Could Someone Unpack Extracurricular Activities for me?

Hey, guys! I always hear about the importance of 'extracurricular activities' in the college admission process. But what exactly do they mean? Are we just talking about sports, clubs, and volunteering? Or is there more to it?

Extracurricular activities encompass pretty much anything you choose to do outside of your academic coursework. Specifically, they're activities that don't earn you school credit but still engage your interest, skills, or passion. So, yes, they can include sports and clubs, volunteering work, but also internships, employment, personal projects, and other hobbies can count too.

Extracurricular activities give admissions officers insight into who you are beyond just your grades and test scores. They allow you to demonstrate skills and characteristics that aren't necessarily evident from your academic record alone – things like leadership, creativity, teamwork, resilience, and commitment.

Now, rather than spreading yourself across many activities, it's generally more beneficial to show depth and commitment in a few select areas. Remember: quality matters more than quantity.

What's especially important is that these activities align with your interests or intended field of study, if you have one. If you're applying as a computer science major, for example, leading a coding club or developing an app in your spare time would be stellar extracurriculars. But it's not just about relevance – passion counts, too. Whatever you choose to do, try to make sure it's something that excites you, or that you feel strongly about. This will make it much easier for you to demonstrate dedication and achieve during your time in high school.

Finally, it's good to know that colleges view extracurriculars using the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars. The tiers range from Tier 1, which includes rare activities that show exceptional achievement at the national or international level, all the way to Tier 4, which includes most common activities seen by admissions committees like general club membership and volunteering. Understanding where your activities fall within these tiers can give you a sense of how impactful they might be in your application.

Remember, what matters most is your level of involvement, leadership capacity, dedication to your chosen activities, and the impact you've been able to make in these spheres. Hope this helps!