Sophomores and juniors in high school have so much to do. You’re reading, writing, problem-solving, creating, collaborating and practicing, all while you’re spending time with friends and family and trying to figure out what you care about most. When you start thinking about applying to college, you may wonder about the role activities play in the process and how you should assess your involvement.
In this guide, we’ll break down what extracurricular activities are for and what colleges are looking for when reviewing your Common App.
Activities are a way for you to grow and develop as a person, explore your interests, express yourself, and learn how to interact with a variety of people in different settings. When you’re participating in extracurricular activities that truly matter to you, you’re not just “staying busy.” You’re building personal growth over time.
Extracurriculars help you:
Activities aren’t something you “collect” to impress admissions committees.
Yes, the right activities can strengthen your application—but if “looking good” is the main reason you’re doing them, two things usually happen:
Activities don’t have to be flashy to matter. Admissions teams understand that students have different schedules, responsibilities, and resources. On the Common App, extracurricular activities can include pretty much anything you do outside of your academic subjects that takes time and reflects commitment. Examples include:
Activities can help you build your talent as an athlete, musician, artist, actor or problem solver. They can give you the opportunity to practice both leadership skills and collaboration skills.
They can also help you find a sense of belonging within your school’s student body—whether that’s through academic clubs, athletics, arts, service, or a shared cause. And for many students, that feeling of belonging is what makes school feel bigger than just grades and homework.
Activities can also give you a platform to develop your ideas and speak your mind, or find a way to engage with a community you are drawn to. For some students, that looks like student government. For others, it’s research, debate, robotics, tutoring, performing arts, or organizing something that creates a positive impact on other students.
Once you’re involved in activities you care about, don’t stop there! Deciding to go deeper within your existing activities will enhance their meaning and often take you places you never knew you could go. How?
Set goals for yourself
Think about what your role has been up until now and ask yourself how you might bring new energy to the group or set personal milestones you want to achieve. Think about this before each semester starts and write it down. It’s a great way to keep you moving toward your goals. (And it helps with time management, too—because when you know what you’re aiming for, it’s easier to prioritize what matters and say no to what doesn’t.)
Set group goals as well
Often, groups have similar events spaced throughout the academic year. Ask your group how you may improve existing events or if there is something new you could work toward together.
This is also an underrated way to develop leadership skills: making something better for the people who come after you, and strengthening the community around you—whether that’s an academic team, a performance group, or a club.
Keep a list of what you’ve done and what you’ve learned
This does not have to be long—just a bulleted list to jog your memory and help you see how far you’ve come. Being able to articulate your successes, failures and growth will help you understand the impact of your participation.
This will be a great tool to have when you do start working on your college application materials. It will help you explain your own progression and will likely give you essay topic ideas as well—especially if you can describe what you changed, what you learned, and what kind of positive impact you made.
Bringing it all together
Activities aren’t separate from who you are—they’re often where you figure out who you are. Done well, extracurriculars help you build skills, relationships, confidence, and direction. They help you find your place in the student body, strengthen your sense of belonging, and create real momentum in your personal growth.
And when it comes time for college admissions, that same story of consistency, contribution, and growth tends to be exactly what comes through most clearly.
Marc is the author of Untangling the Ivy League, a best-selling guidebook on the Ancient Eight. He earned a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Marc chaired the admissions ambassadors at Cornell and the admissions advisory board at UNC.
