Extracurriculars that "sell," not bore
Nary a week goes by without a question about a summer program, service trip opportunity or other similar queries. Here are my thoughts:
The world of extracurricular activities is divided into two parts: Typical and Atypical. Nothing against typical activities, but they won't move the proverbial college application needle. Examples:
Playing a sport is great for many reasons, but unless you're a recruited athlete, it will not help your kid get in anywhere. He doesn't have to step up his private tennis or fencing lessons to six times per week for college application purposes.
Being a member of National Honor Society is nice, but if your child qualifies, she will be joining the rarefied air of the top 70% of her peers. Not a game changer for the college apps. It's a participation trophy.
Enrolling in a service trip to Hawaii, the Dominican Republic or some other tropical paradise requiring travel by air -- instead of offering your profound volunteering skills and passion locally in a disadvantaged neighborhood a short drive away -- might actually reek of privilege to any admissions officer with half a brain. Privilege isn't too popular in college these days. (Publicly.)
Enrolling in a summer program at a pay-to-play Ivy or near-Ivy looking to monetize their unused seasonal capacity will not help you get into that respective college.
So what should your kiddo do outside of getting great grades and taking hard classes?
I'm not saying in any way to avoid Typical Activities. But if there's an opportunity to transmogriphy (went to the actual dictionary for that one) a Typical Activity into an Atypical Activity, make it happen. Examples:
Musician: goes to All State competition
Boy Scout/Girl Scout: Gold / Eagle award
Other thoughts: introverted kids do not need to run for office or manipulate themselves into leadership positions in every club. Yes, those help but they're not the ONLY road to a competitive college.
Especially when you realize that there are no followers applying to college, everyone's a leader!
I jest, but not that much. My point is that you can do other things to stand out, even if out of school. Or perhaps especially if out of school.
Starting your own little business is cool and shows entrepreneurialism and motivation. Some actual examples off the top of my noggin: Desert making, tutoring, sports lessons, music lessons, sneaker trading, lawn care, auto detailing, whatever. Each shows initiative and has nothing to do with high school or winning a popularity contest.
The word "passion" or phrase "Passion Project" are so overused that they make my stomach turn, but the concept they refer to is about "going deep" on one or more (not too many more) areas or activities. Each of my above examples necessitates that type of commitment. Bear that in mind.
Final comment: I NEVER suggest that any of my students do something to "look good for college." I'm philosophically opposed to that. My personal bias aside, I know that admissions officers are equally if not more against this practice, and can usually sniff it out on the Activities Section of the Common Application and supplemental essays.
Put differently, they know when daddy formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit for his (exceptional) daughter Sloane to prevent animal cruelty from the end of 10th grade up to, but not later than November 1 of Senior Year (coincidentally when Early Decision applications are due).
You are MUCH better off for college application purposes -- and life purposes -- if you hone in on something that is of personal value to you, without undue attention on how it will look on the Activities Section, and "plus" or accentuate it.
Thus endeth today's lesson.
- Andy "Has an Actual Dictionary" Lockwood
P.S. Re: college advising, we offer private, one-on-one coaching and group coaching via a summer bootcamp for Class of 2025 students. (We're currently running a $500 off, instant "Early Action Scholarship" on the bootcamp.)