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Extracurriculars

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How to Balance Academics and Extracurriculars?

Hi guys! I'm a junior in high school, and I've been struggling to balance my school work with my extracurricular activities. Any tips on how to juggle academics and extracurriculars effectively? What do colleges look for in an applicant's extracurricular involvement? Thank you!

10 months ago

Balancing academics and extracurriculars is a common challenge for high school students. Here are some tips to help you juggle both aspects of your life more effectively:

1. Prioritize: Identify your most important commitments in both academics and extracurricular activities. Focus on excelling in a few extracurriculars that you're truly passionate about rather than participating in many activities that you might not have as much time for or interest in.

2. Set goals and deadlines: Create short-term and long-term goals for your academics and extracurriculars. Having clear objectives with deadlines helps you stay motivated and manage your time well.

3. Stay organized: Keeping track of your assignments, tests, and extracurricular commitments is essential. Use a planner, calendar, or digital tool to help you stay on top of your responsibilities.

4. Time management: Allocate specific time slots for studying, extracurricular activities, and leisure. Be mindful of your energy levels and try to maximize productivity during your peak hours.

5. Break tasks into smaller chunks: Breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces can make them feel less overwhelming and help you manage your time more effectively.

6. Communicate with teachers and club leaders: If you're struggling, be sure to reach out to your teachers or club leaders. They may be able to provide guidance, extensions, or accommodations to help you balance your workload.

In terms of what colleges look for in an applicant's extracurricular involvement, they are generally interested in students who have demonstrated a high level of commitment and impact in their activities. Rather than simply participating in many activities, colleges value students who show growth, leadership, and passion in a select few. The 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars framework is often used to describe the level of impact and achievement in a student’s chosen activities:

- Tier 1: National or international-level achievements or leadership.

- Tier 2: State or regional-level achievements or leadership.

- Tier 3: Leadership roles within clubs or teams at the school level.

- Tier 4: General membership in clubs or teams, or non-selective volunteer work.

For more detailed descriptions of each extracurricular tier, and guidance on how to categorize your own activities, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities

Overall, a good tip is to focus on developing a strong "spike" or specialty by deeply engaging in activities that align with your interests and strengths. This will not only help you stand out to college admissions officers, by showing what you have to offer that even other talented applicants don't, but also make it easier to balance your schedule since you're investing your time in activities you genuinely care about. Good luck!

10 months ago

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.