Extracurricular Activities Colleges Want to See
Interesting Extracurriculars To Set Your College Application Apart
Jun 2, 2009
With class rank only used by 50 percent of schools, and fewer colleges relying on SAT scores, one aspect recruiters are taking a closer look at is an applicant’s extracurricular activities. So what makes your extracurricular activities stand out from the rest? Here is a list of extracurricular ideas that you may want to consider.
High School Extracurricular
The typical sports activities and high school interests, such as student council and yearbook committee, have all been seen before. Recruiters want to see something new. Ideas: Ask your school or student council for permission to start a new group, such as one that will help educate students on current political issues if it is an election year.
Leadership Activities
You need to list activities that show you held a leadership role. Ideas: Consider coaching a disadvantaged kids’ soccer team, starting a book club among your friends or neighbors to encourage more reading and less television, or organizing an annual blood drive at your school.
Entrepreneurship and Initiative Activities
Activities that show initiative or entrepreneurship are always valued. Ideas: Starting a small business is impressive. It can be something simple like a grass cutting business in your neighborhood, an Ebay business, or making and selling jewelry.
Philanthropy and Volunteerism
Recruiters always look highly upon philanthropy and volunteerism. Ideas: You could volunteer to help with a Habitat for Humanity build in your neighborhood. Doing this every summer as opposed to just one would be more notable. You could go door to door and collect food for the local food bank. Make this an annual or bi-annual event. You could also grow your hair for a year and then donate it to make wigs for sick children.
Socially Conscious Activities
Activities that show you care about people and the environment are highly regarded as well. Ideas: You could start a petition to lobby local government against a cause that is a concern in your neighborhood. You could organize a recycling program at your school if there is not already one – such as recycling batteries or cell phones.
Unique Accomplishments
You want to show your uniqueness through a personal accomplishment. Ideas: Run a marathon (this requires months of training and dedication), start a blog about something important like a pressing social issue, take an expedition such as traveling across the country by backpack, rebuild a vintage car from scratch, read one book a week for a year, learn to play an unusual instrument like a lute, write and self-publish an e-book or create an online gallery of your artwork or photography.
The longer you were involved in the activity the better. It shows that you can stick with things and see them through. Also, you don’t need to list a ton of extracurricular activities. Just three or four that you are really passionate about will do.
More Articles:
 |
