Impressive Extracurricular Activities for Postsecondary Applications
When it comes to applying to college and university, making a solid first impression is essential. Teens should be prepared for stiff competition, so ensuring their application stands out is key. Extracurricular activities included in the application process provide Admissions Departments with a better understanding of teens’ personalities, interests, and objectives.
What extracurricular pursuits are ideal for college and university? Understanding the activities teens should list on applications is crucial. Even though teens may have engaged in several activities, not all activities need to be documented on the college application. In fact, including too many can harm work the opposite way. The best activities have a more challenging time standing out on a broader list. To choose which extracurricular activities to list, keep the following in mind and check out these tips for a stress-free college application.
Importance of Extracurricular Activities
What extracurricular pursuits are ideal for applications?
Through extracurricular activities, students demonstrate various personality traits about themselves, such as their willingness to develop new skills and collaborate with others.
Extracurricular activities such as after-school science club or math competition participation demonstrate to admission departments that teens are engaged in a subject of study outside the classroom.
Extracurricular activities also demonstrate to colleges about interests outside of the chosen major.
The 7 Best Extracurriculars for College
What appeals to admissions officers? Even while you don’t have to include every activity you’ve engaged in, choosing which ones to mention can be difficult. In any order, the following extracurricular pursuits are among the greatest for college applications.
- Leadership Activities. Eagle Scouts, editor of the school newspaper, captain of a sports team, and seats on the student council indicate that teens are dedicated to their goals and interests and have what it takes to lead
- Athletics. Participating in a club or school sports team can show motivation, dedication, and time-management abilities.
- Internships. Interning with a nonprofit or small business might increase the chances of admission. Relevant internships are a solid complement to applications. These positions demonstrate enthusiasm and expertise in an area of interest and may provide teens with a valuable advantage when applying to colleges.
- Artistic and Creative Pursuits. Activities that require artistic and creative expression, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, graphic design, fashion design, theatre, music, and dance, can highlight a capacity for imagination. Admission Departments love seeing these activities on students’ applications.
- Academic Clubs. Debate Clubs, Student Council, and other similar clubs indicate that teens have interests and expertise outside of the classroom. Admissions Departments look for teens who pursue academic endeavours beyond those necessary to earn a high school diploma. Participating in academic clubs and teams demonstrates that teens have teamwork skills, dedication, and a commitment to a collective goal.
- Volunteering and Community Service. Serving meals at a soup kitchen, organizing cans at the local food bank, or constructing homes with Habitat for Humanity help teens demonstrate a dedication to service while also improving their community.
- Relevant Work Experience. Admission Departments look for part-time jobs on applications as it demonstrates a capacity for success in a setting outside of the classroom. It shows a capacity to contribute to campus life outside of school.
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