Great question! You are very much correct with the notion that extracurriculars play a vital part in your college application and as you get older, and your life gets busier, it’s logical you don’t want to spend time doing something you are not passionate about nor waste time doing an activity that’s not going to count much.
Mind if I ask – are you thinking of applying to the USA or to the UK? Because each one views college applications rather differently.
In the USA, extracurriculars compose 30% of the college application equation and you will have 10 slots for extracurriculars on the common application you’ll use to apply. Keep in mind, it’s not about quantity here but quality – taking a single guitar lesson and giving up, then using it for one of the ten isn’t going to do you a favor. Instead, a mix of creativity, action, service, as well as a scholarly pursuit, leadership, and a quirky interest make the winning combination. For example, that would mean choosing a sport you prefer (if you don’t like team sports, look into activities like yoga or hiking), picking up a creative outlet (be it an instrument, coding computer games, or anything in-between), doing some volunteer work such as through your school or religious organization, engaging in a niche hobby you enjoy (I’ve built model airplanes and the Ivy League admissions officers knew about it!), as well as something such as a math club, literary society, etc (scholarly is the key here). Your extracurricular activities will be judged on both breadth and depth, so dive deep and show the competitions, leadership opportunities, and as much innovation as possible. If you have a passion and your school does not offer it yet, don’t be afraid to start your own club. For example, if you start up the school newspaper it could double as leadership as well as serve as a service to the school community!
On the other hand, extracurriculars are seen differently in the UK as they compose around 15% of your application. While the USA favors a well-rounded application, the UK favors a pointy one. As such, they will focus on super-curriculars, or activities you’ve done that relate to what you wish to study. Sometimes the connection will be obvious, such as a student wishing to study finance getting an internship with a local banking firm. The Delta Institute offers plenty of internships with Fortune-500 companies which you can do online. Sometimes, you need to make the connection. For example, soccer may be helpful in learning how to perform as a team member in a high-pressure environment as your team tries to qualify for nationals in Australia. Additionally, a research paper is key here. All successful CrimsonOxbridge applicants have one, and I would encourage you to get started next year with a reputable organization such as Indigo.
Finally, whether you aim to go the USA or the UK, showing you’ve spent your summers in a meaningful way is vital. If you have a specific interest, such as medicine in the UK, doing work experience such as shadowing at a hospital will be mandatory to get accepted. In addition to internships, the summers can also be used for extra tutoring (such as for the iGCSEs, SATs, etc), taking additional classes (such as online at the Crimson Global Academy), developing specific conditioning for your chosen sport if you’re an athlete (the IMG Academy in Florida is perfect for this!), trying a summer program such as the Stanford Summer Scholars, or advancing in a niche area of your choice at the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.
So there you have it – the “right” extracurriculars are a personal blend depending on what you wish to study at university and where you wish to study. If you’re still unsure about that, make sure to check the domains I’ve mentioned above and as always, follow your heart and good things will follow.
Yours in education,
Gala Radinovic
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