What types of activities are college-bound students least likely to participate in?

Hi guys, are there any activities in high school that students applying to college tend to avoid? I’m trying to plan my junior and senior years, and while I don’t want to lose any extracurriculars that make me a unique applicant, I also want to avoid wasting time on things that could potentially hurt my application. Suggestions?

When planning extracurricular activities, it's essential to engage in activities that align with your interests and demonstrate your dedication, leadership skills, and potential for growth.

Certain activities, however, might not make as strong an impact. These include:

1. Low-Commitment Activities: While it's impressive to be involved in many activities, depth is often more important than breadth. In other words, it's better to be heavily involved in a few extracurriculars than to be mildly involved in many.

2. Common Clubs with No Significant Involvement: Being a member of a popular club without any significant contribution or leadership role won't stand out.

3. Pay-to-Play Organizations: Some "honors societies", like NSHSS, have loose academic requirements and charge a fee to join. Signup-based honor societies are usually viewed skeptically by admission officers because they lack selectivity and offer little value in terms of personal or professional development.

4. Resume Padding: Pursuing activities purely for the sake of impressing colleges often backfires. Admission officials are experienced and can often tell when a student is padding their resume with activities they're not genuinely interested in.

Remember, effective engagement in an activity is marked by the level of commitment, the leadership role you play, and any accomplishments achieved over time. For instance, if you love playing an instrument, consider going beyond just the school band and forming a local orchestra, or teaching underprivileged children music classes. These activities demonstrate initiative, commitment, and a deeper understanding of your interest which can substantially bolster your application.