What extracurriculars should I take for the remainder of high school?
I am currently a 9th grader. Recently, I transferred from a small private school with very few clubs to a large public school. Since I transferred almost midway through the school year, most clubs and such aren't accepting any new members. I have been able to sign up for Golf and Italian club, and I played tennis in the fall. I also added Academic Decathlon to my schedule for next year. I currently have a 4.02 weighted GPA, take all honors classes, and want to go to Columbia and major in computer science or something related to technology. What extracurriculars should I join for the subsequent years?
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2 answers
It's wonderful that you're ambitious! But I will say, your extracurriculars are a bit all over the place. Students can have a multifaceted resume, but you should be interested in each and every activity you pursue. I'd hate to assume (so correct me if I'm wrong) but I have the feeling you're engaging with as many extracurriculars as you can without asking yourself: "what do I WANT to commit my time towards?" I know how frustrating it can be as a high schooler who feels like they won't have an extracurriculars list robust enough to make them niche and desirable. But picking just any extracurriculars you can find isn't the best thing you can do for yourself, both with respect to your future college applications and to your health.
My advice is simple: do what you are passionate about to the best degree you possibly can. Are you passionate about engineering? Take on an engineering project where you build something significant (whether it be software, hardware, mechanical, etc.). What if you're passionate about science? Try to intern as a researcher in a topic you're particularly interested in. What if you love art? Build your portfolio and take on an artist apprenticeship. Music? Find a producer. Graphic design? Get a big commission. Business? Make a business with big sales. And the list goes on and on.
Whatever you enjoy pouring your time towards, just go 110%. Enjoy yourself during high school by pursuing what you like, not what you think colleges will prefer. And I promise you, students who follow these steps have a far easier time getting into their top choices then those who start vague non-profits that inherently serve the purpose of resume building. Colleges, honestly, don't want well rounded students. They want angular students with a specific quality that is extraordinary.
So step 1, think to yourself. Ask yourself what you want to do and be honest. Step 2, research. Find opportunities, both in and out of your school, and become invested. And that's all there is to it. Best of luck and I hope you have a wonderful remaining high school experience!
Hello!
To be quite honest, given that you want to go into computer science or tech (which could change in the next couple years), I think you might want to chose extracurriculars that better reflect those. Unless you really enjoy the activities you are doing, then definitely keep doing them!!
Some ideas off the top of my head are...
1. Coding club (join early. If your school doesn't have one, reach out to a computer science teacher for help on starting one! they could also write you a great letter of recommendation when you have to submit your college application.)
2. Engineering club (same advice applies. start now and try to gain a leadership position)
3. If you feel deeply connected to Italian culture, definitely continue Italian club! Try to become an officer later on...
4. Sports: if you are doing tennis and golf for fun and because it truly makes you happy, then you can ignore this. However, if you are doing them so it looks good on a college resume, stop while you're ahead! Unless you are a top player in your state or even the country, colleges don't care too much if you are in a sports team - your time would be better spent elsewhere (still, if you enjoy it then PLEASE keep doing those sports!)
5. Join a hackathon! Code your own app! Really anything.
6. Do you have a passion for gaps in technology access throughout the world? Start a nonprofit to teach free coding classes (these don't have to be live! you can upload them to YouTube or another platform) and host donation drives in your school to pay for computers in low-income schools.
While these ideas are all related to your current intended career path, know that your interests could (and probably will) change. Since you are just starting high school, use some elective spots in your schedule to experiment with new classes on subjects you might have never tried. If you might want to try writing, join your school's newspaper! art? join or start an art club! Really, the possibilities are endless.
I hope this helped! Let me know if I can answer any follow-up questions. Good luck! :)
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Hi @CamRod! I'm a transfer student who already has some college experience, and I'd say going through the admissions process the first time around, schools really want you to be involved in stuff you care about more than anything. They're looking for you to have long-standing involvement with groups that you are passionate about. Since you're wanting to major in compsci & tech, see if there are any clubs like that at your new school and start there! Colleges also love service work so that too!