It’s not and this is a common myth worth addressing directly. Many students believe that if they haven’t started by Grade 9, they’ve missed the window. That’s false. Universities care about what you’ve done and how you’ve grown. A student who discovered a passion in Grade 11 and pursued it with genuine intensity is more compelling than someone who listed ten activities since Grade 8 without depth. Yes, volunteer to run your school’s social media – real work, real metrics, real impact. Document it all. Other myths to discard: you don’t need international awards, you don’t need to have won everything, and not all ECs need to be academic.
