Best Extracurricular Activities for College Applications
High school is a time to really start thinking about your future. Whether you are geared toward a four-year college career, trade school, or studying abroad, it’s important to consider your options and your path toward success. Sometimes that journey can feel lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. By joining an honor society, you will meet like-minded students, get advice from helpful counselors, and explore more opportunities through outreach and a community-based mission. In this article, we are going to break down all the ways an honor society membership can work for you.
College applications can be a daunting task. When applying, you are faced with everything from decisions about which major to declare, which essay topic to write about, how to pay for school, and which teachers or mentors might provide you with the best possible recommendation letter. All of these things factor into the college’s decision to accept you or not. But there is one component that should also be considered, and that is extracurricular activities.
At NSHSS, we know how important these “extra acts” can be. In this article, we are going to break down what is considered an extracurricular activity, how they impact your college application, and how to identify the right ones for you.
Just The Facts
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An Extra-Curricular Activity can be very wide-ranging. Whether you're volunteering at a library on the weekends, participating in a school play, playing sports for your school, debating on your school’s debate team, or even helping oversee school lunches for a kindergarten nearby. Basically, anything that is in service of another organization outside of your normal school hours can be considered extracurricular activities.
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It is best to choose those activities that interest you the most. Your bosses will notice your enthusiasm, or lack of such enthusiasm, and note it when they are asked for recommendations later on down the line.
Make or Break?
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An extracurricular activity is a very crucial part of any college application. However, it does not mean that by having it on your application will guarantee you a spot in the school of your choice. It’s important to remember this when applying to the tougher, more competitive schools.
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While this might seem like a letdown, it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. An extracurricular can provide you insight into what moves you, and show you what you’re most passionate about. It can also provide a great network of people for you to meet and forge relationships with over time.
Your Call
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It’s also important to keep in mind that extracurriculars are not required. While some schools do require a certain number of volunteer hours, it’s rare for a school to require students to join the school play, for example, or to participate in the debate club. Extracurriculars are meant to be a stepping stone in boosting your overall education outside of classrooms.
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With this mind, we want to again encourage any students to only take those extracurriculars that interest them the most. This can mean that you take something you’re unfamiliar with. By seeking out those that can educate you better, you will gain more understanding in the long run. But no matter what you take, just remember that your passion and excitement for your chosen extracurricular will be noted when it comes to applications.
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Lastly, don’t forget to have fun! Even if you’re taking one extracurricular that seems tough, it won’t be as good if you don’t have fun with it. There’s even a chance that you can have more fun than you expected, and then you really have something to talk about in your college interview!
Extracurricular Activities are some of the most rewarding and wide-ranging components of any student’s educational journey. Colleges want to find driven, hard-working, passionate students to welcome onto their campuses. Getting good grades might reflect a hard-working student, maybe even a driven one. But inside of every extracurricular is a passion waiting to be discovered. So get looking, get applying, and get motivated. If you have any more questions about extracurricular activities, or college applications in general, feel free to visit the NSHSS blog page for more information.