Extracurricular Activities That Help Get You Into College

Academics aren't the only way to a college admissions director's heart. The individuals who'll decide your fate determining whether or not you'll get accepted into a particular college value extracurricular activities almost as much as they value your GPA.

Extracurricular activities can also help students find their way to scholarships and grants that make college easier to pay for. Extracurriculars are a great way to showcase your talents and passions, and can go a long way helping you qualify for financial benefits.

Though they don't necessarily fall under admissions requirements, extracurriculars will help give you an edge and stand out from the thousands of other students sending in their own application. It's likely you'll be able to find all kinds of extracurricular activities available right at school, from arts programs to athletics to community service initiatives.

5 Extracurricular Activities Admissions Directors Want to See

• Play a Sport. Athletics don't just show college admissions offices that you like to stay in shape and maintain a low heart rate. They expose your desire to be part of a team, to work for something that's larger than yourself. They show a competitive edge that maybe doesn't show up in the classroom, and they bring to light your commitment to success. You don't need to be the star of the team, either. Getting involved with any team, on any level, is something that admissions directors look for.
• Get Involved in Fine Arts. Whether it's oil painting, drawing, sculpting, or ceramics, students who have gotten themselves involved in fine arts programs have a proven track record of devotion, concentration, and resilience. Those students also enter into the admissions process with a certain advantage in the sense that they offer admissions offices a refined portfolio that showcases the fruits of their labor.
• Try Out for a Play or Join a Band. Much like athletics, being part of the performing arts plays into the whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts philosophy. Both activities require a great deal of teamwork and show that you're willing to manage your time wisely enough to put together a great product.
• Do some Community Service. Obviously the first reason to get involved with community service is to help others, not yourself, but that doesn't mean that admissions offices aren't taking notice. Getting involved in community service shows great initiative and brings to light your selflessness, empathy, and willingness to work for the greater good.
• Join a Mentoring Program. Mentoring programs offer students a great opportunity to get involved in a leadership role. Just like community service, mentoring programs display that initiative to help others that college and universities really value.

The best part about all of these is that each one can be just as fun as it is beneficial. Who knows? You might learn that you really like acting, or that you're pretty good with a table saw. Either way, you'll be picking up valuable tools and experiences that will pay off later and make you look all the more appealing to the colleges you apply to. 

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