Developing a unique and impactful extracurricular profile is a crucial component of a competitive application for top schools. Colleges seek students who demonstrate initiative, passion, and leadership through their extracurriculars. However, it is not enough to just aim for impressive achievement and impact. The most successful extracurricular profile is a thoughtfully curated portfolio of activities that tell a coherent personal narrative. This narrative helps admissions officers understand what you've done, who you are, and what drives you.
Ultimately, colleges want to admit students who have the highest likelihood of becoming wildly successful in their chosen area. Thus, admissions officers also use your extracurriculars to evaluate your potential for future success. In this article, I will explain specific extracurricular activities that will help your application stand out, and how to get started in them:
Internships & Work Experience Programs:
Internships allow you to gain real-world exposure to your field of interest. However, securing internships requires a level of persistence. Start by identifying organizations aligned with your interests or career ambitions. Research local businesses, non-profits, and government agencies that might welcome student interns. Make sure to personalize your outreach/application to each opportunity. Your application should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of their work and articulate specific ways you hope to contribute. For example, instead of saying "I'm interested in learning about marketing," try "I'm fascinated by how your company has built its brand through social media, and I'd like to learn more about digital marketing strategies while helping to boost your social media engagement."
For a younger student, job shadowing can serve as a valuable stepping stone to help you explore potential career paths. Many professionals are willing to let students observe their day-to-day work, which provides invaluable insight into different career options. The best way to get a job shadowing opportunity is to reach out to your personal network of people. Interested in medicine? Ask your family doctor if you can observe a day in their clinic!
Research
We’re seeing an increased interest in academic research among schools, with schools like Columbia & Yale adding a section on the application to insert supplementary materials about your research experiences. There are multiple entry points to engage in research:
- Contact local university professors whose work aligns with your research interests
- Explore summer research programs specifically designed for high school students
- Engage in a 1-1 research mentorship program
Meaningful Leadership
Leadership is widely known as an essential for college applications. However, it's crucial to understand that admissions officers have become increasingly sophisticated in evaluating the authenticity and impact of student-led initiatives. While starting a non-profit or new organization can be impressive, these activities must demonstrate genuine impact and external validation. Under our Rise Capstone project, where we work with students to craft their own unique leadership initiative, we always remind students to start with “why”, and think about how they want to meaningfully develop these activities over the long term.
When engaging in leadership, be mindful about:
- Authentic Engagement: Choose causes that genuinely matter to you and issues you deeply care about solving
- Measurable Impact: Document concrete outcomes of your work (number of people served, funds raised, specific problems solved)
- External Validation: Seek legitimate recognition through competitions, government grants, or media coverage from established organizations
Remember that admissions officers value deep commitment and verifiable impact over flashy initiatives with limited substance.
Overall, building a unique extracurricular profile takes time, reflection, and authentic engagement. By pursuing opportunities aligned with your genuine interests, you'll develop a compelling college application and valuable experiences that will serve you well beyond the admissions process.
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