How to Start 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. What’s the best way to choose extracurricular activities? We will publish additional advice for students who are further along with their extracurricular involvement, but if you’re just starting out, here are a few 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.
Should your student choose an activity that is academic, creative, or community service oriented? There really is no wrong answer here. Again, this 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. Thiswill help your student develop their own strong sense of leadership.
Don’t choose too many activities. It’s good to have a 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 your student can become overwhelmed. Colleges are looking for commitment. It is better to have one or two activities that your student can stick with 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.
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. And don’t forget to check back here for additional advice on how to deepen your student’s extracurricular involvement in a way that will get colleges to notice!
