What you do outside of the classroom is almost as important as what you do in it. Your extracurricular activities will set you apart from other academically qualified college candidates. But which ones are the best for highlighting your talents and strengths?
Below are some impressive extracurricular activities across various categories ranging from STEM to sports that you can add to your resume and boost your chances of admission to your dream school!
Extracurricular activities account for about 30% of a college application. But their impact on your admissions chances is a bit more nuanced than that. Most highly selective colleges use the Academic Index to screen applicants. This metric represents academic factors like grades and test scores. Students must meet the college’s minimum standards before the admissions committee will take a closer look at their application.
However, colleges receive applications from thousands of students who reach their Academic Index threshold, so how do they make their final decisions? That’s where extracurriculars enter the picture! These activities, along with other qualitative materials, like essays, will make students stand out.
Curious how your Academic Index and extracurriculars will affect your admissions chances? Our free chancing engine takes into account GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your chances of admission at over 1600 colleges across the country. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile.
Not all extracurriculars are created equally. There is a system CollegeVine and admissions committees use to evaluate extracurriculars based on their uniqueness and the level of dedication or skill they demonstrate. Extracurricular activities can be divided into four tiers.
These are usually rare and demonstrate exceptional talent, achievement, or merit. Winning a prestigious national award, sitting first chair in an all-state orchestra, and starting a nonprofit that gains national attention are examples of tier 1 activities.
While somewhat more common than tier 1 activities, tier 2 activities still demonstrate exceptional achievement. Admissions committees simply encounter these activities more frequently than they do those in tier 1. For example, you might serve as student body present, make it to state tournaments for tennis, or you could win a local or regional contest.
These activities are more frequently found on students’ applications, but they’re still worth including since they demonstrate applicants’ interests outside of the classroom. This tier includes smaller leadership positions in school clubs like treasurer or distinctions in a sport like player of the week or junior captain.
Tier 4 describes the activities that are most commonly seen by admissions committees. Although less impressive than the other tiers, these activities do play a role in helping colleges see what kind of student and person they would be admitting. This tier includes general membership in clubs and organizations, volunteering regularly, or taking music classes or other types of lessons for several years.
The activity itself is less important than your commitment to it. Tier 1 and 2 activities that demonstrate a real passion should be prioritized, but, of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll have more than a couple of those on your resume.
Contrary to popular belief, being well-rounded doesn’t necessarily make you stand out to college admissions officers. It’s a pervasive myth that you need to be well-rounded to get into a good college. In reality, students are more likely to stand out with a well-developed specialty, also known as a spike. This depth, instead of breadth, can showcase your commitment, passion, and potential to contribute uniquely to the college community.
Furthermore, you can enhance your spike with juxtapositional depth. It’s a term that describes the blending of two different specialties into a single activity, which can make you even more memorable to the admissions committee.
For example, if you’re an athlete who loves to write, you might combine these interests by finding a niche in sports journalism, such as starting a column for your high school newspaper.
Or, if you’re a musician with a passion for helping your community, you could teach music lessons to children at your community center.
Another example could be a student passionate about both software and sports. They could develop an app to track stats for their school’s teams, or they could start a coding club that creates software to help local sports clubs with their logistics.
There isn’t a fixed number of extracurricular activities that an applicant must have on their list. While competitive applicants often have 8-10 activities, this is merely an average, not a requirement. Doing more activities isn’t necessarily better. The impact and tier of the extracurriculars are most important. Additionally, remember that many activities, like sports, are seasonal; you definitely don’t need to be doing 8-10 activities all at once!
Remember, your extracurriculars should showcase your talents, interests, and commitment. If you take on too much, your grades could suffer—as could your mental health. Learning to prioritize certain activities and manage your time is a valuable skill, not only for college applications but also for life beyond high school.
The following are extracurriculars you could consider joining depending on your interests. Remember, the most impressive extracurriculars are those with juxtapositional depth that connect two of your interests, so if you see something you like in the Medicine and Music category, why not start your own activity and bridge your two interests together!
Looking for more ideas? Check out CollegeVine’s complete list of extracurricular activities.
Remember, colleges are interested in how you’ve demonstrated leadership, initiative, and growth through your extracurricular activities. The more you’ve taken on responsibility or achieved a high level of expertise, the more impressive the activity will be to admissions officers.
Your activities should reflect your genuine interests and the things you’re passionate about. College admissions officers can often tell if an activity is just padding for your resume, and they’re more interested in what you’re truly excited about. It’s okay to explore a variety of activities early in your high school career, but as you progress, try to focus more on the ones that you’re truly passionate about.