[ot-caption title=”Choosing extra curricular activities can be a very difficult task for some students in high school. (via Jason Kelman, junior)”]

It seems that in high school, everyone excels at something. Maybe you are the straight “A” student competing in intellectual competitions, the queen of student media, a killer student government official, or a music virtuoso. Extracurriculars are sometimes seen as activities needed to show colleges a well-rounded transcript. If so many people have this mindset, which activities really look “good” to admissions officers? Do all activities give the same impression to colleges?

For years, extracurricular activities have promoted student expression and success in areas outside of the classroom. According to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, over 79.9% of high school students participate in extracurricular activities outside of school. By playing a sport, participating in a visual or creative art, mastering an instrument, forming a club, volunteering in the community, or playing an active role in student government, students can set themselves apart from others on their college transcript. Extracurricular activities provide admissions officers with something standardized test scores and grades fail to show.

The truth is: the type of person you are is revealed by what you commit yourself to. The transcript you provide to colleges is really their only personal glimpse into your interests and talents. Different extracurricular activities can reveal something different about each student.

But, what happens when students begin to think the more extracurricular activities they list on their transcript the better? These students usually find themselves in a struggle between doing what they truly enjoy and what they believe will increase their chances of getting accepted to the college of their dreams. Jeff Brenzel, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale University weighs in on this issue in an interview with the College Board, “What you truly enjoy, you’re probably going to get better at…the important thing is, are you getting something out of it?”

11th grader Mariana Giraldo seems to agree, saying, “I don’t believe there is a ‘right’ activity but if you are passionate about a certain subject or activity and show leadership in it people will always take notice of that.”

As a Pine Crest student, I’m well familiarized with the competitive aura of high school. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear students talking nervously about colleges and questioning their own abilities. Even those who aren’t seniors worry about whether their classmates, who oftentimes plan on applying to the same schools as them, will have a better shot of getting in. “What do admissions officers want to see?, “What if I don’t get accepted?” “What if they choose her over me?” These are questions I frequently hear students asking their friends. But, this constant worrying does not mean that students should choose an activity based on how “good” it will look on the desk of an admissions officer. In the long run, choosing something that you think appears “good” over doing something you love will only make you miserable. 

Sources: College Board, National Center for Education Statistics