Whether you love football, pottery, theater, or being involved in your student government, there is an extracurricular for you. Not only do extracurriculars allow you to pursue your interests, but also make you a well-rounded candidate for college applications.
Do you think you might be doing too much or too little when it comes to participating in extracurriculars (ECs)? Or maybe you’re just not sure where to start? Our complete guide will walk you through everything from the types of extracurriculars to their benefits and how they impact your college application.
What Are Extracurriculars?
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Extracurriculars are any activity or club you join that takes place outside of the traditional classroom. It’s a great way for you to pursue something that you are interested in or passionate about. And not to mention, they look great on a college application. While many extracurriculars can be found within your high school, you may also look to the community for options, such as volunteering, joining a sports league, or finding a part-time job.
Examples of Extracurriculars
If you can think of an activity, there’s probably an extracurricular for it out there. Here are some common types of extracurricular activities that students participate in:
- Athletics
- Art and Creative Clubs
- Student Government
- Media and Technology Clubs
- Academic Clubs
- Volunteering
- Part-Time Jobs
- Drama and Music Clubs
- Debate Team
- Community Outreach
If none of these are hitting the mark, check out 85 more extracurriculars for college apps.
7 Benefits of Extracurriculars
While attending your biology, math, and English classes is mandatory, participating in an extracurricular (or more) is your choice. And it gets to be one that you want to do. These activities not only look great on your college application by showcasing your dedication, initiative, and leadership skills, but they also highlight your interests outside the classroom and offer numerous personal benefits:
- You get to explore new interests that might not be covered in your classes.
- You can meet new people who share your passions and build strong friendships.
- Balancing schoolwork with extracurriculars teaches you valuable time-management and organizational skills.
- The skills and experiences that you gain can be used on your resume, making you a more attractive candidate for future jobs.
- Participating in activities outside of classes can be a healthy way to manage stress and anxiety.
- As you accomplish goals and receive recognition, your confidence and self-esteem may increase.
- By participating in extracurricular activities, you can set yourself up for greater academic success. This positive link between extracurriculars and academics has been studied for decades, dating back to the early 1930s.
Do Extracurricular Activities Impact College Applications?
Colleges will absolutely want to see that you’ve participated in extracurriculars throughout high school! Getting into college is extremely competitive, and many applicants will have similar GPAs and test scores. Being involved in extracurriculars can show them you are well-rounded and passionate about things beyond academics. This may just be the deciding factor that gets you accepted over someone else!
When you participate in extracurriculars, you are showing colleges that you have taken the initiative to do something outside of your classes. Plus, this is a great sign to colleges that you are going to take part in activities and clubs on their campus, and that’s exactly what they want!
Tips for Balancing Academics and Extracurriculars
Keep in mind that while extracurriculars are important, so are your grades. However, even though balancing the two is important, many find themselves struggling to do so. You may end up focusing on one more than the other if you don’t have a game plan in place. Here are some quick tips to help you:
- Create a schedule that works for you: Make a schedule that prioritizes your classes and leaves time for studying, assignments, and relaxing. Make sure you leave enough time for completing all assignments before scheduling non-academic activities.
- Put academics first: Colleges will give credit to both, but your academics will generally hold more weight than your theater club participation. If you have a huge test to study for the same night as your book club meeting, you should prioritize studying over going—this demonstrates a deeper commitment to your academics.
- Be selective about your extracurriculars: Don’t just join a bunch of clubs or sports to impress admissions. You’ll end up burning yourself out and giving off the perception that you’re not very committed to the process. Choose activities you can realistically manage alongside your studies.
How Many Extracurricular Activities Are Ideal to Colleges?
When it comes to extracurriculars, quality matters more than quantity. Colleges don’t want to see that you just jumped around from club to club – they want to know that you are passionate and committed to the ones that you are in (and it’s kind of hard to be committed to 10 clubs).
Shoot for joining one to three extracurriculars. This way, you can give your best to each club you are a part of. After all, how will colleges know what your interests are if you’re in every club that’s out there? By focusing on the ECs you are passionate about, you can show colleges it’s not just a list you want to check off.
Does It Matter What Kind of Extracurriculars?
You know colleges want to see extracurriculars on your application, but do they actually care which ones you do? Are some activities better than others? A lot of students can get caught up in the idea that the activity itself is important, and this isn’t necessarily true. Colleges tend to care more about how you do it than what you do.
It doesn’t matter if you were student body president or a committed member of your book club, college admissions aren’t looking at that—they know everyone has different interests! The details of your involvement (what you actually did) are much more important than your simple participation. They want to know that whatever club you are in, you gave it your all.
At the end of the day, don’t just join extracurriculars solely for your college application. What are you truly passionate about? Focus on a few activities that you can really dedicate yourself to, rather than joining everything. Colleges love to see genuine commitment. Remember, academics come first, so don’t spread yourself too thin. Choose ECs that allow you to balance both. Don’t stress too much about what to do—just find what you love, give it your all, and it will reflect positively on your college applications.
Wondering which college is right for you? Use College Raptor’s College Match tool to compare schools based on your preferred major, admission chances, and location!
