Hey guys! I've been teaching myself a new language (not offered at my school) for the past few years, and I'm really enjoying the process. Can this be considered an extracurricular activity for my college applications? Thanks in advance!
Hello there! Absolutely, teaching yourself a new language can be considered an extracurricular activity for your college applications. Colleges appreciate students who take the initiative to learn something new and are passionate about their interests, even if they're not part of a formal school program.
Just make sure to clearly outline the effort you put in (hours spent, activities done) and your progress (for example, having a B2 level in French after self-studying for 1 year or being able to give directions to a Mexican tourist in your city in Spanish). It's also ideal if you can "formalize" your language learning with an organized activity, such as starting or attending a weekly language exchange.
For example, my own child learned Japanese on their own and included it as one of their extracurriculars. They even started a language club at their school to share their knowledge with others. It ended up being a positive addition to their application.
Good luck with your applications and keep up the awesome work on learning that new language!
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