late in the game. However, if he comes across something he WANTS to do...a neat summer program, perhaps?...I say go for it!

Edited January 26, 2016 by Gr8lander