Extracurricular Activities
How you showcase your extracurricular activities really depends on WHO your audience is.
Types of Extracurricular Activites:
Babysitting
Mowing lawns for neighbors
Part-time job
Volunteering
Job Shadowing
Participating in a school sport
Participating in a sport OUTSIDE of school
ALL school clubs
Taking private music lessons
Being involved in your religious community
Caretaking for a dependent family member
Being in the Band or Theater
Participating in contests/competitions
Attending camps or conferences for character and/or skill development
And so much more!
MYTHS about Extracurriculars:
MYTH: "Good grades are more important than extracurricular activities. You only need extracurricular activities if you have bad grades."
TRUTH: Universities want to know about your extracurriculars because they want to know what you do in addition to school, homework, and studying. Impressive grades in tough classes is not as impressive when a college or university discovers that you spend all your time after school only studying and doing school work. They do not want to admit someone to their university who will be tucked away in the library all day - they want someone who will be an active member on the campus and contribute to the community!
MYTH: "All your extracurricular activities need to directly aligned with your indicated college major of interest"
TRUTH: Not at all! Colleges rely on your extracurricular activities to reflect your character and personality. Your academic/career interests only reveal one aspect of your personality. A doctor who only cares about science & medicine is BORING! You want a doctor who can talk to you about their love of snowboarding, understands the relevance of current events, and studies different languages for fun!
MYTH: "You can never have too many extracurricular activities"
TRUTH: Quality of involvement is MUCH more important than Quantity. Rather than accumulating hundreds of community service hours from random volunteer opportunities, it is much better to highlight things that you have been deeply involved in and have demonstrated consistent commitment towards.
Check out the CollegeWise Guide to the CommonApp for a break down of how Common App will ask you about your extracurricular activities!
For Community Colleges...
Community Colleges do not deny students so they do not inquire about extracurricular activities on their application.
If you enroll in community college with the intent to transfer to a university, there are TONS of ways to get involved as a students in community college.
For Employers...
Employers who are seeking employees directly out of high school do not care as much about your personal interests and hobbies.
They want to see proof that you are skilled, trainable, reliable, mature, and responsible.
You will need a resume to efficiently demonstrate these traits.
For Military Enlistment...
The military does not require a list of extracurricular activities or a resume to apply.