Give up Student Council and focus on grades? Or would it benefit me more to stay on Council?

Student Council elections are coming up, and I have a guaranteed position as Deputy Prime Minister (Vice).


Yet, I've realized that. throughout my highschool career (grade 11 at the moment) my grades slowly decline as I step up in extra curricular activities, from low 90s, to mid 80s. I have been in DECA for the past 3 years, and one year being an executive. This year I'm currently Minister of Student Resources in Student Council. What I'm asking here is advice to whether or not to focus on grades more with clubs on the low side, with expected marks of around a 90. Or should I take the position as vice and make my focus around extra curricular activities, of course with the effort of trying to do good in school, without a high expectation of higher grades of course. I do have other activities also. Those being a job, Tae Kwon Do, Badminton, and possibly other clubs but with less concentration with those. What would Universities prefer, Truthfully?


Thanks a lot everyone. Johnny

Give up Student Council and focus on grades? Or would it benefit me more to stay on Council?
I think 90's look a lot better than an 89, so I would focus on grades more. However, if you are planing on going into business, I would definitely stay in DECA, and go for the Deputy Prime Minister too. You need to find that balance between grades and extra-cirriculars, so I would start by not joining any clubs/activities where you are not in a leadership postition (because that is what universities look for), and sticking with anything that shows leadership. Most univerisities will look at your marks first, then the extra-cirricular activities second.
Reply:Truthfully, universities prefer somebody that is in your position on the student council that has great grades.





If your grades are still pretty good, then you should stay on. If your grades are starting to suffer, spend less time doing student council stuff and more time on improving your grades.
Reply:DEFINATLEY to stay on. Some colleges would turn you down without a second thought if you ever drop out of anything. I would say, stay on it, but spend less time with other things. You will definately need student counsil on your application. It's very good to have on it. (my cousin got turned down by yale just because he wasn't in an extracirricular activity.... or a sport. I forget which).
Reply:Personally I would give up some activities and focus on grades. You can use those activities when applying for University but your grades are very important.





I would discuss this with your school guidence counsellor and get his/her opinion .
Reply:When colleges look at the mountain of applications they receive each year, they need a quick and easy way to eliminate the ones that probably won't make the cut, so that they can spend their efforts on the applicants who probably will make the cut. GPA is quick and easy and they can reduce the pile by any amount with a simple change to minimum GPA.





If you make the cut, they will look at your Student Council, DECA, Tae Kwon Do, and Badminton activities. If your grades are below their cutoff, you may have the most fantastic and well-rounded application in the reject pile.





#1 Go for the grades.


#2 Choose your other activities wisely to get the most impressive result from you time investment.








Do look at your time efficiency. How much time do you spend 'hanging out' or on the phone or IM or just wasting time until you go to your next activity? Could you reduce some of that time to apply it to your studies or activities?