Deep > Broad: Extracurricular Activities and College Admissions
When Should I Start Preparing for the ACT/SAT?
December 14, 2018
PSAT Scores & The National Merit Scholarship Program.
December 14, 2018
“What’s better, a lot of activities in a bunch of areas or activities that are more or less related?”
It’s a good question, and I get it a lot from forward-looking high school sophomores, juniors (hi Dom), and their families.
Almost anyone will tell you that “colleges want well-rounded students.” The problem with advice like that is that it’s just accurate enough to survive year after year. It’s true that colleges want to see interests outside the classroom. Extracurriculars give you a wide variety of real skills, soft skills, and valuable experiences.
At the same time, just showing up to meetings doesn’t say much about you. For example, there are approximately 1 million members of the National Honor Society. Even being president doesn’t do much to distinguish you in the eyes of elite colleges. There are about 35,000 Chapter Presidents of National Honor Society. I’m not picking on NHS; it’s a great organization. But I do want to make the point that there are a lot of high schools out there, and a lot of students have similar resumes.
I break activity involvement down by level of engagement. You can say someone is passive (sits at meetings), active (involved in the existing structure), or takes the initiative (takes things to the next level). Passive involvement in a lot of activities does little for you. Active participation is better. Taking initiative in a relatively small number of things is best.
Don’t dabble, dive. There are a ton of student body presidents but only a few hundred members of state championship robotics teams. Extend your robotics expertise to volunteerism by coaching a middle school team or working with elementary school kids on STEM. Robotics is an example. The same goes with debate, forensics, etc. Excellence matters much more than breadth.
Let’s go back to being NHS president. Let’s say that your chapter raises 30,000 dollars; you’ve taken a relatively common position and done something extraordinary. You’ve also given yourself a great essay topic.
A third example of outstanding extracurricular involvement is a self-created, self-directed project that fills a need in your school or community. A few years ago, I had a student who was a volunteer working with children at a women’s shelter. She recognized that the center needed a new bus to take the children. So the student set a fundraising goal for the bus. She held events, solicited private donations, and worked with her friends to hold a 5k. The children got a bus, and the student got an experience that was very meaningful for her and admissions committees.
In the first example, the robotics team, the student exceled in a competitive event at a high level. In the second, the student take an existing structure and maximized its potential. In the third, the student recognized a problem, defined a solution, and executed. All are impressive, make great fodder for essays, and—most importantly—teach you a ton about yourself and others.
Think about it from the college’s point of view. They’re in the business of creating rich (read: generous) and impactful alumni. The process isn’t about admitting the smartest people. Above a certain threshold—which is not very high—extra IQ doesn’t correlate to extra success. Elite colleges want to admit people that will change the world. People who have the unique cocktail of IQ, EQ, resilience, and ambition. In essence, they’re betting on you to make a difference 10 or more years down the road.
We’d love to talk to you about your college plans, contact us to set up a free phone consultation.
