You'll get into a top college if you get good grades and achieve high test scores, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, many high school students believe grades and test scores are the only pieces of the college application that matter. They spend all their time studying and spend very little time on extracurricular activities. While grades and test scores matter, the college application contains many important sections, including the extracurricular activities list, designed to give admissions teams a holistic picture of you.
What are Extracurricular Activities?
An extracurricular activity is anything that falls outside the scope of a regular curriculum. It typically doesn't carry academic credit but can be related to school. For example, athletics and student clubs are considered extracurricular activities. Hobbies, interests, and volunteer work outside of school are also considered extracurricular activities.
Why do Extracurricular Activities Matter?
College admissions officers evaluate applications holistically, considering grades, test scores, extracurriculars, essays, and letters of recommendation. A well-rounded background is crucial. While academic achievements are important, the role of extracurriculars is increasingly significant. In a competitive landscape, with rising application numbers and many students boasting excellent grades and scores, extracurriculars help distinguish a candidate.
Participation in extracurricular activities often demonstrates key character qualities and professional skills sought by admissions officers, such as drive, leadership, passion, commitment, and time management. These skills, typically not learned in an academic setting, are developed through active involvement in high school extracurricular activities.
Types of Extracurricular Activities
Internships
Examples: Corporate Internships, Non-Profit Internships, Government Internships, Research Internships, Medical Internships, Legal Internships, Engineering Internships, IT Internships, Marketing Internships, Environmental Internships.
Where to Find: Internships can be found through university career centers, company websites, professional networks like LinkedIn, internship-specific platforms, and industry-specific job boards. Local government and community organizations also offer internships in various fields.
Competitions
Examples: Writing Contests, Science Olympiads, Math Competitions, STEM Challenges, Debate Tournaments, Art Competitions, Music Competitions, Coding Hackathons, Environmental Science Fairs, Robotics Competitions.
Where to Find: These competitions are often organized by educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and professional societies. Schools and universities frequently provide information on upcoming contests. Additionally, online platforms and community bulletin boards are great resources for finding national and international competitions.
- Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition
- Harvard Crimson Global Case Competition
- High School Academic Research Competition
Arts and Creativity
Examples: Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Design, Creative Writing, Fashion Design, Film Making, Ceramics, Choir, Digital Art, Theater Production.
Where to Find: Explore these in community centers, art schools, cultural organizations, and schools. Local libraries, community bulletin boards, and online platforms also offer resources.
Science and Technology
Examples: Robotics, Computer Programming, Science Fairs, Astronomy Clubs, Environmental Science, Tech DIY Projects, Amateur Radio, Engineering Competitions, Cybersecurity Clubs, Biotech Clubs.
Where to Find: Available in schools, universities, local tech centers, maker spaces, community colleges, and online communities.
Community Service
Examples: Volunteering at Shelters, Organizing Charity Events, Environmental Cleanups, Reading to the Elderly, Community Gardening, Mentoring Programs, Food Banks, Health Campaigns, Community Art, Tutoring.
Where to Find: Seek opportunities through NGOs, community centers, religious institutions, schools, and local volunteer offices.
Sports and Physical Activities
Examples: Team Sports, Individual Sports, Martial Arts, Yoga, Dance, Gymnastics, Swimming, Track and Field, Adventure Sports, Fitness Clubs.
Where to Find: Join through school teams, local sports clubs, community centers, and private clubs.
Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Examples: Student Government, Debate Club, Entrepreneurs Club, Model UN, Junior Achievement, Youth Board, Leadership Workshops, Social Entrepreneurship, Investment Clubs, School Newspaper.
Where to Find: Find these in schools, youth organizations, business programs, and online educational platforms.
Academic Clubs
Examples: Math Club, Science Olympiad, Language Clubs, Chess Club, History Club, Literature Club, Philosophy Club, Geography Bee, Academic Decathlon, Coding Club.
Where to Find: Mostly in educational settings, public libraries, community centers, and online communities.
Cultural Activities
Examples: Cultural Exchange, International Film Clubs, World Music, Cultural Cooking, Pen Pals, Language Learning, Cultural Dance, International Relations Club, Global Affairs Symposium, Ethnic Heritage Societies.
Where to Find: Engage with these through cultural institutions, community centers, schools, language centers, and online platforms.
How Crimson Pathfinder Can Help With Your Extracurricular Activities
Crimson recently launched Pathfinder - a comprehensive in-app tool that helps you quantify the value of your achievements, including extracurricular activities, and helps you prepare for college.
Contained within the Crimson app, Pathfinder is a master list of everything you can do during school to increase your chances of admission to top universities. Pathfinder includes over 280 goals, each with an assigned point value based on how much admissions officers will value that achievement.
Pathfinder ensures you stay on track between now and when you apply to college. It accurately predicts your admission results (based on your achievements) with unbelievable accuracy. Combined with guidance from your personalized strategist, you'll become a master of your university applications!
Final Thoughts
Crimson's extracurricular mentors are graduates from the top universities our students aim to attend. Our mentors take great care in helping students build an impressive extracurricular profile. These profiles are essential to the application and show admissions officers that our students are passionate, active members of their communities who will ultimately be great contributors on campus.
Ready to tackle your activities list? Learn more about our US Admissions Program or Contact Crimson to get started!