Extracurriculars look great on college applications, but do colleges look for certain clubs or activities when you apply? The answer is yes and no! What you do during the club or activity is more important than the activity itself in some cases. Here’s a list of 7 extracurricular activities for college applications.
What Extracurricular Activities Do Colleges Look For?
1. Those That Showcase Leadership
It’s likely that your high school has a wide variety of clubs to choose from. These could be chess, National Honor Society, Dungeons & Dragons, drama, cooking, photography, or foreign language. Any of these will look amazing on a college application as they show you have interests outside of school.
However, if you really want to get your extracurriculars noticed, take a leadership position in your club. If you organize chess meets, you show that you can manage time and organize a group. If you’re the Game Master of a D&D game, you’re showing outstanding creativity, the ability to think on your feet and adjust to your team. For drama, cooking, photography, and foreign language leadership positions, you may be in charge of organizing club meetings, events, activities, and more.
2. Athletics
Participate in after-school sports? This is a great way to show a college you can commit to your goals and show you work hard to achieve them. After all, you’ve likely spent years honing your skills!
And if you’re part of a “team sport,” such as soccer or football, you’re displaying the ability to work with a team. You can follow directions from your coaches, you understand the importance of being able to rely on your team members, and you may even have a leadership position within your group.
And your athletics experience doesn’t have to be through your high school. Many communities have their own clubs or teams, so definitely include these activities under your list of extracurriculars.
3. Internships
Internships can present you with plenty of opportunities. You can learn about your intended career, get work experience, and make connections that will prove invaluable in the future. You may even end up working there after you have your college degree.
But colleges look favorably upon internships as well! It showcases that you’re motivated – you likely got this opportunity by applying for it, something you didn’t have to do and were not required to do. It shows you’re serious about a particular field or work. Internships also give you hands-on experience that can prove to be difference-makers in the classroom.
4. Part-Time Jobs
Having a part-time job on your college application shows potential schools that you have a strong work ethic, are motivated and can work in a professional environment. After all, most students don’t really have to get a part-time job in high school – they simply choose to. This sort of self-motivated attitude is exactly what colleges are looking for in students!
5. Artistic and Creative Clubs
Art clubs tend to be commonplace in high schools, and joining one can look amazing on a college application. Whether it’s a hobby or your intended area of study, it shows you have interests outside of your main academics and grades and are able to think outside of the box. Some of these clubs, like band, also demonstrate that you have the skills to work with others and collaborate.
6. Academic Clubs
Have a penchant for math? Planning to major in science? Joining an extracurricular in these subjects during high school can give you an edge over other students planning to pursue similar majors. You actively demonstrate that your interest in the subject matter is more to you than just a class – you’re taking time out of your day to continue studying it!
Other academic clubs that showcase intelligence are fantastic, too, such as book club and chess club.
7. Volunteering
Another extracurricular activity that can highlight your college application is volunteering. It shows motivation, dedication to your community, and care for others who are less fortunate. Working at a food bank, the animal shelter or the town’s summer camp can all show the school that you’re interested in your community outside of the classroom.
Extracurricular activities for college applications do matter, especially if you’re aiming for hard-to-get-into schools. While you should try to find clubs and organizations that demonstrate your skills and dedication, you also want to be sure you’re interested in the extracurricular! Don’t do it simply because it looks good on your application. This approach will ensure you stick with it and have fun! It’s much better to have a consistent history of attending an extracurricular, rather than what you think a college or university is looking for.
Did you know that extracurriculars can also land you a scholarship? Some awards are solely dedicated to specific clubs, or that extracurricular you participated in could give you an edge over the competition. Start with our Scholarship Search tool to find awards you qualify for without the hassle!
