Ivy Link's Guide to Choosing Extracurricular Activities
We all know that extracurricular activities are essential. They enhance your student’s interests, teach them how to work with others, and look great on college applications. But how does your student choose which extracurricular activities are for them? If your student is just starting out, here are some things to consider:
What are your student’s interests? The best way for your student to succeed is to choose an activity in which they are engaged. This may take a little bit of trial and error so we suggest starting early to allow your student the time they need to figure out what interests them. If your student realizes that an activity isn’t for them, don’t force them to continue. Instead, help them find an activity which is better suited for them.
Should your student choose an activity that is academic, creative, or community service oriented? There really is no wrong answer here. Again, this all depends on your student’s interests. If your student chooses something in which they excel, then they have a better chance of learning to work well with other students and organizational leaders. This will help your student develop their own strong sense of leadership. This may even help them choose a career path to follow.
Don’t choose too many activities. It’s good to have a small variety of extracurriculars to put on a college application, but if your student is signed up for too many activities, then their focus can become too scattered. Or worse, your student can become overwhelmed and burnout. Colleges are looking for commitment. It is better to have one or two activities that your student can stick with, and excel at, rather than a list of unrelated activities to which they can’t commit.
Monitor the amount of time dedicated to extracurricular activities. Remember, good grades and an adequate amount of study time is more important. After all, what good is a lengthy list of extracurriculars if your student’s grades start to slip? Make sure your student has adequate time to devote to their studies while still giving them time to rest.
Record the number of hours your student spends on extracurriculars. Most students don’t realize until they’re completing the Common App that colleges want to see the number of hours per week that your student spent on each activity. They will also want to know if the activities were year-round, or only during the school year.
Whatever your student chooses, make sure it is something that they are passionate about (or at least highly interested in) and that they increase their involvement and abilities as they progress through high school. Get started, as early as possible, to ensure success. This is a great way to get colleges to take notice!
Ivy Link’s Achieve Program provides comprehensive, one-on-one college advising to students in grades 8 - 12. We will design bespoke strategies for your child that highlight their strengths and passions, culminating in a competitive and compelling profile for college admissions.
