Middle school is an exciting time for young students. Preteens and teens experience a heightened desire for self-discovery and creating an identity for themselves separate from their parents. Extracurricular activities are an impactful medium through which kids can explore and define their identity.
Middle school is also a crucial time for academic, psychological, and social development, and extracurricular activities contribute in more ways than you would imagine towards the overall development of your child. Extracurricular activities, classes, and programs can develop your teen's talents, explore their passions, and even help them develop social skills. Participating in and committing to extracurricular activities can also lead to improved academic performance as it helps your kids learn to manage their time across different priorities.
Extracurricular activities, in many ways, build the foundations for your child’s future success in high school, college, and beyond. In this article, we will further look into how extracurriculars may impact your middle schooler's future success and also learn how to select ideal activities for your child that yield positive returns in the future.
Importance of Extracurriculars in College Admissions
Extracurricular activities have the power to open doors for other academic opportunities later on, such as high school admission or college and university.
Ivy League colleges and other top schools receive thousands of applications every year from students who already meet the academic requirements (grades and test scores). Extracurricular activities, along with other qualitative components of the application (including essays and recommendation letters), allow the admissions committee to gauge students beyond their academic performance.
Extracurriculars account for about 30% of a college application. But their impact on your admissions chances is a bit more nuanced than that. Extracurricular activities allow your child to distinguish themselves from other applicants and showcase their talents, interests, and commitment.
And this is where your child could make a difference for themselves and stand out from the sea of applicants. When your child starts out early in an extracurricular activity it allows them to hone their skills in that particular area, become an expert and even go on to become a leader or win awards, competitions at high levels. This sort of achievement impresses colleges much more than just being a part of a club or simply taking music classes or other types of lessons for years. Ideally Ivy league schools are interested in students who have one or two highly-developed interests.
So how to develop an extracurricular portfolio that could impress selective colleges and high schools?
Choosing Extracurricular Activity in Middle School
In middle school, the focus should be on fostering curiosity, cultivating the love of learning new things, and engaging in diverse activities with an open-minded approach. Here are a few ways you could help your preteen navigate the extracurricular landscape during the middle school years:
- Explore Diverse Interests
Middle school is an ideal time for exploration and discovery. It is quite natural if your child hasn't developed a core inclination or passion yet. During the middle school years, encourage your kids to explore a variety of activities. Expose them to a range of diverse activities, from sports and academic clubs to community service, to spark curiosity and creativity. This exploration not only helps them uncover hidden talents but also fosters adaptability and open-mindedness.
- Develop A Deep Interest
One key aspect of engaging in diverse extracurricular activities in middle school is being able to cultivate deep interests. If your middle schooler is excited and spends hundreds of hours every year on an activity, it should be something that they enjoy. These interests could change or evolve over time. Even if their interest changes over time, some of the skills will always be transferable to the newfound area of interest. The goal is to eventually find something that they can pursue long-term and that can lead to leadership opportunities, but that may require starting new things along the way.
- Align with Academic Interests
Encourage your child to explore extracurricular activities that align with subjects (such as math, science, English, etc.) where they have already shown a deep interest and desire to learn more. This could even be related to a career aspiration that they have already demonstrated. For instance, if your child dreams of becoming a veterinarian, participating in animal welfare clubs or volunteering at local shelters can provide valuable experience and insight. Finding synergies like this in the early phase of middle school not only deepens their understanding of the subject but also demonstrates early focus and motivation in their chosen field.
- Purposeful Choices
Middle school marks the transition to purposeful and intentional activity choices. As parents, you can encourage your kids to think critically about how each activity contributes to their personal growth and skill development before choosing to pursue a specific activity. If your child has already developed a deep interest, you can also help them explore ways to create an impact within that area of interest. For example, if your kid aspires to be a writer, they may start a blog or online magazine to share their creative non-fiction or short stories with others.
Bonus tip: Ivy League schools and top colleges are interested in students who have one or two highly-developed interests. Furthermore, combining one or more areas of demonstrated interest into one big passion project is likely to stand out among the other applicants. So, if your child is interested in sports and technology, building a small project that demonstrates passion in both fields will always give them an extra edge over the competition.
Best Extracurriculars for College Applications
The following are extracurricular activities you could consider exploring across different categories, depending on your child's initial inclination. Start exploring their interests by joining school clubs and taking regular classes.
STEM
- Founding a science, technology, engineering, or math club at your kid’s school
- Organizing a community-wide STEM fair or event
- Winning medals at local/regional Olympiad competitions (math, science, etc.)
- Taking advanced STEM classes (coding, robotics, AI, etc.)
- Develop a basic game using programming languages like Scratch, Python, or JavaScript.
- Build a chatbot using platforms like Dialogflow or Microsoft Bot Framework.
Music
- Offering private music lessons to younger students
- Performing in community concerts or recitals
- Collaborating with peers to form a band or ensemble
- Participating in All-State Band/Orchestra/Choir
- Competing in music competitions like the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) competitions
Drama
- Directing or stage managing a play or musical at the school level
- Creating and performing original theatrical pieces
- Volunteering with a local theater for outreach programs or children's theater workshops
Arts
- Organize a wearable art fashion show. Design and create clothing and accessories using unconventional materials.
- Community Mural project: Collaborate with peers to design and paint a mural that represents their school or community.
- Conduct art workshops for an art form your child is already trained in
Community service:
- Mentoring peers or younger students through a formal program
- Launching a tutoring or mentorship program for younger students
- Starting a nonprofit organization
- Organizing a large-scale fundraising event for a local charity
- Creating a community garden or other environmental project
- Community Book Exchange: Set up a book exchange station where residents can borrow and donate books.
- Conduct workshops to enhance technology literacy among community members, especially seniors.
Business and Entrepreneurship
- Start a small shop selling handmade crafts. Create items like jewellery, keychains, or custom T-shirts to sell.
- Online reselling- Start an online reselling business by finding unique items at thrift stores or garage sales and selling them on platforms like eBay or Etsy.
- Help small businesses or individuals manage their social media accounts by creating content and posting regularly.
- Offer virtual assistant services to busy professionals or entrepreneurs. Tasks may include email management, scheduling, and research.
- Start a blog or vlog sharing interests, hobbies, or educational content. Monetize through ads or sponsorships once the audience grows.
Athletics
- Being a captain of a competitive sports team
- Leading fitness classes or training sessions for peers or community members
- Writing for a sports blog, newspaper, or broadcasting sports events for a local radio or television station
- Working on sports technology innovation projects using sports analytics
Writing
- Starting a creative writing club at your school
- Publishing a book or ebook
- Become editor at a school magazine or local newspaper
- Organize a poetry slam where participants can perform their original poems.
- Organizing a poetry slam or storytelling event in the community
- Collaborate with peers to create a literary magazine. Collect and publish original stories, poems, and artwork from the community.
Leadership
- Participating in Model Congress (president or award)
- Participating in Model UN (president)
- Actively participating in student government activities
- Getting elected as a student council member or student body officer
- Start a TED-Ed Club where students explore ideas worth spreading and create their own TED-style talks.
Need Help to Take the Next Step?
Extracurriculars should showcase your child's talents, interests, and commitment rather than focusing on accumulating classes or hours to fulfil the extracurricular section of a college application.
Crimson Rise's Global Learner Program is designed for students just like your child to help them reach their maximum potential. Our expert strategists meet one-on-one with your child to help them find a sense of direction and passion without compromising their overall academic performance.
Our team of experts meets with your family to gain a deeper understanding of their interests, passions, and challenges, allowing them to chart out an individualized academic pathway. With our community of academic and field experts, each student gets an opportunity to explore a diverse range of extracurriculars, independent projects, leadership opportunities, and more.
Book a free consultation today with our academic advisor to learn how our programs could specifically help your child.
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