High school freshmanAnswered
Hey guys! I'm a high school freshman, and I have tons of extracurriculars. Any life changing advice? I also go to a highschool that requires you to graduate with the IB diploma, and only offers IB classes. Does that affect anything?
Earn karma by helping others:
3 answers
Honestly? Extracurriculars are cool. Colleges love them, but it shouldn't be your entire focus. Classes are important, and so are your grades. When your thinking about this kind of thing, the thing that matters when it comes to standing out, is the balance of both. You don't want a 100 extracurriculars, you want a few strong ones. You probably want to aim for a few that your super strong at, that align with your interests, or that your willing to learn and participate in. I don't know much about IB classes and diplomas, but those will definitely stand out compared to a regular HS diploma.
If you have any other questions, I'm sure you can look it up or ask for professional advice.
That’s awesome you’re already diving into a lot of extracurriculars — just remember, it’s quality > quantity. Colleges (and honestly, life) care more about the stuff you stick with and grow in rather than trying to do everything at once. Pick 1–2 things you actually love and see how far you can take them (leadership, awards, projects, etc.). That’ll stand out way more than a super long list.
As for IB it’s rigorous, but also respected worldwide. It won’t hurt you at all; in fact, it usually makes college apps stronger because unis know it’s tough. The main “IB effect” is just workload, so make sure you don’t burn out trying to balance every club + full IB. Time management will be your best skill.
Life-changing advice? Don’t just do things for the resume do them because they’ll shape you, give you stories to tell, and teach you skills you’ll actually use later. Oh, and protect your sleep. No activity is worth tanking your health.
that is awesome! being so proactive and thinking about this so young is great! the ib diploma looks great, but is a lot of work. make sure that once you get to upperclassman years you're not too overwhelmed with extra curriculars. remember, a few impactful things are better than a bunch of random ones!
Your chance of acceptance
Your chancing factors
Community Guidelines
To keep this community safe and supportive:
- Be kind and respectful!
- Keep posts relevant to college admissions and high school.
- Don’t ask “chance-me” questions. Use CollegeVine’s chancing instead!