What are the Most Impressive Extracurriculars for College?

Hi, I'm a junior in high school and trying to figure out how to bolster my extracurriculars. I'm just curious, what kinds of extracurriculars tend to impress colleges the most? Is it leadership roles, community service, a unique hobby, or something else?

Generally, colleges are impressed by a combination of commitment, leadership, impact, and a specialty or "spike" in a particular area. Let's break this down:

1. Commitment: Colleges like to see a sustained commitment to an activity or a few activities over a longer period of time, such as all four years of high school. This shows dedication and proves you can stick with something long-term.

2. Leadership: Holding a leadership position, like club president or team captain, showcases that you have skills in leading others, organizing events, managing logistics, etc. All valuable in college and beyond.

3. Impact: If you've made a notable impact or achieved something significant in your school or community through your extracurricular, that's definitely impressive. For example, if you organized a fundraising event that raised a substantial amount for a cause, or if you started a club that attracted a large membership.

4. Spike: This is developing a highly-developed specialty or area of interest. Instead of being a jack of all trades, colleges often prefer students that excel in one particular area. This proficiency illustrates that you have the potential to be successful in this field in the future, which looks promising for the college.

Here's a quick guideline to rank extracurriculars, known as the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars:

- Tier 1: These are rare and show a national or international level of achievement or leadership. Examples include national awards or playing a sport at a high level.

- Tier 2: A bit more common than Tier 1 but still show high achievement. Examples include being student body president or securing a competitive internship.

- Tier 3: Common activities that highlight your interests, like being in NHS or a club leader.

- Tier 4: General club or sports participation, volunteering—activities that many students take part in.

Remember, what matters most is choosing extracurriculars that demonstrate your interests and passions. Hopping on an activity just because you think it'll impress colleges isn't the right approach, since colleges will be looking for genuine interest and engagement. Do what you love and excel in it, and that will shine through.