Plan Extracurriculars for College
by Justin B.
“You may not realize it, but you do it all the time. Begin with the end in mind, that is. You draw up a blueprint before you build a house. You read a recipe before you bake a cake. You create an outline before you write a paper (at least I hope you do). It’s part of life.” (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey).
An analogy I often use with students is to approach preparing for your future college applications in the same way you do with tests in school. In order to do well on a test, you want to know what information is covered, how many questions will be asked and the format (multiple choice or open-ended questions) so that you could effectively study.
Treating your future college applications as a “test” that you can prepare for (well in advance if you’re only in 9th or 10th grade), can be invaluable for intentionally building your application profile throughout your high school journey. And unlike most tests in school, you already know the types of questions that will be asked on your future college apps!
While there is variation from year to year with the exact questions schools ask, college essays consistently focus on similar themes. Below is a list of typical essays question types and suggested possibilities for extracurricular activities that align with them:
- Community Impact: volunteering, fundraising, tutoring
- Creativity: visual arts (drawing/painting), digital/graphic design, creating a website, photography, performing arts (theater, music, dance), playing an instrument, writing for school newspaper, blog or other publication
- Diversity: advocacy groups, cultural exchanges, international travel
- Fit to Major: internships, summer programs, enrichment courses taken outside of school, academic competitions
- Leadership: formal positions within class council or student government, president/officer for school clubs, taking initiative with a passion project
- Teamwork: high school/club level sports, event planning
In planning your extracurricular activities with the end of your college goals in mind, you’ll give yourself a wide range of experiences to write about and ultimately position yourself as a stronger candidate for admissions!
