While grades are the #1 cut off in the college application game, they are not the only factor to consider. In the United States, grades make up about 40% of the college application equation, while in the UK, they are at around 75%. However, there are other factors to take note of.
There are five elements to a solid college application, which are getting good grades in challenging courses, having a robust extracurricular portfolio, scoring high on the SAT, obtaining strong letters of recommendation, as well as submitting a great personal essay.
How Important are Extracurriculars in College Application
Allow me to clarify extracurriculars further as that is your primary concern. In the USA, extracurriculars make up 30% of the college application equation and in the UK, we would be looking at around 15%. In both situations, they are the second most important factor to consider.
When applying for university, there are slots for 10 different extracurricular activities in the application. Try to model the IB program’s way here, aiming to expose yourself to activities in creativity, action, and service – ideally showing growth in all of them through the years as well as in leadership and competitions. Also keep in mind that if you are applying to the United States, students there are expected to complete around 25 hours of community service each year, so if you will be competing against applicants with such profiles, you should aim to do the same at the very bare minimum.
Extracurriculars for Law School Application
College application officers look at the breadth and depth of your activities, so you want to ensure that you are doing more than just warming your chair by sitting in an activity for an hour each week.Consider the skills a lawyer requires and try to build them up through activities such as speech and debate, as good speaking skills and forming a proper argument are solid in this sector. Model United Nations is also a great idea, as drafting legislatures and working in committees will give you some wonderful transferable skills. Crimson Rise offers online courses for both endeavors, should you desire an initial push in the right direction.
Also give some consideration to the type of law you are interested in. Perhaps volunteering at a homeless shelter would be a good match if you want to explore human rights or take part in your school’s business/entrepreneurial society if your ambition is to become a lawyer in a for-profit company. As you start to gain more experience in your extracurriculars, aim for a leadership position in your school club and sign up for whatever competitions come your way, hustling as needed for an impressive win when opportunity knocks!
Adding in a creative pursuit and a sport (or dance!) into the mix and you should be good to go. Remember, law is a competitive field with highly driven applicants so the best thing to do is to start today and ensure you are demonstrating the qualities of a lawyer with potential to level them up as the years go by.
If you would like further advice on how to level up your child, I would strongly suggest you sign up for a free consultation with an academic advisor here at Crimson Rise, so we can discuss how to help your child develop a robust portfolio with the right extracurriculars in order to maximize their chances of being accepted into an elite university. The admissions trends are more competitive each year, so getting a head-start as soon as possible is the right way to go.
Yours in education,
Gala Radinovic
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