Colleges in the Cal State system value extracurricular activities (ECs) for several reasons. They believe that extracurriculars can play a decisive role in determining a student’s ability to balance multiple responsibilities and commitments. These activities are also a way for students to learn about themselves, build new skills, and meet new people.
Extracurricular activities can significantly influence the college admissions process, as they demonstrate the ability to manage time well and engage in activities outside of school. Over 80 percent of adolescents aged 12-17 participate in at least one EC. The CSU system does not require essays or personal statements and remains objective in making admissions decisions.
However, some CSU campuses do not consider ECs, such as Cal Poly SLO, and instead focus on academic achievement like SAT/ACT scores, GPA, and class grades. Most competitive colleges want to see students who can manage their time well and can do things outside of school work. In general, CSU campuses do not consider extracurricular activities or require/accept essays, but some campuses, like Cal Poly San Francisco, do.
In conclusion, extracurricular activities are not considered in CSU admission decisions, but they can still be beneficial if students have committed time and effort to them. However, it is important to invest time into extracurricular activities if they plan to attend a Cal-State college, as it can help them make informed decisions about their future college.
📹 The Extracurricular Activities that Top Colleges Do/Don’t Want to See
Today, we’ll be talking about how there is no list of the extracurricular activities that top colleges, like the Ivy League, want/don’t …
What do Cal states look at?
High school grades are crucial for CSU admission decisions, with a high school grade point average calculated using all college prep “a-g” classes completed after 9th grade. ACT or SAT test scores are used to determine placement in mathematics and English courses. For more information on course placement, visit the CSU Student Success site. The Early Assessment Program (EAP) helps determine readiness for college-level work in English and mathematics at the end of junior year high school.
Do CSUS care about extracurriculars?
The CSU system, while considering coursework and non-academic factors such as extracurricular activities, does not require the submission of essays or personal statements as part of the application process. Students are required to self-report their coursework and academic performance in the application, and are not required to submit letters of recommendation. This approach guarantees an impartial admissions process.
Do UC schools care about extracurriculars?
UCs prioritize a demonstrated interest in a student’s field of study and leadership potential over completing required coursework and GPA. Extracurricular activities can help distinguish applicants from highly qualified transfer applicants in competitive majors. To gain experience or develop leadership abilities, students can join college clubs, student government, volunteer with community, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations, or work as interns or at a job.
If unable to participate in extracurricular activities due to work or family obligations, students should explain their situation in the UC Application and find other ways to show interest in their field of study. Leadership is defined by an old guideline from the UCLA Alumni Scholarship Program, which can be used to identify situations where students have exhibited leadership qualities.
Do CSUs check extracurriculars?
CSUs primarily assess academic achievement, such as SAT/ACT scores, GPA, and class grades. However, some schools may ask about extracurricular activities, giving a range of hours per week. These extracurricular activities may add weight to the overall profile, but not as much as for UC’s or private schools. Cal Poly SLO is one school that does ask about extracurricular activities, so it may not apply to all. Overall, CSUs assign points based on academic performance, but extracurricular activities may add weight to a student’s overall profile.
Which Cal state is harder to get into?
In terms of competitiveness, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is regarded as the most challenging institution within the California State University system. Meanwhile, UCLA and UC Berkeley are considered the top public universities in California.
Does UC Berkeley look at extracurricular activities?
UC Berkeley does not consider supporting materials like art portfolios or resumes during the application review. Instead, they expect reported grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, personal insight questions, and additional comments to provide a comprehensive picture of a student’s experience and aspirations, making it crucial to answer each section thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Which major is easiest to get into Cal Poly?
Cal Poly offers a variety of majors, including recreation, parks and tourism administration, liberal studies, industrial engineering, and more. The top 10 majors are 365 applicants, 82 spaces available, 22. 5, 493 applicants, 108 spaces available, 21. 9, and 21. 7. Yahoo, part of the Yahoo family, uses cookie policy to provide services, authenticate users, apply security measures, prevent spam and abuse, and measure user usage.
Does Cal Poly look at extracurriculars?
Cal Poly considers extracurricular activities, work experience, internships, volunteer programs, and leadership roles in its admission process. The campus is competitive in all majors, and admission is influenced by cognitive and non-cognitive variables. GPA and test scores are important, but they cannot predict a candidate’s chances. Qualified applicants will be notified in mid-January to submit a portfolio. The Art and Design and Music Departments provide more information on these programs. Cal Poly encourages students to apply to the program that best fits their academic and professional goals.
What are the hardest majors to get into Cal Poly SLO?
Cal Poly’s psychology program has a high number of applicants, with only 73 available spaces. The computer science program has 6, 304 applicants, with 202 available spaces. Marine sciences has 746 applicants, with 24 available spaces. Software engineering has 758 applicants, with 25 available spaces. Many majors are severely impacted, with thousands of students applying for only a small number of spots each year. For fall 2024, the 10 most competitive programs for first-time freshman and transfer students have room for less than 5 applicants.
Can I get into SDSU with no extracurriculars?
San Diego State University (SDSU) does not have strict admission requirements, but rather a holistic review of all academic and non-academic achievements. The average incoming freshman has a GPA of 3. 87, but a high GPA is not the only factor. SDSU also evaluates the rigor of classes, with advanced courses like AP or IB demonstrating academic prowess. In terms of extracurriculars, quality over quantity is crucial.
It’s more impressive to spend time on select activities, showing leadership and commitment, than joining numerous clubs without much involvement. SDSU does not specify what kind of extracurricular activities they favor, but most colleges value activities that align with the intended major or career.
Does UCLA look at extracurricular activities?
UCLA values course rigor, GPA, and essays the most, followed by extracurriculars, talent, personal character, and volunteer/work experience. Standardized test scores and demonstrated interest are not considered. The UCLA Common Data Set (CDS) is a valuable resource that helps shape an applicant’s application. UCLA admissions officers evaluate applicants based on factors like GPA, application essays, and extracurricular activities. They prioritize these factors over standardized test scores and demonstrated interest.
This multi-stage review demonstrates that UCLA values both good grades and personal character, demonstrating that while good grades are important, UCLA also values an applicant’s engagement with their community.
📹 Top 5 At-home Extracurricular Activities for College Applications
… activities colleges don’t care about, activities colleges do care about, extracurricular activities for college acceptance, top notch …
for the last tip, please don’t start a covid initiative with the intention of doing it solely for college. you have to really care to make that activity meaningful, and TONS of students in my (fairly competitive) area have already started nonprofits/organizations that are related to blm or covid-19. none of these organizations have any real impact on the community, at least any more than helping out the national and area-wide organizations and people in charge of dealing with covid-19. do activities because you WANT to do them, don’t just start them because you want to get into a “prestigious” college- because tbh, prestige doesn’t really matter for most majors. just do things that you love and actually care about/want to do and you will be ok!
I can’t say how much I’m thankful to you♥️I’m a 16 year old girl from Iran and I’m gonna immigrate to Canada next year alone and Im really scared to the pony that I can’t sleep at nights, in Iran I’m a top student and I can easily attend the best universities here but well everything is pretty much awful in my homeland(it’s Middle East after all lol) and I can’t stand living in this place wasting my life away,I don’t really know what to do I also don’t know how I can be accepted in a good school I’ve been searching for some advice and I found your website thanks so so so much for explaining this things you are helping me a lot♥️
I was feeling super discouraged as my junior year is coming to a close and I haven’t started any clubs, businesses, etc. Then you brought up writing and publishing! I’ve actually written a novel and am currently working on editing down all 686 pages. Publishing would definitely be a challenge but it has been my goal for years! If you’re a freshman or sophomore, I would definitely recommend getting into writing. You could even do poetry 🖋📖
I’m a 14-year-old from the Philippines, and my dream is to become a Vassar graduate to pursue law. My grades surely aren’t the best, and I don’t have ANY extracurriculars, but I found this article really motivating for me! I have a passion for social equality and would love to write a book and create an organization that advocates it. Thank you for showing your young audience that we can be capable of doing so much more than what we are expected to do! However, I would like to start doing lighter and easier extracurriculars because everything is so overwhelming at the moment. Would you recommend any small and easy extracurriculars; just so that I can slowly adjust as I am very new to doing these sort of activities.
I kinda disagree with #1, since I feel like everyone is starting a COVID-related initiative though, especially in tutoring and research. Maybe colleges would see through that unless their passion was already in COVID-related stuff (epidemiology/public health) and it could take away from a spike that was developed prior to COVID?
Tbh i don’t usually comment on any article but ig your tips were heck useful and since you asked for suggestions this article is incredible!♡ Would you mind doin’ some research on internships available for teenagers because most of online internships are for college students and not for high schoolers.♡♡♡
I’m sad that I found this article late. I don’t think my extracurricular activities from freshmen and sophomore were that impressive. I’m going into junior year and this year I have to do remote, so there aren’t many extracurricular activities. I noticed you said to start an online community. I do have a fan account on Instagram for a kpop band I love (this sounds so cringey and embarrassing XD) that I’m currently growing. I don’t think colleges would find it impressive but what do you think? Would it be considered an online community that seems good to mention?
This summer, I’ve just started looking into colleges and being prudent of my future.. I feel as if I’m behind other students. I’m going into junior year of high school. I regretted not taking any APs or Honors class during my sophomore year as I didn’t look much into them and I didn’t want to overburden myself with the extra work. However, now I’m trying to attain as much informations as I can about colleges and about what I should be doing during my remaining time in high school. I’ve just found out about your website and I’m definitely going to check out the rest of your articles to see what I can do, as well as things that I should be keeping in mind this summer.
I agree totally that writing a book sounds very cool and unique, but will it still look impressive to colleges if no one actually bought the book or if it was written in a very poor manner? I would love to pursue it but I’m just worried about whether I could end up in a sticky situation and wasting my time.
hey! I’ve got a question – on Wattpad, I’m writing an researching all about highschool and college, its basically an in-depth guide about everything you need to know from what to do in freshman year to how to save up money and so much more. is that something that will look good as a personal project? ill be writing it over the course of 4 years as well
Hey i know you probably don’t know much about international applicants but my school doesn’t have that big of an emphasis on extracurriculars and no one really does anything outside of school other than a couple of sports. What do i do to make my ecs stronger if i don’t have any opportunities in school?
Ooohh none of them seems to be possible for me. For context I’m from Bihar(India), the poorest state in India, and no I’m not one of the few rich. The situation is so bad that we have had no income in last 4 months. Still these are some of my ECs:- 1. Spread awareness about covid and the dos and don’ts. My native place is not that attached with the main stream society, so they really didn’t know what the covid really is. 2. Have done a software development course from Duke. 3. Am pursuing a computational neuroscience course from U of Washington. 4. I teach some local children. 5. An NTSE(National talent search examination) qualified. This is conducted by the union govt and so is a pan India competition. 6. Founder and president of my school’s coders club and president of maths club. 7. Was selected for Harvard ssp but couldn’t attend due to this covid situation. 8. Helped make a local study center it’s website. Does that sound good? I am targeting Harvard. I know it’s a lot less than you said. And am also my school’s highest scorer in10th and 11th grade. Haven’t attempted SAT yet but expect a 1550 around.
Please share this website with anyone who you think would benefit 🙂 Here’s the link: bit.ly/irisfu Other articles I referenced that are related to these top extracurriculars! » How to Land an Internship youtu.be/tjWyLDyp3H0 » Stanford Students Share Their Extracurricular Activities (many international students in this interview) youtu.be/bgu_IKpwlOw » How I created my article pal program youtu.be/BVvNxHUvsL8 » How I wrote an publish a book in high school youtu.be/5fnj2s0qMRo youtu.be/fSCbiCuMOTY » How Harvard (and other Ivy League schools) rates applicants youtu.be/4DWXOfnRmwU
Hey everyone! Here’s a place where I post virtual programs/internships: successbasemass.com/post/virtual-summer-programs-for-high-school-students You can also join these youth led organizations as interns/volunteers: successbasemass.com/post/50-youth-led-organizations-accepting-youth-volunteers
I’m planning to write and publish a book sometime in my high school years, but the genre I’m passionate in writing doesn’t really connect with my academics. Would I have to go for a more informative/nonfiction route in order to impress colleges? Tysm for this article, I’ll definitely be using these tips in the future!
Hi! I have a question. Alot of people say doing clubs (obviously before corona) and getting high positions within clubs is a really impressive thing to put on your college applications. Did you do clubs in high school? And as someone with terrible social anxiety, do you have any suggestions regarding finding a club with … how do you say “limited interaction” LOL. Thanks so much!
hi! i have a question concerning one of the activities you listed. i created a discord server about last week dedicated to productivity, studying, and helping others with their schoolwork. we currently have members from different parts of the world, and it’s growing slowly but surely. would that count as starting an online community?
Hi Iris, love your articles! I have a question though, what would make me stand out more on my college apps, my grades, passion projects, or both? Because my grades are a little bit above average and I just wanted to stand out more but people say all I need to do is get better grades. Anyhoo, I just want to get into a great out-of-state university and just wanted some advice on how to achieve that goal! 😁
Could creating a club when school starts in the fall be something? I’ve out forth a lot of though and research into what I want to do, I’m planning on relating it to mental health and overall healthy living, a safe space where people can come after school to talk and decompress. This summer I’ve mainly been researching colleges and starting applications, but would starting this club be beneficial?
Iris, would the publishing a book on Wattpad or inkitt count?😅 Also iris, I’m a grade 11 student (16-17 yr old), so is it still possible to do researches? I mean my country’s edu system revolves around ademics so getting better at extracurriculars is not a big deal but I have seen dat when students go to college, dey r literally hungry for internships. So I thought, starting out now would be great…but again is dere any starting age? Looking forward to ur reply. Love love ❤️♥️😘🌼
hey iris! i was thinking of starting a shop on etsy with upcycling/refurbishing clothes and donating the proceeds to some kind of fundraiser related to recent events, as they’re something i’m passionate about (yemen, blm, combating climate change, etc.) however, the designs i plan to do aren’t very related to those causes as i think i’ll be able to get a bigger audience that way. does this still make sense to do as an idea?
hi iris 🙂 I was wondering if starting an online zine is helpful. I’ve already received a couple art, photography and article submissions from people in several different countries from advertising on social media. Once the website receives more submissions and the social media accounts grow, I was hoping to create a print magazine on Indesign with everyone’s submissions and release/ sell print issues. This is something i’m really passionate about so I was wondering if it would also help me stand out from the other applicants
I wrote a book earlier this year while I was 13, 1 month before I turned 14. I am planning on publishing it in 1 week. And it is going to be a part of a 7 book series. I didn’t think about it being an extracurricular activity though, and that I could put it in my application next year… And yes, I said next year, and yes, I m 14 right now. Thanks!
This is a very inspiring article. I’m worried, though, because I’m an incoming senior, and I have ideas for initiatives I want to start (ones I am truly passionate about), but I’ve already wasted so much time due to fear of failure and rejection. I was new at my school sophomore year, and I didn’t know anyone. At my old school, which is not in the states, we had few opportunities to explore our interests. Right now, I really wish I could start a conversation regarding mental health because of tragedies that have struck neighboring schools and the number of students I see stressed out and trying to suppress their pain in order to succeed academically. Of course, COVID-19 is now exacerbating all that stress by contributing to a decrease in the quality of our education. But our school still insists we focus on our studies and what will look good for college rather than discuss our wellbeing and encourage us to do things that make us happy. I want to change that, but I don’t know how or if I should even try given the lack of connections I have at my school and the mentality of athletics and academics over all else that had been so intensely ingrained into our brains. I’m at a loss.
my extracurriculars: please rate them (ivy league ) 1. founder of helpingem 2. NCC A certificate with grade A ( one of the most prestigious awards below 18) 3. equestrian (gold medallist hex nationally) 4.co-founder of thinkpctech 5.published book which got published around 150 stores (online ) book name: a study about aviation 6.memeber of international association of engennering 7.internship (hr intern at cute dude ) paid with a LOR 1month 8. internship (intern at learning tree) paid 1 month 9.internship ( intern at fantastique) unpaid 20 days
im 16 turning 17 next week and i feel like life is just going so fast lol and im freaking out during quarantine cause theres just so much pressure in highschool as an IB DP student. thanks so much for your points tho, i’ll definitely try not to procrastinate and work hard (hopefully 😅) i just have problems with motivation and a lot of nerves lol but your article is sooo helpful, thanks i really needed this!
can you make a article on writing and publishing books. as soon as i heard that point i knew i wanted to at least try it but where to start what to go about what will impress schools most and how much does it need to be or should be tied to the subject and area in which m moving forward in. im currently in year 9 going on 10 ( grade 8 -> 9 ) and i want to go on to study medicine at NYU which i know is a dream far-fetch but its better to reach further than easier in my mind so if you have any recommendations on how to begin or on what to go to please reply with anything at all. thank you and keep up the good work your articles are doing great and your helping so many people alongside myself :))
Thanks Iris, you’re probably my favourite youtuber! I also want to get into an ivy-league school one day as a pre-med student. I am currently in my junior year at high school and i havent done anything useful yet! i really want to do research but its not possible in my country as their are no labs or professors that are involved in research etc. I am looking for any online research oppurtunities. Would Love to hear your suggestion 🙂
is it okay to write about how i matured from my lazy, arrogant, and nihilistic self to a regretful but eager learner in my college essay? in other words, is it okay to paint my past in a bad light but express how i turned my life around and found purpose? will colleges dislike me for having the wrong mindset in most of my high school career?
Hey iris!! I’m a rising junior from New York! I’ve been binging your content and I just want to say thank youuu- they helped me a lot. I have a few questions: 1) I’ve been wanting to start an online jewelry business for a long time, and I’m planning to start it over the summer (probably launch it on test and then expand it to its own website). Is that a good way to stand out in college admissions? 2) Is it better to start a club/organization outside of school or in school?/ is it better to have leadership positions in organizations outside of school or inside of school? 2) Also, is there anything I can do to show my interest in business/entrepreneurship?
If I want to be a medical student in the future, what project do you think I should do? I’m about to become a sophomore in high school, and I want to do things that I’m passionate about, but now in my area, schools are closed again. I already have a business and I’m planning on making little kits/bags for kids in my community who can’t afford school supplies by at least junior year. Any other things I should do to make my application in the future more interesting? Thanks 😊
Hey just wanted to make sure you know that when you make articles about college apps you wont get many views, but you will get subs. Take for example the website SuperTutorTv, she has lots of subs and great articles, but not many views because college apps are something that once u r done with them you never look back at it. So what Im saying is that college app articles have a low audience retention over time because people only do college apps for a few months. Just wanted to let you know.
Great content. Just a suggestion: you slice the article too much, cutting parts, to speed up the argument and to give the message. But it looks unnatural, with many glimpses. Maybe you could slow down the article’s pace to let the message flow softly. Look for instance Matt D’avella’s articles for an example of soft communication. Congrats
During the COVID period, I started a mask-making small business that provides to the hospitals and community using the resources of my previous textile business. Noticing that it doesn’t make my ends meet, I started a small bakery and have been running two businesses at the same time. I didn’t realize that leading a business is also an extracurricular activity. As I am preparing to study in the US, I wanna know if they are considered as good activities. Thank you.
I low-key want to starts a Latino community of student in my town so we can be United and help each other. I don’t know where to begin since I recently moved to this town and this environment is not as United. Man I don’t know what to do. I moved a a junior and want to do things. I’m a rising senior by the way
Hey there! (I’ll be applying for Fall 2021.) I actually never got the chance to participate in any Olympiads or competitions, as my parents never liked such things. But yeah, I learned graphics designing and web designing by myself. I am an artist who does sketching and painting. I am an author on Wattpad, my book does have over 500k+ reads. It was even got #1 in ranking. I just get disheartened everytime I look at people who did so many things before even finishing their high school.
Okay I hope you reply yo this … A country like mine ( Nigeria) getting a visa to the U.S is already very very difficult not to talk of getting admitted by a school. In Nigeria the only ways you stand a chance of getting into any school abroad is either by getting a crazy grades and S.A.Ts for like a 40% scholarship if you’re lucky or having the money, both options are expensive. If you’re an average student in Nigeria and your parents aren’t rich. Your chances of schooling abroad is zero. I’ll really love it if we talked about this. I’m eager to hear what you have to say.
Do a article of knowing how to make own pair of shoes, or upcycle one piece of clothing thats worn daily from knitting socks, making own pair of shoes (easy shoes are sanuks) upcycle shorts from old pants, I bought an old cardigan and stitched old plaid shirt for elbows and a liner around the neck to look trend like and most importantly, original. I did this because socks are basically the same since always. (Some form and stimulate body +!) But the person who chamges the world has a ritual about their feet. Also stretch your toes. I kid you not the circulation is now a swimmer flip into kick off into flow instead of crashing into toes which always throws off stream and clogs up area. Same with brains and big reason to baldness. I wrote sketch art since kid and got it on billboards all around the world for the movie sex drive. Sadly I took nose dive after fake ads saying fiesta taxi uniform for all drivers in the green vehicles was a green pancho and a large sombrero with name. Not mandotory where having curios fir scent and if passenger had allergies. Fiesta Taxi is a service ofsafe getvawayb happy coulture 30 min vacation.
I’m a student currently pursuing engineering, but was interested in science from the very beginning. And now would like to shift to science after my BE. currently to my knowledge building a profile that shows undertaking sciency things (like projects and research papers) improves the chances of getting admitted in addition to taking the GRE test. My question to you is what all projects, courses, or any undertaking in general would you suggest. (Science related) and what are the most recent stuff going on in science which I could start working on, or at least educate myself with to improve my profile? Also, you can let me know anything else that you might have to say which would help me in getting into science.
hey I don’t whether you are seeing this now but I had a question that as I live in India and here the most importance is given to our Academics. Here we have Extra Curriculars like Speech, Acting, sports .etc. But I had a question as schools are closed so we cant do anything, sp what if I do some internship stuff and also my hobby which is pencil sketching and I have done them and posted on instagram will it work for Stanford extra curriculars PLEASE HELP I AM IN 11th GRADE
Hi, I know I’m super late and I just found this article and know it’s not completely related to the article and I’m going to be a sophomore this year and I need some advice. My current classes for this year are English 3, Geometry (I’ve already taken Algebra 1 and 2), Chemistry, Spanish 3. For what I’m taking what classes do you think I should take as a junior. I’m also trying to do other extra circulars either than Youth In Government and Cross Country. I love your articles and you’ve really helped me out but I’m just really stressed on what classes or extra curriculars and what I should do as a junior. I have high a’s and a low b but I just want to get into an ivy league school. Also keeping the SAT in mind. Thanks!
about publishing a book… do you think a novel instead of a book to teach a specific niche is also impressive? i plan on majoring in a scientific area so it wouldn’t really have much to do with that but i have been planning on finishing a fantasy novel i am working on and publishing it… or do you think it might be better to focus on publishing a more academic piece?
I write fanfictions which sort of also counts as ‘books’ on Wattpad. Would that be considered impressive? I just started last year so I don’t have as many readers now, but the reviews I get are all positive, many readers are really impressed with my writing skills. This might be a dumb question, I’m sorry😅
I love sociology and research. I know Arabic, Urdu,Hindi, Malayalam(my mother tongue)languages, along with english. Can you help me how to start ? I have no idea… i want to get an internship (i watched your article on highschool internship) but in which field, pls give me any preferences.. i wish you will help me …pls…. i dont have any idea …
Hi! This is your first ever article that I watched and right from the start I said: OMG she is so nice and pretty!! Anyway… I live in Italy and would love to attend a prestigious college and thinking about extracurricular activities I was really drawn toward writing and publishing a book. My question is: does the topic of the book have to be or is it better if it’s academically oriented e.g. as you said an introduction to a textbook or a book for children from which they could learn? Thank you in advance. I will definitely keep on perusal your articles I really enjoy them! <3
I had a doubt that has been bothering me for a while. Are certificates from edX or Coursera or Udemy count important or impressive in your Resume or are they just some certificates that fade in the background. I actually have a very weak Profile. I have done a lot of extracurriculars before Grade 9 but all I’ve done in High School is participate in two MUNs (and securing 3rd position in one of them), Playing for the School Team (Football) for all the High School years, Winning a Relay Race at Students Olympic District Games 2018, and a couple of Certificates at Internal School level Sports, Participated in an Inter-School Art Installation Competition, and yeah I do intend to add pictures I’ve clicked (I also like Photography) on SlideRoom. I also hope to get above 1400 on the SAT (almost what I score on the Khan Academy) So I was hoping if I take edX/Coursera/Udemy courses I might boost my portfolio. I also Plan to appear AP Biology (and if needed AP Physics I) Exams, without the AP Classes as there ain’t any AP Classes in my area. I am an International Student yep. Can you suggest some stuff please?
My name is Kavin Acharya. I am from a country called Kenya. I have won a lot of subject awards in school. I have done a lot of coding projects. I am a computer science teacher in my school. I am the computer science club president. I have ok grades. What can I do as my country does not have a lot of competitions.
Do extracurriculars really matter if you are getting into a selective program at a state school? I want to get into Urabana’s computer science program. I have been doing karate for 10 years, have a 2nd kyu brown belt, and has started to compete in a few local tournaments. I have been doing piano for about 8 years and a part of the ISMTA AIM program (basically a piano program with levels of difficulty, which requires exams of music theory and performing actual pieces) for about 3 years. I was going to have a summer work program but it was cancelled due to COVID 19. But I will apply again after my junior year. Do these look like good extracurricular even if I’m not necessarily competing at a high level? I have been starting to freak about extracurriculars because I haven my really done many after school clubs because they interfere with homework, piano, and karate.
Hey I am from india and here we are forced to just focus on academics and hence i do not have much extracurriculars so as to get into top universities (as a CS major) I am literally confused that what to do, although you listed them but i don’t think that those would give my extracurriculars a spike… Can you please suggest some
Hey Iris, I have a few questions if you don’t mind. How do you think colleges would view creating a political community/organization/website? I am currently working on creating a website and some writings about a political ideology/movement, but given the current polarized state of politics (and biases of companies and colleges) do I shape my work to suit the “opinions” of the colleges and are they against particular political ideologies (what should I avoid)? Sorry that was long, but thanks in advance!
Since my childhood, I loved to do art. And I even achieved some awards for art. But now I don’t like doing art and its not my passion anymore. I am studying at grade 11. I also don’t have much time to prepare for college. Can you please suggest me what should i do ? Or should i continue with art anyway ?
Hello, so I am a freshman in high school who is interested in CS, and I have been working on an app that uses animations to show what would happen if you don’t follow social distancing and proper hygiene. The app explains all of this in an extremely simple way since it is mostly for younger kids who don’t know much about the virus. This is just to spread awareness. Do you think this would make a good impact?
I was just streaming YouTube and then I landed on a article about same topic and today I watched your article and then I realise u both have same content and then I came to know that article released 2 months after yours and content is ditto same. So I wanna tell you that be careful someone is using your content.
Hi iris, I’m a 9 grader and my goal is to be as successful as you in high school and college. You don’t have to but if you’re available anytime can I ask you a few questions about improving college resume? Im really stuck trying to find do a “spike”. I love writing and hope to write a book but I never have the patience to finish or sometimes o come up with ideas. Also, u talked about reaching out, but i don’t really know how to reach out/find people… if I could have any easier way of communicating with you, I would greatly appreciate it…
Hi, i just found your website and I just want to say I loveee your personality and your voice is so pleasant to listen to! Also, I want to major in Recorded Music with focuses in songwriting/vocal performance and I was wondering if you have any tips on how to find a remote internship at a recording studio nowadays? I know that’s pretty specific haha but anything helps! (just subscribed!)
Would that include making a website connected to Architecture and Animation? And if so, how? I’m a 9th grader that badly wants to get into Harvard, not because it’s prestigious or because it’s succesful, but because I want to desperately be a animator and architect, and from what I was trying to research, Harvard is one of the best colleges for it. Thing is, art and architecture is something I’ve been wanting to do for years, and doing stuff like drawing and designing houses and buildings on paper is something that I was always interested in, as well as something that made me feel better, especially through some bad things that happened in life. I did want to go into writing as well, but decided to wait later in life. And I don’t know how to prepare for colleges, or even get into extracurricular activities, because I’m in a online school that doesn’t offer any of that. The only subjects I do this year are biology, math, and english, my requirements. I’ve been looking stuff up so I can get in, but I don’t know how with my options. If you can, would you mind giving me some advice?
Hi, I am a rising sophomore and international student. I was wondering, if I have 4 activities that are related to my theme and what I plan to major in (computer science) and then 4 other activities that aren’t related to my theme and to each other, but I’m still passionate about them is it okay? Idk if this is helpful but the four activities that aren’t related to my theme are: – tennis (which I have been playing for 5 years) – a jewelry business that I’m planning on starting (part of the money made will be donated to charities) – volunteer work in a hospital – a Fan page I have had for 2 years now (I know it’s not anything special but I have 6k followers and will get more, also I have helped other people and it has also shaped my character in a way). Should i include it or the admissions officers won’t care?
Hi Iris im a rising junior and I just found your website and I love your content so much. I just have one question tho. I wanna start a social media account based on fashion and hoping it would interest a lot of ppl but idk if it will counts as EC’s but I am passionate about that topic And I’m doing bunch of other Ec that’s not even related to the major I wanna pursue..does that matter? Or should I solely focus on ec that is related to the major I chose?
Do you think these activities can apply to transfer students as well? I’m at Stern rn but I want to apply to other top schools as well. I’m writing a book (not just for the application, but the experience as well) about how the economic landscape has changed due to the pandemic and how small business can adapt. Do you think this is a good idea? Thanks!
Some extracurriculars I want to do are creating an app, creating a business, starting a nonprofit, stocks, and many more. I want to do this out of my pure enjoyment but I feel like these are exactly what someone trying to impress admission officers would do, how do I show that I want to do this out of enjoyment? Thanks
Hi !!! I’m a high school sophomore from India. If I want to write a research paper, then should it be something extremely eye opening and scientific, or a survey research paper would do ? I want to be a marine biologist and want to conduct an online survey on how many Indian students are actually aware of the subject, and why conservation of marine ecosystems is important according to them. When I told my near ones about my ambition, no one seemed to know about such a subject. Do you think this would be a good idea ?
I hope i get a reply 🥴 So basically im an international student and Im not good at writing books but a book of book reviews i have alot of books and i read alot os thateven possible to do a book or books on book reviews about different authors books and questions to ask yourself about reading the book also I have an online business nothing big clothing and homemade products etc does that count
Hi Iris! Sophomore here! This summer I started an initiative to teach competitive Math to elementary school kids. Was very well received in my community. Website + free online classes got great feedback. How do I scale this up to reach students all over the country? Any ideas on how to reach out to other high schoolers to teach in their community? Thanks! And….love your articles!
Hi! I recently discovered your website and I love it! I am going to be a sophomore is this year (‘23), and I hope to get into UCLA or UC Berkeley one day. My interests include public speaking (competitive speech team) and coding (java and JavaScript). I am worried I do not stand out extracurricular wise. I’m thinking about writing and publishing a book about something that interests me. I’m conflicted on how I can stand out extracurricular wise, do you have any advice, if so thank you! 🙂
Hi, Iris! I’ve been self-studying Korean for the past two and a half years, and I’m saving up money and planning for a trip to Korea in 2023 (the year I graduate)! Do you think this will impress admissions officers at Stanford? 😔 I study Korean because I want to, but it would be great if my studies boosted my application!
I am in class 12th with a main extracurricular of school level scientist and some more small extracurricular but I don’t have any internship till date I am thinking that I should first complete my first year of college in india and come in 2 year through transfer note or should I apply now only please tell me maam to get in some school
If I’m writing a fiction novel and spend a lot of time working on it but I do not publish it in high school, do you think I could still mention it on college apps? (I am very passionate about it because of the messages I’m trying to express to the world). I’ve heard that you can mention it in your essay and how it’s changed you
hey! im a freshmen in high school and i’m already wondering what extra curricular things i can do to get me ahead in life. i think writing a blog would be a good start but when i go back into in person learning i dont know about in person extracurriculars. right now im taking classes more based around the medical field and id like to know if you have any suggestions for clubs/extracurriculars while in highschool. 🙂
Hi Iris! I am a rising senior and this is the first article I’ve watched of yours ( definitely subscribed) anyway I had a question. My mom had me young and recently went back to community college and is taking classes online. I spend a lot of time helping her with the younger kids and around the house (for about a year and a half now) so I don’t have as much time to do extracurriculars. I have about two solid clubs I’m really committed to since sophomore year and have a 4.1 gpa. Is not having as much time to do things bc of family commitments going to impact my application to a good college?
Hey, Do I need to send some proofs when putting down my extracurriculars? Also, the same question about honors. Do I need to send a copy of certificates/diplomas thru common app? One more question, I’m a part of administration of Voting base dedicated for one artist on twitter and it’s quite huge (50k+). How I can put it ? I mean How I can describe it? Big thanks