Hi guys! I've been hearing a lot about clubs, volunteer work, sports, and stuff as 'extracurricular activities'. What exactly are they and is there a certain number/types I need to aim for to impress colleges?
Extracurriculars encompass a wide array of activities that you participate in outside your regular school curriculum. This could be community service, a club at your high school, music performances, research, internships, varsity athletics, and even passions pursued independently, like programming your own app or writing a novel.
Colleges do indeed pay close attention to your extracurriculars as they provide insight into your passions, skills, and the kind of contribution you might bring to their community. Not just the presence but the depth of your involvement and your progression within these activities matter.
Most highly-involved students who get into top colleges tend to have 8-10 extracurriculars, but remember many of these are seasonal activities, like sports. They’re also typically highly-involved in a few, where they’ve shown significant impact, commitment, leadership, and skill development. So, the quality of your involvement often matters more than just the sheer number of activities.
To give you a framework, colleges generally judge extracurriculars using the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars:
1) Tier 1 refers to national or international level achievements or leadership, such as winning a national award.
2) Tier 2 includes high levels of achievement and leadership in slightly more common activities like being the school president or a top-tier athlete in your state.
3) Tier 3 covers activities indicative of your interests like being a club leader or being active in the National Honor Society.
4) Tier 4 includes general club memberships or volunteering, and these are the most common.
Your goal should be to have a few activities in which you progressively take on more responsibilities and leadership roles, showing your genuine interest and commitment.
Remember, what most matters is that you passionately pursue what interests you, rather than trying to fill up your resume. It's essential to choose activities that align with your interests rather than what you think admissions officers may want to see. Colleges want to learn about who you are as a person through your activities—what drives you, what influences you, and most importantly, what impact you have made through them.
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.