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3 Successful Extracurricular Activity Essay Examples

The purpose of the extracurricular activities essay is for admissions officers to better understand how your extracurricular activities have shaped and motivated you. This essay shouldn’t restate the activities you’ve already shared in your resume, but should elaborate on their impact and significance to you as a person.

In this post, we will share three extracurricular essays, written by real students, that are strong responses. Read them to be inspired in your own essay writing!

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Essay Example #1

My fingers raced across the keys, rapidly striking one after another. My body swayed with the music as my hands raced across the piano. Crashing onto the final chord, it was over as quickly as it had begun. My shoulders relaxed and I couldn’t help but break into a satisfied grin. I had just played the Moonlight Sonata’s third movement, a longtime dream of mine.

Four short months ago, though, I had considered it impossible. The piece’s tempo was impossibly fast, its notes stretching between each end of the piano, forcing me to reach farther than I had ever dared. It was 17 pages of the most fragile and intricate melodies I had ever encountered.

But that summer, I found myself ready to take on the challenge. With the end of the school year, I was released from my commitment to practicing for band and solo performances. I was now free to determine my own musical path: either succeed in learning the piece, or let it defeat me for the third summer in a row.

Over those few months, I spent countless hours practicing the same notes until they burned a permanent place in my memory, creating a soundtrack for even my dreams. Some would say I’ve mastered the piece, but as a musician I know better. Now that I can play it, I am eager to take the next step and add in layers of musicality and expression to make the once-impossible piece even more beautiful.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay has a descriptive and engaging hook that immediately places the reader in the middle of the action and captivates us for the rest of the essay. The way the student describes playing piano as a full-body experience, from their splayed out fingers to their tensed shoulders, allows the reader to envision the student in front of them, passionately losing themselves in the music. Seeing the way they write about the piano is a sign that this student is dedicated to this extracurricular. 

Another strength of this essay is how it shows this student’s character, particularly their determination. By describing the challenge of playing this piece, we can fully appreciate all that they had to overcome to be successful. Rather than simply saying it was a hard song, they show us how it was physically and mentally daunting: “ The piece’s tempo was impossibly fast, its notes stretching between each end of the piano, forcing me to reach farther than I had ever dared. It was 17 pages of the most fragile and intricate melodies I had ever encountered.”

This student knows how to make music in their writing, as well as on the piano. The use of elevated and creative language throughout the essay makes it flow smoothly for the reader. They take a rather simple story, but through their deft writing the student makes it both enjoyable and reveals details about themself.

What Could Be Improved

This essay could have been made even stronger if this student included details about them actually practicing. They go from telling us about how daunting this piece was to suddenly being able to play it months later, but admissions officers are curious about how you overcome challenges, not just the fact that you did.

Two or three sentences that describe the tedious process of practicing a particular scale or how they continuously messed up a certain bar of music would be sufficient to express what this student actually accomplished. Although space is tight in this essay, this would have been a better use of the third paragraph than what the student currently has. 

Essay Example #2

My school’s newspaper and I have a typical love-hate relationship; some days I want nothing more than to pass two hours writing and formatting articles, while on others the mere thought of student journalism makes me shiver. Still, as we’re entering our fourth year together, you could consider us relatively stable. We’ve learned to accept each other’s differences; at this point I’ve become comfortable spending an entire Friday night preparing for an upcoming issue, and I hardly even notice the snail-like speed of our computers. I’ve even benefitted from the polygamous nature of our relationship—with twelve other editors, there’s a lot of cooperation involved. Perverse as it may be, from that teamwork I’ve both gained some of my closest friends and improved my organizational and time-management skills. And though leaving it in the hands of new editors next year will be difficult, I know our time together has only better prepared me for future relationships.

This response is great. It’s cute and endearing and, importantly, tells readers a lot about the student who wrote it. Framing this essay in the context of a “love-hate relationship,” then supplementing with comments like “We’ve learned to accept each other’s differences” allows this student to advertise their maturity in a unique and engaging way. 

Personifying the newspaper is a creative way to demonstrate the role it plays in this student’s life. Because it is an unexpected tactic, it lets the reader appreciate the humor and wit of the author, while also being a lighthearted and fun response to read. 

While Extracurricular Essays can be a place to show how you’ve grown within an activity, they can also be a place to show how you’ve grown through an activity. At the end of this essay, readers think that this student is mature and enjoyable, and we think that their experience with the school newspaper helped make them that way.

One strike against this essay is that in the first sentence it claims the student has a love-hate relationship with the newspaper, but the rest of the essay really only addresses their experience from a positive perspective. They say the “ mere thought of student journalism makes me shiver ” but there is little-to-no elaboration about the negatives. Since they poised their essay as a love-hate relationship, it feels like it is missing something without any discussion about the hate aspect of the relationship. 

Essay Example #3

The cool, white halls of the Rayburn House office building contrasted with the bustling energy of interns entertaining tourists, staffers rushing to cover committee meetings, and my fellow conference attendees separating to meet with our respective congresspeople. Through civics and US history classes, I had learned about our government, but simply hearing the legislative process outlined didn’t prepare me to navigate it. It was my first political conference, and, after learning about congressional mechanics during breakout sessions, I was lobbying my representative about an upcoming vote crucial to the US-Middle East relationship. As the daughter of Iranian immigrants, my whole life had led me to the moment when I could speak on behalf of the family members who had not emigrated with my parents.

As I sat down with my congresswoman’s chief of staff, I truly felt like a participant in democracy; I was exercising my right to be heard as a young American. Through this educational conference, I developed a plan of action to raise my voice. When I returned home, I signed up to volunteer with the state chapter of the Democratic Party. I sponsored letter-writing campaigns, canvassed for local elections, and even pursued an internship with a state senate campaign. I know that I don’t need to be old enough to vote to effect change. Most importantly, I also know that I want to study government—I want to make a difference for my communities in the United States and the Middle East throughout my career.

The strength of this essay comes from its connections. It connects the student’s extracurricular activity to their studies and connects theirs studies to their personal history.

While this prompt is about extracurricular activities, it specifically references the idea that the extracurricular should support the curricular. It is focused on experiential learning for future career success. This student wants to study government, so they chose to describe an experience of hands-on learning within their field—an apt choice!

As this student discusses their extracurricular experience, they also clue readers into their future goals—they want to help Middle Eastern communities. Admissions officers love when students mention concrete plans with a solid foundation. Here, the foundation comes from this student’s ethnicity. With lines like “my whole life had led me to the moment when I could speak on behalf of the family members who had not emigrated with my parents,” the student assures admissions officers of their emotional connection to their future field.

Something that is missing from this essay is the emotional reflection this student has from their experiences in politics. They tell us they felt like a participant in democracy and they know they want to study government and make a difference, but for a really strong essay you need to dig deeper and tell the reader more about how this extracurricular makes you feel.

What does it feel like to be a participant in democracy? Liberating? Empowering? How did volunteering impact them personally? Did they develop a new appreciation for what it means to be an American? What feeling is this student trying to elicit by studying government? While all of these questions don’t have to be addressed, the idea is to inject more of the student’s feelings and emotion into the essay to help us better understand exactly what this extracurricular meant to them. 

More Supplemental Essay Tips

4 Tips for Writing a Diversity College Essay

How to Write the “Why This College” Essay

Where to Get Your Extracurricular Activity Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Extracurricular Activity essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write a Strong Extracurricular Activity Essay

Written by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Written: 2/12/24

Landing a seat in your dream university requires more than just showcasing your academic abilities; it's about highlighting your life beyond the books, your sources of inspiration, and the experiences that have played a crucial role in shaping your individuality.

A great way to show off your many sides is by skillfully writing an essay about your extracurricular activities. This piece of writing offers a unique opportunity for admissions officers to peek into your world outside of academics by highlighting your passions, unwavering commitment, leadership prowess, and personal evolution. 

This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricate yet rewarding process of crafting an engaging and compelling extracurricular activity essay. It helps you figure out which activities are best for you to focus on. It also gives you a bunch of interesting questions to get your creativity going.

We’ll also provide you with a curated list of extracurricular activity essay examples, Acting like a guide and a good example for you to follow as you write.

By being thoughtful, real, and creative, your essay about your outside-of-school activities could be the special thing that helps you get into the college you really want.

Keep reading to learn how to turn your passions and experiences into an engaging narrative that truly reflects who you are.

How to Choose Which Extracurricular to Write About

Selecting the most suitable extracurricular activity to write about for your college application essay requires careful consideration and introspection. Each choice holds the potential to shape the narrative of your essay and provide valuable insights into your character, values, and personal growth. 

To ensure a comprehensive exploration of this topic, let's discuss a few factors you should consider when choosing which extracurricular to focus on:

1. Personal Significance

When contemplating which extracurriculars to highlight in your essay, take the time to reflect on the experiences that have had the most profound impact on your life. Consider the activities that have shaped your character, influenced your values, and ignited your passions. 

It could be a community service project that opened your eyes to social injustices, a musical instrument that became your creative outlet, or a sports team that taught you the value of teamwork and perseverance. 

Choose an activity that resonates with you on a deeply personal level, as this will enable you to authentically convey your emotions and the growth you have experienced.

2. Depth of Involvement

While it may be tempting to showcase a long list of extracurricular activities, it is important to prioritize quality over quantity. Admissions officers are interested in understanding how deeply you are engaged with an activity, as it demonstrates commitment, dedication, and the potential for impact. 

Evaluate the level of your involvement in each activity and focus on the one where you invested significant time and effort. This could involve leadership roles, taking on challenging responsibilities, or contributing to the activity's growth and success. 

By selecting an extracurricular where you had a meaningful and substantial involvement, you can provide a more detailed and insightful account of your experiences.

3. Leadership and Initiative

If you have taken on leadership roles or demonstrated initiative within a particular extracurricular activity, it can add an extra layer of depth to your essay. Admissions officers value applicants who display leadership qualities and the drive to initiate positive change. 

Reflect on instances where you assumed leadership responsibilities, whether it was captaining a team, organizing events, or spearheading projects. Share how you influenced others, made strategic decisions, and motivated team members to achieve common goals. 

Highlight any innovative ideas or initiatives you introduced and the impact they had on the activity and its participants.

4. Unique Experiences

Consider highlighting an extracurricular activity that stands out from the crowd. While popular activities like sports or clubs can still make for compelling essays, choosing a less common or unconventional activity can help your essay stand out and capture the reader's attention. 

Think about unique experiences you have had outside the mainstream activities, such as starting a niche interest group , participating in an underrepresented sport, or pursuing an uncommon hobby. These experiences can provide a fresh perspective and reveal different aspects of your personality and interests.

5. Alignment with Your Goals

When choosing an extracurricular activity to write about, consider its alignment with your future goals and aspirations. Admissions officers are interested in understanding your passions and how you plan to pursue them in college and beyond. 

Select an activity that showcases your dedication to a particular field of study, career path, or cause. Explain how your involvement in the activity has shaped your understanding of your chosen path and provided valuable insights into the skills, knowledge, and experiences required to succeed in that area.

Demonstrate how the activity has fueled your ambition and inspired you to make a meaningful impact in the future.

6. Overcoming Challenges

Admissions officers appreciate stories of resilience and personal growth. Consider discussing an extracurricular activity in which you encountered obstacles or adversity and how you overcame them. Reflect on the challenges you faced and the strategies you employed to navigate through them. 

This could involve overcoming physical limitations, balancing demanding commitments, or addressing conflicts within the activity. By sharing the lessons you learned from these challenges, you can showcase your determination, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.

7. Diversity of Experiences

If you have been involved in multiple extracurricular activities, consider showcasing a variety of experiences to demonstrate your versatility and well-roundedness. Admissions officers value applicants who have explored different interests and engaged in diverse pursuits. 

Discuss how each activity has contributed to your personal growth and provided you with unique perspectives and skills. Show how your various involvements have influenced and complemented each other, highlighting the valuable transferable skills and insights you have gained from navigating different domains.

8. Impact on Others

Consider the impact your participation in an extracurricular activity has had on others. Admissions officers are interested in applicants who not only excel individually but also contribute to the growth and well-being of their communities. Reflect on the ways your involvement has positively influenced others. 

This could involve mentoring teammates, organizing community service projects, or supporting fellow participants. Share specific examples of how your actions have made a difference, emphasizing the values of compassion, empathy, and leadership you have demonstrated.

By considering these factors when selecting which extracurricular activity to write about, you can choose the most compelling and meaningful topic for your essay. Remember, the goal is to provide a genuine and insightful portrayal of your experiences, passions, and personal growth. 

Through thoughtful introspection and effective storytelling, you can craft an engaging and impactful essay that leaves a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Extracurricular Activities Essay Prompts

To help you kickstart your writing process, here are ten thought-provoking prompts:

1. Can you share a story of an extracurricular activity that has brought about a significant change in your life? How did it alter your outlook and contribute to your personal development?

2. Can you delve into your experience of holding a leadership role in an extracurricular activity? How has it shaped your leadership style and impacted your personality?

3. Can you narrate how an extracurricular activity influenced your future career aspirations? Can you draw connections between your pursuit and your future goals?

4. Have you ever faced a considerable challenge or failure while participating in an extracurricular activity? Can you share your journey of overcoming this challenge and the lessons it imparted?

5. Is there an extracurricular activity that has played a crucial role in your personal growth? Can you discuss this journey of transformation and the factors that contributed to it?

6. Can you elucidate on an extracurricular activity where you demonstrated a significant level of commitment and dedication over a long period of time? How did this consistent engagement contribute to your development and learning?

7. Has there been an extracurricular activity that has allowed you to step outside of your comfort zone? Can you share your experience and how this helped you grow personally and academically?

8. Is there a unique or unusual extracurricular activity that you have participated in? How has this activity contributed to showcasing your individuality and distinguishing you from others?

 9. Have you ever started or founded an extracurricular club, event, or initiative? Can you elaborate on the motivation behind it, the process, the challenges faced, and the impact it had on you and your community.

10. Is there an extracurricular activity that has enhanced your understanding of a particular subject or field of study? Can you explain how this activity has deepened your academic interest or provided practical insights beyond the classroom?

Engaging in extracurricular activities not only enriches our lives outside the classroom but also provides us with invaluable experiences and lessons that shape our character, aspirations, and worldview. 

Whether it's leading a team, overcoming challenges, or exploring new horizons, these activities offer a unique platform to discover and showcase our true potential.

Extracurricular Activity Essay Examples

To help you grasp what an outstanding extracurricular essay looks like, let's dissect two examples and analyze why they make an impact:

1. Strings of Unity: My Dance with the Violin

Every evening, as the sun set, the mellifluous notes of my violin would resonate through our home. I was six when I first held a violin, and it felt like an extension of my soul. Over the years, I practiced diligently, mastering complex compositions and performing at numerous recitals.

However, my most cherished moments were when I played at local nursing homes. Witnessing the joy and nostalgia my music brought to the elderly was profoundly rewarding. Inspired, I initiated "Melodies for Memories," a program where young musicians performed for seniors, bridging the generational gap through music.

The violin taught me discipline, empathy, and the power of connection. It wasn't just about playing notes; it was about touching hearts and creating moments of shared joy.

Why This Essay Was Successful

Here are a few things that made this essay successful:

• Vivid Imagery : The essay paints a beautiful picture of the writer's relationship with the violin, making it easy for readers to visualize and connect with the narrative.
• Community Impact : By highlighting performances at nursing homes and the "Melodies for Memories" initiative, the writer showcases their commitment to community service and the positive impact of their passion.
• Personal Growth : The essay emphasizes the values and skills gained from playing the violin, such as discipline and empathy.
• Concluding Thoughts : The conclusion ties back to the central theme of connection and shared joy, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

This essay effectively conveys the writer's deep connection to the instrument, showcasing personal growth, community impact, and the transformative power of music.

2. Beyond the Board: Life Lessons from Chess

The chessboard was my battleground, a place where strategy, patience, and foresight converged. Introduced to chess at age eight, I was captivated by its intricacies and the mental agility it demanded. As I delved deeper, I realized chess was more than a game; it mirrored life's challenges and decisions.

I began teaching chess to underprivileged children in my community, hoping to equip them with critical thinking skills. Through "Checkmate Challenges," our monthly tournaments, I saw these children grow in confidence, strategy, and resilience.

Chess taught me that every move has consequences, and foresight is crucial. It reinforced the importance of patience, strategy, and learning from mistakes. Through chess, I not only honed my cognitive skills but also discovered the joy of mentoring and making a difference.

This essay was successful because it included:

• Engaging Start : The essay begins with a powerful statement, drawing readers into the world of chess and its significance to the writer.
• Community Involvement : The writer's initiative to teach chess to underprivileged children showcases their dedication to community upliftment and the broader impact of their passion.
• Life Lessons : The essay effectively draws parallels between chess and life, highlighting the invaluable lessons the writer has derived from the game.
• Concluding Reflection : The conclusion emphasizes the dual benefits of chess: personal growth and the joy of mentoring.

Both essays effectively communicate the writers' passions and the profound impact these activities have had on their personal growth and community involvement.

FAQs: Extracurricular Activities Essay

Writing about your hobbies for an essay? Here are some common questions and answers to help you out.

1. How Do You Write an Extracurricular Essay with a Word Count of 150 Words?

Crafting an extracurricular activity essay with a 150-word limit is both a test of your brevity and your ability to make a powerful impact. To start, you need to isolate a singular, significant moment or achievement from your chosen activity. 

This should be something that is both personally meaningful and serves as a representative snapshot of your broader involvement. Then, hook your reader right from the first sentence, making them intrigued to learn more about your story. 

You might paint a vivid picture, share a quick anecdote, or open with an interesting question. Afterward, give the reader a brief context or backstory about the activity to ground your story. This is where you quickly explain what the activity is and why it matters to you. 

Next, it's time to dive into the crux of your essay—your specific role and the impact it had. Highlight the challenges faced, the initiatives you took, and the results achieved. Be careful to maintain clarity and brevity, avoiding unnecessary details that could detract from your central message. 

Finally, wrap up your essay by tying your specific experience to a broader theme, value, or life lesson, which serves to highlight the significance of your involvement beyond the activity itself.

2. How Long Should an Extracurricular Essay be?

The length of an essay can fluctuate depending on specific application instructions. However, most of them hover in the range of 150-300 words. Regardless of the word limit, remember that clarity and conciseness are your guiding principles. 

Every sentence you write should serve a specific purpose, contributing meaningfully to your overarching narrative and effectively portraying a holistic picture of you as an individual. Avoid fluff or filler content, instead focusing on delivering a tightly woven narrative that showcases your passions, commitments, and personal growth.

3. Can an Extracurricular Activity Essay Focus on More Than One Activity?

While you can mention multiple activities, it is generally better to focus on one that has had the most significant impact on you. This allows you to provide a deeper, more detailed account, revealing valuable insights about your character, passions, and learnings.

Writing an exceptional extracurricular activities essay is a journey that requires introspection, authenticity, and excellent storytelling. As you embark on this journey, remember, the goal is to bring to light not just what you did, but who you are as a person, showcasing the experiences that have enriched your life. 

So, start reflecting on your experiences, unleash your creativity, and let your story resonate with the admissions officers.

4. Why Do Colleges Require Extracurricular Essays?

Colleges require extracurricular essays because they offer a more rounded view of applicants, going beyond mere academic accomplishments. Admissions officers want to understand who you are outside the classroom.

They're interested in your passions, long-term commitments, leadership experiences, and personal growth—all aspects that may not be apparent from your grades or test scores alone. 

5. How Do I Write About Extracurricular Activities in a Personal Statement?

When it comes to incorporating extracurricular activities into your personal statement, the goal is seamless integration that enhances your overall narrative. It's important to discuss the activity in a way that highlights not just what you did, but also how it contributed to your personal growth and future ambitions.

Elaborate on your involvement, detailing the specific roles you took on, the challenges you faced, and the skills you've gained. Then, explore how these experiences tie into your personal evolution and future goals.

Final Thoughts

Writing an extracurricular activity essay is more than just recounting what you did; it's about sharing a slice of your life that speaks volumes about your character, passions, and growth. It's about crafting a narrative that not only shares your experiences but also provides a window into the person you've become as a result. 

Whether you're speaking about the time you spent backstage in theater productions, the hours you dedicated to the robotics club, or the weekends you spent volunteering at a local shelter, remember that the best essays are those that are authentic and come from the heart. 

Use this opportunity to let your experiences shape your story, let your passions shine through, and let your unique voice echo in the admissions officer's mind. 

It is your experiences that make you unique, and it is this uniqueness that can make you stand out in the sea of applicants. So, embrace your individuality and let it guide your journey as you write.

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The College Extracurricular Activity Essay

Mark montgomery.

• July 25, 2023

How will you write your college extracurricular activity essay?

The Common Application used to ask you to “elaborate” on one of your extracurricular activities in 150 words. Now this essay is not quite as common. At least it is no long required on the Common App.

However, many other colleges do require it, either as a part of their application or as a “supplement” the Common Application .

Either way, this short paragraph can be an essential component of your entire presentation as an applicant.  In just a few sentences, you must convey something personal, meaningful, and interesting about yourself.

Seems impossible, right?  “How can I sum up my experience in my favorite extracurricular activities in just a few sentences?”

Well, it’s time to tackle the impossible. These tips may help you decide which activity to focus on, and how to write a well-structured paragraph that gives the reader a deeper understanding of your motivations and your priorities.

Choose the Right Activity

Don’t necessarily pick the activity that looms largest on your resume or activity list. If you are a star tennis player and a possible recruit for a college team, that fact will be clear on your activity list. If you are the best clarinetist in the city, then your activity list should reflect that fact.  Remember, the prompt asks you to “elaborate” on the activity. It doesn’t say you have to choose the one that takes up the most time, nor does it say that it must be the one that is your primary extracurricular focus.

More specifically, it may be that the activity in which you have achieved or excelled the most is not the activity that will be the best to elaborate upon in this short essay. Consider the other activities that may help to round out your application and present another view of what motivates and interests you.

Consider which activities carry the most personal meaning to you. Look back over your resume or activities list and ask yourself, “Which of these would I miss the most if I could no longer do it?” Perhaps it’s that annual scouting trip, or the weekends skiing with your family. Or maybe it’s that concert you organize at the nursing home twice a year that brings you particular joy. Choosing the right activity is the first step as you write your extracurricular activity essay.

Your “Hidden” Activities

Consider elaborating on an activity that is not on the activities list or resume. For example, perhaps your extended family shares Sunday dinner together regularly, and this ritual has had a big influence on you and helped to shape your feelings about family. Maybe you actually enjoy mowing your lawn every week, making it look nice by paying attention to details. Perhaps you ride your bike to school every morning, and you use that time to notice details on your route and get your head together before and after your workday.

Not Necessarily Your “Best” Activities

Consider taking one of your activities and giving it greater specificity and detail. As you know, the space on the application in which to elaborate on your activities is very, very limited.  So use this short paragraph to pull out some details. For example, perhaps you mention on your activity sheet that you have done volunteer work at a hospital, and that you have several responsibilities. But perhaps there is one responsibility, in particular, that you most enjoy. That one responsibility could be the focus of your extracurricular.

To take another example, perhaps you are a guitar player, and your activity list indicates that you’re fairly good, but not great. However, there I some particular aspects of playing the guitar that you enjoy. Perhaps you don’t mind playing scales over and over in order to improve your technique.

Or maybe you go to a music store on Saturdays where a bunch of bluegrass players get together and jam, and you join in, despite the fact you aren’t the best player; or you are a huge fan of Andre Segovia and have listened to every piece he has ever recorded. These sorts of details can say a lot about the depth of your interest in an activity, even if it is not where your greatest accomplishments lie.

The Focus: “Why?”

Your activity list or resume should address the questions of “What, When, and Where?” (the “who” should be apparent:  you!). This list explains your accomplishments and the range of your commitments. But it doesn’t explain your motivations or your priorities. This short essay-ette gives you an opportunity to do some explaining.

As with your primary college essay and with the supplements, the aim here is to give the admissions officer reading your file a bit more information about yourself.  What you convey in this short paragraph is something that they won’t find in the essays, and that they won’t really know from reading your activity list. This is another opportunity for you to present another interesting and important facet of your personality. All the essays give your application depth and dimension. Don’t throw away this opportunity to tell the reader more about yourself.

Tips for Writing the College Extracurricular Activity Essay

Start with a list of reasons you participate in this activity. What do you get out of it? Why do you enjoy it? Why would you miss it if you suddenly were unable to do it anymore?

Remember that not every aspect of your participation may be enjoyable. Are there reasons you participate in this activity that actually help you accomplish something else that is, in fact, even more enjoyable? For example, weight training may not always be fun, but it can make you stronger. Practicing the flute may be enjoyable in some respects, and not so much in others—but practicing makes you a better player.

Once your list of reasons why you participate in this activity, pick the top three. Write your essay in 5 sentences. One to introduce the activity, three to explain why you do it, and 1 to spare, either as a conclusion or as an elaboration on your introduction.

Some Prompts to Get You Going

If you are having trouble, try completing these sentence prompts to get you going.

• When I participate in this activity, I feel ___________.
• I originally got involved in this activity because ____________.  And now I continue this activity because ____________.
• My favorite aspect of this activity is ____________.
• My friends think this activity is ___________.
• I take the most pride in this aspect of the activity: ___________.

The College Extracurricular Activity Essay – Final Notes

For most of us–adults as well as teens–our activities are good reflections of our priorities, talents, and motivations. We often demonstrate excellence through the things we do outside of school (or outside our jobs or professions).

This Common App supplemental extracurricular activity essay is a great way for you to share more about who you are as a person. If you focus on WHY you engage in these activities, you’ll be able to convey those motivations and priorities.

You have fun engaging in your extracurricular activities. Now enjoy writing about one that is especially important to you.

Need Help With Your College Extracurricular Activity Essay?

If you are having trouble putting together your college essays, including your college extracurricular essay for the Common App, then you might want to consider giving a call to the folks at Great College Advice.  We help students with every aspect of the college admissions process, and we would love to guide your toward your educational objectives.  If you’d like to learn more about what we do, contact us .  We’ll be happy to chat with you!

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Blog > Essay Advice , Supplementals > How to Write an Extracurricular Activities Supplemental Essay

How to Write an Extracurricular Activities Supplemental Essay

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Kylie Kistner, MA Former Willamette University Admissions

Key Takeaway

This post is one in a series of posts about the supplemental essays. You can read our core “how-to” supplemental post here .

What is an Extracurricular Activities supplemental essay?

Extracurricular supplemental essays are one of the most common kinds of supplemental essays. As you can probably guess, they ask you to write about an extracurricular activity—obviously!

But you might be wondering why schools ask you to expand on an extracurricular activity when you’ve already taken the time to curate your Common Application activities list. Since the Common App activities list only gives you 150 characters to explain your activities, Extracurricular essays are the perfect opportunity to show how you’ve interacted with your community through one of your activities.

Simply describing your extracurricular activity, however, probably isn’t enough. Admissions officers don’t need to hear about the logistics of your club soccer team's travel schedule or the detailed interpersonal dynamics of the restaurant you work at. They’ve heard those stories again and again.

What they really need to hear about is you . As a high school student, the way you spend your time outside of school says a lot about you. Admissions officers know that your time is limited and precious. Seeing the activities or causes you’ve dedicated yourself to reveals a lot about what’s important to you.

1: Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt offers a community where students find balance between their academic and social experiences. Please briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you.

(Psst: Want to know how to answer this prompt specifically? We have a post breaking down the Vanderbilt supplemental for you.)

2: Colorado College: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (no more than 250 words)

Extracurricular essay strategy.

As with any supplemental essay, it’s important to approach Extracurricular supplementals strategically. In particular, your Extracurricular essays should do two main things.

Show magnitude, impact, and reach.

When admissions officers evaluate an applicant’s activities list or Extracurricular supplemental essay, they are looking at these three criteria. Let’s take a second to define each term:

Magnitude: How big of a deal is your extracurricular?

Impact: How are you and others affected by your extracurricular?

Reach: How many people do you reach by participating in your extracurricular?

Now, your Extracurricular essays don’t have to be manifestos about how great you are at your activity. In fact, they shouldn’t be.

But when it comes to your supplemental essay strategy, a good way to approach your Extracurricular essays is by writing meaningfully about how your extracurricular has helped you have an impact on the world. Since colleges want to admit students who positively influence the world around them, your extracurricular essays can help you show how you do just that.

Reflect on personal meaning and influence.

The best extracurricular essays are ones that revolve around personal meaning and influence.

Colleges ask you to respond to Extracurricular prompts because they want to know more about how your activities meaningfully impact you and the world around you.

A supplemental essay that only goes into details about your activity without reflecting on its meaning or influence doesn’t do enough to make your case for admission.

Let’s look at a quick example.

In Debate Club, I led my team to victory in the final round. We were debating about climate change solutions, and I brought it my all.

While that example elaborates on an extracurricular activity, it doesn’t make any effort to reflect on why the activity or the writer’s actions were important. Let’s look at a better excerpt:

My Debate Club was in the finals, and I was our last hope. But we were in luck: the topic was “climate change solutions,” something I’m deeply passionate about. By harnessing the support of my team and the weight of my environmental activism, we didn’t just win the finals. I also became more confident in my ability to advocate for change.

This second version speaks more to meaning. It goes beyond a simple explanation of the activity to expand on 1) why the activity was important and 2) what it meant to the writer.

Now that you have a few strategies under your belt, it’s time to start writing.

How to Write an Extracurricular Supplemental Essay

Step 1: Read the prompt closely.

If you’ve read any of our other supplemental essay guides , you might be familiar with this step. You may even be sick of hearing it. But it’s important to carefully dissect the prompt so you know exactly what admissions officers will be expecting you to address.

In the case of Extracurricular Activities essays, reading the prompt is essential. I’ll use the Vanderbilt and Colorado College prompts as an example.

Notice that the Vanderbilt prompt asks you to “briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you ,” while the Colorado College prompt simply says, “Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.”

So what’s the difference? The Vanderbilt prompt asks you specifically to discuss how your activity has influenced you, but the Colorado College prompt gives you more freedom with what part of your activity you can focus on.

Step 2: Choose your extracurricular activity based on the values, impact, or lessons you want to show.

Remember that your personal statement, supplemental essays, and other application components work together to form a cohesive application narrative . Your essays should each show one of your best strengths, and together they should communicate your overall personal brand.

As you choose which extracurricular activity to write about, be sure that you’re thinking strategically about what you want your activity to say about you to an admissions officer.

Here’s a chart that might help you out. I’ve filled out an example first row so you can get the hang of it. Try filling in your own information to see what sticks.

Step 3: Outline.

Okay, let’s say that you’re the debate team member we met earlier and you’re working on the Colorado College prompt. Since the prompt doesn’t specify which aspect of your extracurricular you should focus on, you get to choose what you think will be best.

Let’s also say that your personal statement already talks about your role on a team, so you want to supplement your personal statement (this is a supplemental essay, after all!) by focusing instead on how this activity has advanced your passion for climate justice.

Before you begin writing, it might be a good idea to outline what you want to write about to make sure your essay covers everything you want it to.

Here’s an example outline to get you thinking.

I. Introduction: Introduce the activity and lay out what’s at stake.

II. Body: Discuss impact, personal meaning, or reach.

III. Conclusion: Reflect on the activity and drive home how it showcases your chosen strength.

Clearly organizing your essay in a way that gives concrete details while focusing on meaning will help admissions officers understand the importance of your activity.

Extracurricular supplemental essay mistakes

Writing a thinly-veiled Academic Interest essay instead of an Extracurricular essay

Because you’re applying to college to be a student, some applicants think that you need to write about an extracurricular experience related to your academics. This kind of essay might include topics like debate, robotics club, Model United Nations, coding experience, independent research, and more.

Co-curricular activities that are related to your academic interests aren’t off-limits. But you do have to be careful not to overstate the academic importance of your activity. If admissions offices want to know more about one of your academic interests, then they’ll ask you to answer an Academic Interest prompt.

But because they’ve asked you to write an Extracurricular supplemental, then you’ll need to keep your focus on the “extra” part of “extracurricular.”

Going into too much detail at the expense of personal meaning.

I know—it’s hard not to unleash your passion and expertise when writing about your favorite extracurricular activity. Doing so can demonstrate its importance to you and your knowledge of the subject.

But the problem with going into too much detail is that it can outshine the true purpose of a supplemental essay, which is to show personal meaning and school fit.

Focusing on a superficial “non-extracurricular.”

If you’re not quite sure what extracurricular to write about, let me give you a quick warning. You need to write about a real extracurricular activity. Some students want to put a creative twist on the prompt and focus on an “extracurricular” that is more of a personal interest than an actual activity.

A good example of a superficial “non-extracurricular” would be an essay about going on long drives while listening to music. Sure, you might be able to write an interesting essay about that. But that kind of topic doesn’t fulfill the expectations of a supplemental essay, and it doesn’t give you the information you need to make your case for admission.

Extracurricular Supplemental Essay Example

Example essay: the journalist.

Colorado College: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (no more than 250 words)

As an impressionable six-year-old, I watched Meryl Streep-portrayed Miranda Priestly shape fashion history with a single word of disgust. I longed for my words to have such an impact.

Now, as an editor-in-chief myself, I oversee daily operations of The Hallway , my high school’s newspaper. Instead of shaping global fashion trends, I impact my community by ensuring everyone stays informed.(( The writer highlights their community impact.))

My place as editor-in-chief was solidified when, in March of last year, we published a breaking story. After a tip to our newspaper email address, a fellow reporter and I uncovered an academic dishonesty scandal. We conducted interviews, dug into school files, and reviewed old test keys to discover the cheating. My reporter wrote the story, and I edited it and put it on the front page. Our story became so big that it was republished in our city’s local newspaper.(( This paragraph points to the student’s reach. They didn’t just impact their school community—their efforts also reached their city.))

Leading my team through this investigation taught me just how important journalism is.(( This paragraphs reflects on the meaning of the activity to the writer.)) Even when people might be upset with what you write, what’s most important is the truth. People can’t make decisions if they’re uninformed about the facts. And reporters can’t investigate and write those stories without the support of a leader who’s willing to put in the work, too.

I doubt I’ll ever predict what we’ll be wearing next spring. But I know that my words will continue to have a deep impact on my community, and I can’t wait to find the next big story at The Catalyst. ((The writer offers a brief but specific reference to the institution.))

Looking for more examples? We've got a bunch of other college essay examples for you to read —check them out!

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College essay resources

How (and why) to write a college essay about your extracurricular activities | guide + examples, what to write about.

Brad Schiller

😢 Won’t anyone think of the college admissions readers? 😢

In our work as college essay coaches , we’ve lately been delighted to learn that many people are in fact worried that college admission officers might be bored — specifically due to redundant college essays that rehash all the stuff that’s in the Activities List in prose-form.

Ugh! That would indeed be horribly boring. (And it does indeed happen.) 

[Shaking head.] Poor admissions readers.

But — little nuance — you don’t have to rehash what you put in your activities list. You could instead expand upon what’s there by either: 

• Talking more about the impact you had and the actions you took to achieve that impact ✨, or 
• Showing how the activity relates to your personal brand as an applicant who will succeed in college and beyond. ✨

Bottom line: writing a Common App Personal Statement (or supplemental essay) about a meaningful extracurricular activity is often a great idea. Read on for how to do it right.

In fact, many college applications specifically ask students to describe an activity or work experience — proof that colleges are interested in learning more about them. 

What you *don’t* want to do: Redundancy & the dreaded “it makes me feel alive” trap 

While the idea that you shouldn’t write about activities in college application essays is a pernicious rumor, as college essay coaches , we must admit that this territory does come with some real danger. 

The danger is that, instead of writing an essay that sheds light on how you’ll succeed in college and beyond , you talk about the activity in a way that adds little to nothing over what’s already in your Activity List. 

Here are some approaches that have been known to tempt those facing the terror of the blank page:

• “I love soccer so much. The thrill of the game is my favorite thing. I feel so alive when I’m on the field. One time, I scored this amazing goal. [Brilliant writing describes this amazing goal in gorgeous detail.]”
• [Same as above, except substitute “music” for “soccer” and “in front of an audience” for “on the field,” and so on.]
• “Debate is my passion. I began in ninth grade knowing nothing. But I worked hard at it, and won my first award as a freshman, even though it was only 9th place. As a sophomore, my skills really improved. I came in 3rd in the Semi-All Around [editor’s note: does that sound like a believable award?]. Finally, my junior year, I came in first in the National Regionals!”

Let’s analyze.

In the first two types of essays (the “[activity] makes me feel alive!” essay) the problem isn’t necessarily writing style. You could write a beautiful piece of prose about that amazing, game-clinching goal, with drama and stakes, reveals and surprises, and soul-plumbing moments on par with something out of Squid Game . 

But if the essay doesn’t say anything about your potential to succeed — elements we’ve boiled down to the 5 traits (more about them below) — it’s not going to matter to the college. 

Lots of students love music. Lots of people are passionate about sports. 

Those things aren’t enough (on their own) to make anyone stand out. 

The last type of essay is more of an obvious clunker. This student may be brilliant at Debate, but they can’t write for their life! The issue here is that they’re just laying out everything they’ve done — the admissions officer isn’t learning anything new. All of it would fit better in their Activities List.  

At least this example shows that college essays aren’t about “showing off.” You don’t need to have insane accomplishments to write a great essay. (Great accomplishments shine better in Activities Lists — although even there, it’s easy to undersell yourself. Here’s how to sell yourself in Activities Lists .)

Rather, it’s perfectly possible to write a great essay about a smaller moment or experience, so long as the essay focuses on your character traits, and how they’ll help you succeed. 

Speaking of which, let’s move on to ...

What you *do* want to do: Show how your activity connects to your potential for success 

Alright. Here’s the good stuff.

Yes, you can absolutely write about your extracurricular activities (including paid work). You can do this to great effect either in your personal statement or in a shorter supplemental essay (or even both!). If you still don’t believe us, here’s an example of a student who got into Harvard by writing about an extracurricular activity. 

Here are some reasons why activities make great essay topics:

• Fun! You probably enjoy these activities, so you might likewise have fun talking about them.
• Experience! Even if you don’t love the activity (maybe a job), you spend a lot of time at it, so you likely have lots of interesting experiences to choose from.
• Authenticity! Activities are usually something that can represent the “real you” easily.
• Potential!! Activities are great for showing off the 5 Traits that colleges look for in essays. 

That brings us to the 5 traits.  

If you’ve read almost any of our other articles, you know that the 5 traits that colleges look for in applicants are:

• Drive (aka Grit)
• Contribution
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Diversity of Experiences

These traits show you’re someone who has it in them to succeed. They’re more important than any one success or achievement. Because, if we’re being honest, one success or achievement in high school isn’t that impressive. But having a trait within you that leads to success? That actually is impressive. 

Let’s rewrite those essay types above with the 5 traits in mind:

• “I couldn’t believe it. My soccer team was discussing whether or not to schedule an extra practice during the upcoming long weekend. “Of course, yes,” I was thinking. But, shockingly, the room was not with me. A quick consensus formed around no added practice. It was my tipping point — I finally saw that I needed to convey to this team that settling for mediocre was not an option, and that none of us would regret doing what it takes to win.”
• “Nobody is musical in my family. Piano is something I made happen all by myself. I begged my mom for my first lessons as a freshman. The lessons soon got me fascinated by music theory, which I started studying on my own, since our school doesn’t teach it. Later, I found a Saturday class where I now study it.”
• “I started Debate Club just because I thought I needed an extracurricular activity for my resume. It didn’t mean much to me. It was only at the end of freshman year when I delivered an unsurprisingly lackluster performance in our final trials — and saw the look of disappointment on my teammates’ faces — that I realized I was letting everybody down, most importantly myself. After that, I …”

Let’s analyze. 

These examples turn the admissions reader from outsiders to insiders. 

Your Activities List was a teaser trailer, heavy on the special effects and with the greatest moments edited together to pack a wallop. Now, the college wants to know more . They’re metaphorically willing to cough up movie fare and schlep out to the theater (of course donning a covid mask) to learn the full story of what created this awesome list.

In an essay centered on one or more activities, they want to see what actions you took that led to these accomplishments. They want to see what traits within you caused you to take those actions. They want to see if you have what it takes to succeed. 

For the soccer example , we’ve tossed the game-clinching goal cliche out the window. Instead, we’re focused on rare, valuable traits — in this case Drive (aka Grit). This person gets things done. No matter what. Who would you rather have on campus? A student who’s great at soccer and has scored some extraordinary goals? Or … the person who rallied an apathetic team into adding work and improving their results? 

In the musical example, you see both Initiative (challenging the status quo) as well as Intellectual Curiosity (being excited about learning). This person doesn’t just love music, they made that love of music happen, and they got deep into it. What a cool type of person to admit to a college!

Finally, in our Debate Club example , you’re seeing some Contribution (giving back, helping others) in the form of a person wanting to do better by teammates, as well as perhaps some Drive and Intellectual Curiosity , both of which likely come into play later in the essay, as this person turns their performance around. 

Another thing you might want to do: Tell a fuller version of the impact you had and how you achieved it   

Another way we, as essay coaches , have seen students successfully discuss an activity is when the 150 characters allotted for each of your activities isn’t quite enough to tell its story. 

Let’s take this Activities List description as an example:

• Won a series of 6 deadly contests without losing my humanity. Subverted VIP expectations and made possible the redemption of a teammate gone evil. 

(Yes, this is Squid Game , and no there are no spoilers up there. I mean, you know one of them is going to win, right? It’s a very mild spoiler. Email us if you’re upset.)

Well, there might be a lot more to say here about this person’s participation in the Squid Games. About …

• Drive — How they kept at it despite long odds (game #2 springs to mind).
• Initiative — How they found new ways to defeat the odds (bringing in a welcome spirit of camaraderie in an otherwise dog-eat-dog atmosphere).
• Contribution — so many examples.
• Diversity of Experiences — if emerging victorious from the Squid Games doesn’t give you a unique outlook, I don’t know what does.

If you’ve got some great accomplishments under your belt, why not elaborate beyond 150 characters? There’s almost certainly much more to explore that admissions officers would find impressive.

Just make sure that you’re focusing on your actions and how they relate to one or more of the 5 traits. Avoid going on overly long about your deep feelings for the activity or simply recounting “facts,” such as awards or achievements (that clinching soccer goal) — the college wants to know what enduring traits are behind those fleeting achievements.

More articles on Prompt.com’s admissions-boosting methods:

• Work with a college essay coach
• Strong essays increase your chance of admission by up to 10x
• Don’t let influencers influence your college essays
• Should I apply test-optional?
• Early admissions: Everything you need to know
• College Essay Help Center

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How to Write about Extracurriculars in Your Personal Statement and Supplemental Essays

By Kylie Kistner

Writing Coach, Former Admissions Counselor

9 minute read

Whether you’ve completed a passion project you’re proud of or won a robotics award, you might be thinking about writing about extracurriculars in your college application.

Extracurriculars are an important part of the college admissions process for a reason.

Your out-of-the-classroom participation shows admissions officers what you care about, what you’re talented at, and what you’re committed to. How you choose to spend your non-academic time in high school will help them predict what you’d be involved in on their campus.

But there’s an art to writing about extracurriculars in a college application. Too much detail or too little explanation can lose admissions officers in the mix.

In this post, we’ll share our best tips—the ones that our clients have the most success with—for writing about passion projects and extracurricular activities in your personal statement and supplementals.

Let’s get started.

Create a research project tailored to your interests and your schedule

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own. We also offer options to explore multiple topics, or to showcase your final product!

Why write about extracurriculars?

You already put your extracurricular activities in your Common App activities section, so why use up precious essay space elaborating on them?

While admissions officers can see your activities list, they don’t always realize the full context or importance of every single one of your extracurriculars.

If there’s an activity or project that’s especially important to you, it can be worthwhile to elaborate. But if you’re going to use your essay space to write about an extracurricular, you need to make it count. You might choose to write about an extracurricular or project for the following four reasons.

Reason #1: To expand on the details an extracurricular

The 150 characters allotted in your Common App activities list isn’t much. You can convey the basics, but if you want to elaborate at all, you’re going to need more space.

Writing your personal statement or a supplemental about an extracurricular lets you write more in-depth about an extracurricular that’s important to you . Expanding on what you did and why it was meaningful will help admissions officers see why your activity mattered.

Reason #2: To highlight an impressive accomplishment

Let’s say you won a national competition, had a small role on a TV show, or raised a lot of money for an organization you care about. Or maybe you developed an independent research project and published it in a prestigious publication like The Concord Review or invented something and won the Regeneron Science Talent Search .

Your admissions officer wants to know about those accomplishments.

Remember that you want to give admissions officers a compelling story to tell committee about you. Your job is to make their job easier. Impressive extracurriculars can make you more memorable to admissions officers and can set you apart from the sea of other equally-qualified applicants.

Reason #3: To demonstrate magnitude, reach, and impact

Anything you write about an extracurricular, no matter where that writing appears in your application, should work to show the magnitude, reach, and impact of the activity.

Why? Because college admissions is all about outcomes. The more you can show that you’ve positively impacted yourself and the world around you, the better.

Admissions officers want to invite students to their communities who will have an impact, both before and after they graduate. Showing that you’re already impacting those around you can make it clear that you’re ready to take advantage of all the opportunities the school has to offer.

Reason #4: To weave your extracurriculars into a broader story that says something about who you are

Especially when writing about extracurriculars in your personal statement, you can use your activity as a springboard for writing about something else that’s important to you.

You’ve probably chosen your project or activity because it’s interesting and meaningful to you.

Extracurriculars can be an organic gateway to tell admissions officers about a more vulnerable part of who you are. Choosing to write about them in your personal statement or supplementals can emphasize how important they are to you, and it can help draw admissions officers’ attention to a core part of yourself .

Writing About Extracurriculars in Your Personal Statement

Refresher: what is a personal statement.

Personal statements —also called college essays or Common App essays—are the main piece of writing in your college application, and they typically range from 520 to 650 words.

They are tricky to write because you’ve probably never written (or even read!) one before. (We work on these with students every year , and trust us, they’re tough!)

So what’s the purpose of a personal statement, anyway?

Personal statements are meaningful reflections on an important part of your life. Their purpose is to give admissions officers insight into who you are. They are genuine, often vulnerable pieces of writing. And most importantly, the narrative you create with your personal statement should compel admissions officers to admit you.

It’s a lot to ask of a 650-word essay.

But writing about a passion project or extracurricular can be a fantastic way to communicate your interests, showcase your talents, and advocate for your admission.

With that in mind, let’s go over three important strategies for writing your personal statement about an extracurricular.

Convey Your Strengths (But Avoid Bragging)

All outstanding personal statements communicate a core strength to the admissions committee.

Think about it: when an essay clearly conveys a strength, it’s easier for an admissions officer to understand what the applicant would bring to the campus community.

Your strengths don’t have to be explicit, but they should color the overall theme of your essay.

In our work with students, some of the most common strengths that surface include intellectual curiosity, artistry, teamwork, wisdom, and problem-solving.

The key to writing a good personal statement is finding a balance between conveying your strengths and being authentic and vulnerable. You want your strengths to be clear, but you don’t want to come across as bragging.

Instead, the point is to show a genuine strength while still appearing real and human.

Focus on Outcomes

Personal statements about extracurriculars can go awry when they get too caught up in the details of the activity.

Remember: admissions officers don’t need to know every single second of how you spent your time. You want to hit only the key points that create a seamless story so you can spend the rest of your essay reflecting on meaning and outcomes.

Whatever your project is, consider these questions: What did you learn? How did you grow? How did you help others learn or grow? What did your project do to make the world a better place?

Emphasizing the outcomes will keep your essay focused on what matters most.

Implicitly and Explicitly Answer the “Why” Questions

The “why” questions are the questions that admissions officers are bound to have when they read your personal statement.

Once you introduce them to your passion project or extracurricular, they’ll wonder a lot of things, such as: Why did you choose this activity? Why did your activity matter to you? Why did it matter to others? And—the big question— why should it make me more compelled to admit you?

This last question is key.

Simply telling your admissions officer about your passion project or extracurricular is one thing. But the question you can’t loose sight of is how your passion project or extracurricular demonstrates that you should be admitted. You want to preemptively answer these types of questions in your statement. 

That doesn’t mean that you should come right out and say, “My passion project about educational equity means that I should be admitted.” Definitely don’t do that!

But it does mean writing about your activity in a way that draws on your strengths and outcomes so your admissions officers can envision you joining their campus community. Put another way, every essay you write should give your admission officer a clear reason to admit you to their campus.

Writing About Extracurriculars in Your Supplemental Essays

Refresher: what are supplemental essays.

Supplemental essays are additional essays some schools require applicants to write. At around 50 to 500 words, they’re typically shorter than a personal statement.

Since supplemental essays only go to one school, they’re the perfect opportunity for you to make the case that you’re a good fit for the school and its academic community. Your goal in a supplemental essay is to show values-based and academic alignment with the school in question.

Supplemental prompts often fall within a few standardized categories that ask questions like “Why are you interested in attending X?” or “How have you contributed to your community, and how will you contribute to ours?”

One of the most popular supplemental prompt types is the extracurricular activities essay . In these prompts, schools ask you to elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities. If your extracurricular relates to academics, you might also respond to an academic interest prompt.

In short, you’re allowed to write about your passion project or extracurricular in a supplemental essay whenever you feel it’s appropriate.

Make Relevant Connections to the School

Whether you’re responding to an extracurricular activity, academic interest, community, or other prompt type, strong supplemental essays often make explicit connections to the school.

Why do they do this?

Because that’s how you show that you’re a natural fit for the campus community.

It also shows admissions officers that you’ve done your research and are invested as an applicant.

Let’s say you have a passion project about Type 1 Diabetes . Through your research, you learned about Dr. Damiano’s ground-breaking Type 1 Diabetes research at Boston University. Now you have the perfect connection to work into your BU supplemental essay .

Emphasize Meaning and Impact

We’ve already gone over the importance of focusing on the outcomes of your extracurricular, but it’s worth restating.

Emphasizing the meaning and impact of your activity is especially important in supplemental essays because they’re shorter, more purpose-driven in response to a prompt, and often more straightforward than a personal statement.

Take this example essay (“Community Essay: The DIY-ers”) in response to one of MIT’s prompts. The applicant writes about a passion project, building a telescope, but doesn’t stop there. They also go on to explain the meaning of the project (how it helped them connect with their family) and the impact (how it shaped their career goals as an aspiring environmental engineer).

So as you write, be sure to draw out the meaning and impact of your activity for your admissions officers. Don’t leave the guesswork up to them.

Think About Values

The final way to take your supplemental essays to the next level is to think in terms of values.

If you’re choosing to pursue a passion project or spend a lot your free time time on an extracurricular, then chances are it’s something you value.

Use that to your advantage by aligning with values at the institutions you’re applying to. You can do this in any supplemental essay, but your case will be much stronger when you have a passion project or extracurricular to emphasize your alignment.

Perhaps you completed a passion project looking at corporate sustainability practices —something you’re really invested in. Well, let’s also say that you’re interested in the University of Pennsylvania because of Wharton’s Business, Energy, Environment, and Sustainability concentration.

Because of your passion project, you now have the ability to make a very natural, compelling case that your values line up with Penn’s. Showing your commitment to similar values will help admissions officers imagine all the ways you’d contribute to and benefit from their community.

Key Takeaways

We spend our time on what we value most. As a high schooler, you have limited time outside of your school day. Admissions officers appreciate seeing how you’ve committed yourself to projects, activities, and causes outside of the four walls of your high school.

Writing about an extracurricular or passion project in your personal statement or supplementals can be one of the best ways to expand on an activity that is important to you and forge significant connections with the schools you’re applying to.

No matter what kind of college essay you’re writing, avoid getting too caught up in the minutiae of your activity, and be sure to emphasize the meaning and outcomes.

Above all, take stock of your application narrative, and consider how your extracurriculars make you a more compelling candidate for admission.

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How to write the ‘Extracurricular Activity’ essay

How to write the “extracurricular activity” college essay.

Bonus Material: Examples of real supplemental essays that worked for schools like Princeton and Yale

If you’re in the process of applying to colleges, you likely already know that many universities (especially top-tier schools like Ivies) ask you to write essays in response to supplemental prompts. 

When it comes to selective schools, these supplemental essays make a huge difference! Some schools even prioritize your supplemental essays over your Common App personal statement. 

One of the most common supplemental essay prompts asks you to expand on an extracurricular activity you’ve been involved with. This is what we call, for obvious reasons, the Extracurricular Activity essay . 

While it might seem simple, many students misunderstand what colleges want when they ask this question. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through what you need to do to write this supplemental essay in a way that gets you to stand out to elite universities. 

As universities get more and more selective, you’ll want to make sure you do everything possible to ensure your admissions application is perfect. At PrepMaven, that’s exactly what we do: for years, our expert tutors have guided students through the college application process, helping them land acceptances at schools like Princeton, Harvard, and MIT. 

Read on for our guide–backed up by years of experience–on how to approach the Extracurricular Activity essay prompt. 

Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

Jump to section: What is the “Extracurricular Activity” essay? Examples of “Extracurricular Activity” prompts What are colleges looking for in this supplemental essay? How to write the “Extracurricular Activity” essay Example of a successful extracurricular essay Analysis of a real extracurricular essay How to choose the topic for the extracurricular essay Next steps

What is the “Extracurricular” essay?

This is pretty much what it sounds like: many universities will, as one of their supplemental writing prompts, ask you to expand upon an extracurricular activity you’ve been involved with. 

But while the directions are pretty clear, what top colleges actually want from you here can be harder to figure out. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about the Extracurricular essay prompt: what the prompts look like, what admission officers want, and how to structure your essay. 

In addition, we’ll break down a real sample essay and analyze how it effectively checks all the boxes for an incredibly strong Extracurricular supplemental. 

After the “Why us?” prompts (on which we have a detailed guide here ), this is one of the most common supplemental essay prompts you’ll encounter, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re ready for this one well ahead of the application deadlines. 

Below, we’ll walk you through what these prompts look like, and what you need to do to answer them effectively. 

Examples of “Extracurricular Activity” prompts

Lots of schools ask a version of this question, but each university has their own spin on it. Take a look below for some examples from the 2023-2024 application cycle: 

Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are. (Harvard) Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 words, Carnegie Mellon) What academic areas are you interested in exploring in college? (200 words, Emory University)

As you can see, each of these looks a bit different, but really they all want to know the same thing: what interests you, and how have you gotten involved with it?

What are colleges looking for when they ask about extracurriculars?

Simply put, they want to see whether you’re really passionate about something. Almost nothing is as impressive to college admissions officers as real, demonstrated passion for some particular interest. 

In our broader guide on the college application process , we talk about the importance of highlighting your extracurricular profile for elite colleges’ admissions committees. While that happens in your Activities List, of course, the Extracurricular essay is your biggest opportunity to show them how you’ve engaged deeply with a particular activity. 

But admissions officers don’t just want to see you’ve been involved with something .

What they want to see in your extracurricular profile are: 

• Initiative 

These may feel like buzzwords (they are), but they really are how admissions committees evaluate your extracurricular profile. 

Did you just compete in a robotics activity, or did you win a state championship? The former is nice; the latter is excellence . 

Did you start volunteering at a local homeless shelter this year, for an hour a week? That’s good, and colleges will appreciate it. But compare that to someone who’s been volunteering for years, dedicating multiple hours a week to the same task: that’s dedication . 

Leadership is more or less self-explanatory: did you participate, or did you hold specific positions, with demonstrated (positive) effects on the club/team/organization you were a part of?

Initiative can be murkier, but it basically has to do with how much effort you had to put in to pursuing your extracurricular in the first place (this often intersects with the other three categories). For example: did you join an existing club, or found your own because of your intense desire to pursue what interests you?

In a nutshell, then, the extracurricular essay prompt gives you the rare and valuable opportunity to show admissions committees one or more of these traits. As you write your essay, think about it in those terms: how can you show your excellence, dedication, leadership, and/or initiative in whatever activity you choose to write on. 

Below, we’ll run down what one of these essays needs to have to wow admissions officers. Although this guide should give you the information you need, there’s never a substitute for a real college essay expert who can help you with your essay live–we always recommend reaching out to one of our essay coaches if you want to maximize your chances of admission.

How to structure an Extracurricular supplemental essay. 

Although every essay is different, there are certain things that the Extracurricular should always do, and there’s a straightforward structure to help you do it. Below, we’ll break down each step of the structure and analyze a real example. 

Generally, though, these Extracurricular essays follow a similar structure: 

• Start with a story
• Give an overview
• Show your passion
• Reflect on how the activity has shaped you

Below, we’ll get into each of these in detail, so that you can have a more precise understanding of what’s expected of you when it comes to this supplemental essay. 

This is often the advice with all college essays, and it’s no less true here: you want to start with something that grabs the reader’s attention. The best way to do that is, more often than not, by throwing the reader right into the middle of a scene or moment. 

As you most likely did in your Common App essay, try to begin with a short paragraph recounting a moment that showcases you in action. Perhaps it’s you in the lab, working on a hypothesis about plant nutrition. Or maybe you’re an artist, and have just dragged your easel and canvas into the forest to paint a landscape. Whatever you do, don’t just tell us–show us you in action. 

The story exists to hook us in, but it won’t tell us everything we need to know. Set aside a small part of the essay to give a broader background for the activity you’re describing so that admissions committees can understand more about the activity itself. 

This part of the essay won’t be the most exciting or flashy, but it will let you convey a lot of information very quickly–making it an excellent place to highlight things like your dedication or initiative when it comes to this extracurricular. 

What does the “overview” part of an extracurricular supplemental look like? We’ll actually take a look at a real sample essay later in the post, but we can describe it briefly here. 

Say you’re writing an essay about performing in musicals. 

The first section (the story ) of your essay might describe you on stage, about to belt out some showtunes. 

The second section (the overview ) might begin something like, “Since the age of 7, I’ve leaped at every chance to perform in musicals: at schools, in local productions, and even with a touring theater troupe.” In just one sentence, you can show us how long you’ve been engaged with the activity and what some of the highlights were. Then, you can continue on by describing more about what your involvement in this extracurricular entails: your role, how your involvement has changed, that kind of thing. 

A word of caution: don’t turn this into a list of your accomplishments and awards. That should already be reflected in the Activities Section of your Common App. But also, it won’t make for a very good essay, and it’ll sound like you’re bragging. Only include accomplishments if they naturally integrate with the story you’re telling. 

Not sure how to balance an overview so that it conveys the right information without becoming bloated or braggy? The best way to be sure is to work with someone who has experience wowing admissions committees themselves. That’s why we always recommend getting a bit of professional help from one of our many Ivy League essay tutors and checking out or collection of real supplemental essays from successful applicants below 

We say it in almost all of our essay guides, but it’s true: nothing makes an essay stand out to admissions committees like a believable, personal description of the passion you feel for what you do. It’s human: we love people who really love what they do.

Whatever you choose to write about, the next section of your Extracurricular essay should focus on conveying the passion you feel for this activity or the satisfaction you gain from it. As always, specific details are key!  

Don’t just say “I love to ride dirt bikes.” It’s not specific, it’s not detailed, it’s not convincing: do you really believe that the person who has nothing more to say than that really loves what they do?

Connect the passion to specific details or moments that you’ve experienced while pursuing this extracurricular. Maybe it’s the specific sensation of dirt showering on you as you land the bike from a jump; maybe it’s the moment a student you tutor turns to you and says how much you’ve helped their confidence. 

Convey your passion by integrating it with the unique details that only you can recount. That’s what makes the difference between a generic, ChatGPT-style extracurricular essay and a compelling, personal one that can wow college admissions committees. 

As always, the extracurricular activity essay isn’t just about the extracurricular activity: it’s about showing how something you’re deeply involved with has affected who you are on the cusp of college. 

What does that look like? It could be a lot of things! Maybe your extracurricular activity actually shaped what you want to study, or how you live your life–if so, great. But it’s also no less important if your extracurricular activity is simply a source of peace or joy, something that takes you away from the stresses of school or other obligations. 

In any case, it’s important to show that you’re the kind of person who thinks about how the things in your life shape you. This section doesn’t have to be long–a sentence or two will do–but it should show the admissions officers what it is you’ve gained from the pursuit of this hobby, passion, or job. 

Example of a successful Extracurricular Essay

Below is an example of a really excellent response to an Extracurricular essay prompt. This sample actually comes from our guide on how to respond to the University of California’s supplemental prompts, but it’s the kind of essay that could easily be used to respond to any college’s Extracurricular supplemental essay prompt. 

The stall horn blares, and the plane sways under the control of my feet. Shoulders tense, I look outside to maintain balance: even a small tap of a foot or shift of the stick could throw the plane into a downwards roll. The plane begins to shake- my cue to recover. I pitch the nose down and push the throttle full forwards. Despite high-stress situations, piloting is my dream career. Whether airliners or navy jets, I know I will be happiest in the air. I started out building model airplanes out of paper and pencils at Civil Air Patrol meetings, which first introduced me to basic aviation principles: pitch, roll, and yaw. From there, a presentation in my computer science class taught me about Joby Aviation, a local startup working on electric gyrocopters for everyday travel. Already knowing I wanted to fly, I felt inspired to work with aircraft as an engineer as well. I decided to enroll in flight lessons and subsequently took a job as a receptionist at my flight school. When flying, time passes by as fast as the air around me. As warnings blare, pilots chatter over the radio and the plane’s glass bubble gets swelteringly hot. There’s a lot to be aware of, but I’ve learned to multitask and focus amidst distractions. Similarly, being at the airport quickly thrust me into the world of aviation. I found myself fascinated not only by aerodynamics but also by fuel chemistry, avionics, and materials. Sumping fuel from the fuel tanks, I wondered, how do different fuel textures affect planes’ engines? Running my hand along the propeller, I pondered: how would the aircraft fly if this were wood? Plastic? I became fascinated by the specificity and variability of aerospace materials and eager to learn more about them. My love for aerospace is part of why I am eager to study engineering. I imagine myself designing new aircraft and optimizing the ones I fly. Whether I become a pilot or an engineer, the lessons I learn flying will be beneficial in any future paths I take.

Analysis of a real Extracurricular supplemental essay

Take another look at the above essay, and notice how it actually neatly follows the structure we’ve been talking about. 

The essay starts suddenly, and with a ton of detail: a stall horn (what’s that?), a plane swaying, a lot of tension. 

It’s important that the story is, itself, hooking and attention-grabbing. But that’s not the sole purpose of the story: the real key here is that it shows the writer in action. They’re not a passive observer or someone along for the ride. They’re making decisions and taking control of a situation, displaying both confidence and competence. 

Those elements together are the key to a successful opening for the extracurricular essay: get our attention, and show us you in action. 

Notice how the second paragraph feels totally different. It’s no longer a pulse-raising story: it’s a quick but detailed overview of how the writer got involved with and pursued this extracurricular activity over a long period of time. 

What do we learn from this overview? The writer started simple, with models at Civic Air Patrol meetings; they continued pursuing this passion through a compsci course and a local internship; they took flight lessons and got practical work experience at a flight school. 

It’s all super quick, and super efficient. There’s some nice details in there (the models, the gyroscope), but the primary function of this section of the essay is just to put the story in context. Think about it as the background that explains how we got to the story in the first place. 

The next paragraph immediately begins by conveying why this activity is so meaningful to the author. We learn that time (literally) flies, that the author learns how to multitask and stay focused under pressure, and that all this leads to a fascination with the science and engineering behind flight. 

Remember when we talked about specifics being the key to conveying passion? Here’s what we meant. The author doesn’t stop at saying what fascinated them. They go way further, posing multiple hyper-specific questions that convey the author’s real, sustained engagement with this activity. 

• Reflection/change

As you can see, this section can be super short! It really just needs to wrap up the essay by showing us how this extracurricular affects the writer. In this case, it has helped shape what the student wants to pursue, even if the student isn’t yet 100% certain about what that path will look like. 

But this essay could have worked just as well if this student wanted to be an English major. The essay would simply have ended with a different kind of reflection, one about the value or lessons that they’re able to take away from the experience of flying. 

At heart, these essays aren’t complicated. But that doesn’t mean they’re easy. Writing the perfect Extracurricular supplemental essay can be incredibly challenging: how do you balance the story, the overview, the passion, the lesson? And all within a very short word count! 

Taking the right approach can mean the difference between boring an admissions committee and stunning them, so it’s not the place to take risks. It’s why we recommend working with a one-on-one PrepMaven essay coach. Not only have our tutors been accepted to the most prestigious schools in the country, but they’ve helped countless students get their own acceptance letters. 

How to choose the topic for an Extracurricular essay

This is a crucial decision, and you don’t want to take it lightly. 

Many students simply pick the activity that they’ve excelled most in, or the one they spend the most time doing. 

That’s often the wrong choice. Not always, of course, but often!

The key consideration is what activity will add the most to your application when described in essay form, as opposed to merely being summarized in 150 characters on your Activities List. 

Sometimes, that really is the same thing as the one you’re most active in; sometimes it’s not. 

For example, let’s say you’re an absolutely amazing athlete who has won titles and awards and all sorts of stuff. Your activities list can, if you’re careful with word count, convey all of those titles, awards, etc. If you were to write a whole essay about your sport, would you really be able to add much that the admissions committee won’t already see?

On the other hand, let’s say that in addition to being an all-star athlete, you’re also a tutor or mentor for a younger student. On the activities list, that won’t look impressive: so many students do peer tutoring that an admission officer’s eyes will glaze right over. But what if you actually developed a strong relationship with a student you mentored? There’s no way to convey that in 150 characters, but it might make for a nice story in 150 words. 

Wherever you can tell the best story, that’s your topic for the extracurricular supplemental. 

Before writing, you should always spend time reading through sample essays. We’ve collected over 50 supplemental essays from our tutors in response to prompts from Ivies and other elite schools. They’re totally free, and you can download them below to see what worked for past applicants. 

Though the steps here might seem simple, they can be astoundingly hard to pull off in just 250 words or less, which is usually the word count for this kind of supplemental essay. But if you can thread the needle and do everything listed above on this kind of essay, it can make a huge difference for your application. 

Most people don’t treat the supplemental essays as if they were particularly important, but they absolutely are: each college has put time and resources into coming up with these supplemental essay prompts because they want to see what you have to say. 

If you’ve read this guide carefully, then it’s time to start drafting! If you want to ensure that you’re writing the kind of essay that can get you into a top tier school, however, it often pays to get a second opinion. Our college essay experts have helped thousands of students get admitted into their dream schools, and are ready to help you do the same as soon as you’re ready. 

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Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars are a great way to participate in an activity you enjoy and meet new people, and they can also be an important part of your college application.

What makes an extracurricular activity particularly impressive to colleges? How do your extracurriculars measure up?

Read this guide to see four amazing extracurricular activities examples. I'll discuss why they're exceptional and how you can participate in similar activities to boost your own college application.

What Are Extracurricular Activities and How Are They Useful?

An extracurricular is any activity you participate in outside of class. It can be associated with your school, such as a sports team or club, or completely separate. They also include any jobs or internships you have had, as well as volunteer work you have performed. Extracurriculars cover a wide range of activities and interests, from painting to science to helping the homeless and more.

Why would you want to participate in an extracurricular? There are several ways they can benefit you:

They Let You Do Something You Enjoy

Extracurriculars let you participate in an activity you enjoy, whether that's playing football, painting, or another activity. Practicing this activity regularly will help you get better at it, and you may be able to develop new skills that you find useful in the future. Doing something you enjoy not only makes you happier but can also give you a much-needed break from schoolwork.

They Introduce You to New Friends

Students often make many friends through their extracurriculars because they see other members regularly and have a shared interest.

They Are Important for College Applications

Extracurriculars can also be included in your college applications to show your interests and talents. Read on to learn more about the importance of extracurriculars when applying to college.

How Are Extracurriculars Important for College Applications?

Extracurriculars can be a key part of your college application. Most applications have a section where you can list all the extracurriculars you were involved in. If a certain extracurricular is particularly important to you, you can also write about it in your personal statement and have the people writing you letters of recommendation discuss it so that it is a more prominent part of your college application.

Why do colleges care about extracurriculars? Colleges like to admit students who are involved in their communities, interact well with others, and work to develop their talents and passions. A student who participates in extracurriculars is more likely to do each of those things than a student who has no extracurriculars.

Also, there is more to college than simply going to class; colleges are full of opportunities to be active, interact with others, and give back, and schools want to admit students who will keep their campuses connected and interesting. Great extracurriculars can also help you stand out from the thousands of applications colleges receive by highlighting a particular skill or interest of yours that makes you unique and memorable.

How competitive your extracurriculars need to be depends on how selective the colleges you're applying to are. For Ivy League and other top schools, strong extracurriculars are usually required. For more information, check out our guide that explains how to develop extracurriculars that will help you get into Harvard and other top schools. If you're applying to your state school, you likely don't need your extracurriculars to be exceptional, but if you do have awesome extracurriculars and decent grades, then you have an excellent chance of being accepted.

What Makes an Extracurricular Activity Great?

While colleges like to see a student with extracurriculars, not all extracurriculars are considered equal. There are specific qualities that colleges look for in extracurriculars that will make them more impressive and boost the applicant's resume. Having one amazing extracurricular on your college application is more impressive than a list of activities you had little interest in or impact on. One great extracurricular can give your college application a significant boost.

However, getting an amazing extracurricular is not as simple as choosing a particular sport or club you think colleges will find impressive. When applying to college, what activity you do is not nearly as important as why you are doing it or the effort you put into it. There are three qualities admissions look for in particular when they review extracurriculars:

Leadership experience includes any time that you have been responsible for leading a project or guiding, motivating, or instructing others. Colleges want to admit students who have a history of leadership experience because they are hoping those students will continue to be leaders and have a significant impact on the world in the future.

You don't have to be team captain or club president in order to get leadership experience. You can show your leadership skills by helping to organize an event, mentoring younger members, or developing a fundraiser.

Are you participating in that activity because you truly want to or just because you want to include it on your college application? For colleges, there is a huge difference between the two. Admissions officers want to see you doing activities you are interested in and passionate about, not just as a way to impress others. Passion is a critical contributor to success, and colleges see genuine passion as an indicator that you are more likely to succeed than someone who's just going through the motions.

Great extracurriculars show what your passion is. This can be accomplished by having multiple similar extracurriculars (such as being part of multiple science clubs), or showing a deep commitment to a particular extracurricular, often by pursuing it for many years and spending a significant amount of time on it.

Colleges measure impact by looking at how you influenced the activity you participated in and how it influenced you. The strongest extracurricular examples clearly show that you have changed and improved as a result of participating and that you also had a lasting impact on the activity as well.

Colleges want to admit people who will have a positive and lasting impact on their school, so they look for students who already have a history of this in their extracurriculars. Having an impact on an extracurricular can include recruiting new members, expanding a club's focus, or developing a way for the club to reach more people. Colleges also want to see that your extracurriculars made you a better person. Are you more responsible? A better team player? More confident?

Colleges love to see confident applicants.

To get a better idea of what good extracurricular activities are, read on to see examples of outstanding extracurricular activities.

Great Extracurricular Activity Examples

Below are four fictional examples of great extracurricular activities. For each, a paragraph is written from the student's perspective. Most college applications don't allow much space to discuss your extracurriculars, but you will likely want to include a more condensed version of the same kind of information. For a more in-depth take on this topic, take a look at our guide on how to write about extracurriculars on your college application .

Each example also includes a breakdown of what makes it a great extracurricular, as well as ways for you to pursue similar activities.

Example 1: Elizabeth the Ballerina

I took my first ballet class when I was three years old, and ever since then I have known that I want to be a ballerina. During the school year, I would take ballet classes six days a week, and beginning in middle school I spent summers at intensive ballet camps. When I was 14, I was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet's pre-professional program, one of the most competitive youth ballet troupes in the country. I have now spent three years in the pre-professional program, which involves practicing and performing roughly 30 hours a week. I have also auditioned and been selected for roles in 8 company productions that are seen by hundreds of audience members each night. I have loved ballet nearly my entire life, and I plan to continue working as a ballerina and mentoring children and teenagers who are interested in ballet.

Why It Stands Out

The main thing that causes this extracurricular to stand out is Elizabeth's clear passion for and dedication to ballet. Elizabeth has been practicing ballet since she was a toddler, and she practices many hours each week. She gives specific numbers (30 hours a week, 8 company productions), to help admissions officers get a clear idea of her work and the impact it had.

She makes her talents clear by stating that she was accepted into a competitive program and was chosen to perform in company performances. This helps show that she is exceptionally skilled ballerina and helps her stand out from other applicants who may just pursue dance as a fun hobby.

Finally, Elizabeth states that she would like to teach others about ballet and act as a mentor. This both shows her leadership abilities and lets schools know that she would like to continue her extracurricular as a college student.

How to Have a Similar Extracurricular

Is there a hobby or activity you have practiced for multiple years? You don't need to have practiced it as long as Elizabeth has, but sticking with one extracurricular for a long time can show colleges you have a deep interest in it.

This activity doesn't necessarily have to be an official club or sport either, having a hobby you are passionate about and practice regularly also counts as an extracurricular. If you've been interested in art since you were young, you can expand that into a strong extracurricular by taking art classes, getting your work displayed in your community, and developing a program or class that introduces kids to art.

Example 2: Scott the Volunteer Leader

I have been a member of my high school's volunteer club since my freshman year. During my first year, I enjoyed tutoring elementary students and painting houses with the club, but I thought students should have more options for volunteering. As a sophomore, I spoke to club leaders and proposed five new locations where students could volunteer including a hospital, animal shelter, and homeless shelter. After getting my suggestions approved, I contacted the organizations and arranged for them to form volunteer partnerships with the school. This included developing activities volunteers could do, getting the organizations approved by the school, and arranging volunteer times and transportation. Other students in the volunteer club were excited about having a bigger impact, so I continued to look for new opportunities for volunteers. I am currently president of the volunteer club and in charge of developing new volunteer activities. Under my direction, the volunteer club has grown from 30 to over 100 members and quadrupled the number of places where students can volunteer. I'm proud that our club is continuing to grow and help more people each year.

This extracurricular clearly shows that Scott is a leader who knows how to take initiative and get things done. Scott clearly describes the work he did to expand and improve the volunteer club, from proposing ideas to club leaders to working with organizations to establish volunteer programs.

Like Elizabeth, he gives concrete numbers to show his impact on the volunteer club and how he contributed to its growth . The fact that he worked to expand the volunteer club and provide more volunteer opportunities for other club members also shows that he cares about volunteering and believes it can have a positive impact on both volunteers and the people they help.

Scott's extracurricular is great because he took initiative and worked to improve it, even before he had a leadership position. You can do the same thing with any of your extracurriculars. Is there a club you enjoy but think could be better? Perhaps you are part of an art club but wish members had more opportunities to showcase their work.

You could contact a local library or cafe and organize a display of artists' work for the community to enjoy. Perhaps you're on an academic bowl team and wish there were more competitions. You could contact other schools and set up an invitational tournament to help teams get more practice competing. The main point is to take initiative and lead a project that will improve your extracurricular, no matter what that activity is.

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Example 3: Jessica the Scientist

When I was 15 years old, I decided to get a part-time job to help pay for college and have some spending money. Because I was already part of my school's Science Olympiad team and plan on majoring in microbiology, I applied to be a lab technician at a local science lab. My work primarily consisted of preparing chemicals and cleaning equipment, but after speaking to my supervisor about my interest in microbiology, I was able to begin conducting some simple experiments for the lab. This past summer I became a full-time intern at the lab and took on additional responsibilities. I asked to work with a team doing a microbiology project that studies self-assembly properties of polypeptides. During my internship, I ran different chemical tests and analyzed data results for potential use in cancer research, and I have continued that work into the school year.

From the above paragraph, it's clear that Jessica's passion is science. She is a member of science clubs, she plans on majoring in biology, and she applied for a job in a science lab. Jessica took a not-too-exciting job, where she mostly cleaned lab equipment, and was able to grow it into an internship where she contributes to cancer research. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment for a high school student. She took initiative to increase the responsibility of her part-time job and turn it into something that has a meaningful impact and gives her useful experience for her future.

Jessica's part-time job didn't start off all that impressive; she worked to increase her responsibilities and impact. You can do the same with any job or activity you have. Think of ways to expand your role, or ask your boss or club leader if they have any ideas. For example, if you're a lifeguard, you could start a program that teaches kids basic first-aid safety at the pool.

I have a friend who worked at a grocery store in high school and planned on being a dietitian. She created a monthly group where kids whose parents were grocery shopping could stop by a part of the grocery store, have some snacks, and learn about which healthy foods they should eat. That's a great way to take a typical high school job and turn it into an extracurricular that shows motivation, hard-work, and leadership skills.

Example 4: James the Soccer Player

When I started high school I thought it would be a good idea to join a sports team since my family had just moved to the area. One of my classmates suggested I try out for the soccer team. I made the junior varsity team and stayed on it for two years until I joined the varsity team as a junior. I love playing soccer and the feeling I get knowing I'm a member of a team. Being part of the soccer team helped me make friends and feel like I was part of the school's community. Because my soccer team helped me so much, as a junior I proposed a mentoring program where experienced team members helped freshman players adjust to high school. The mentors would make sure the freshman weren't feeling overwhelmed, had people to talk to, and found activities and classes they liked. The program was a great success, with many members commenting on how much they enjoyed it. This year, I helped three other sports teams implement the program. Doing this has helped me become more confident and better at public speaking. My high school dean has also asked that I speak to other teams in the hopes that, eventually, each of my school's sports teams will have a similar mentoring program.

Unlike Elizabeth, the highly-skilled ballerina, James is not one of the top high school soccer players in the country. While making varsity team does show he's talented at playing soccer, there are thousands of high school varsity players across the country, and unless you are playing at a national level, simply being a varsity athlete is not enough to make an extracurricular outstanding. What makes James' extracurricular exceptional is not his soccer skills but the mentoring program he started for athletes.

James took his experience of being the new kid and used it to help others avoid feeling lonely and isolated in high school. He decided to create a program that helps new students and bonds the team together. This shows leadership, as well as consideration for others. Colleges want students foster a positive atmosphere by working well as part of a team and being the kind of person other students want to be around. James' commitment to his mentoring program makes him seem like that kind of person. He also states how working on the mentoring program made him a more confident person . Similar to previous examples, James took initiative to start a new project, and he continues to lead and expand it.

James' extracurricular shows that you don't have to be the best at a certain activity to have it be a strong extracurricular. James wasn't team captain and didn't make the varsity team until he was a junior, but he still had a significant impact on improving the soccer team and helping out other students at his school.

If you aren't the top athlete or best science student at your school, you can have a strong impact in another way. A great way to do this is to foster relationships among your classmates. If your school has several science clubs that don't often interact with each other, you can suggest hosting a science event together that can include cool science demonstrations for kids and help the science clubs become more connected. You can also start a mentoring program similar to the one James created.

How to Create Your Own Great Extracurriculars

In none of the above examples was a student handed an amazing internship or club membership; they each had to put in time and effort to create exceptional extracurriculars. It will likely be the same for you. By following the steps below, you can develop great extracurriculars that will show the passion, impact, and leadership abilities that colleges love to see. If you have already chosen your extracurriculars and simply want to strengthen then, you can begin at step #4, although you may still find reading the previous steps useful.

#1: List Your Interests

Colleges want to see you participate in extracurriculars that you are passionate about, not ones you are only doing to impress others. Doing an extracurricular you are interested in will also make it more enjoyable (which is really the point of an extracurricular) and will likely also make you more willing to pursue leadership opportunities and increase your impact.

Make a list of all your interests. This can include your favorite classes, hobbies you enjoy, sports you've wanted to try, or what you plan on studying in college, basically anything you think you would enjoy spending more time doing.

#2: Research Extracurriculars

Once you have your list of interests, find extracurriculars that relate to them. Look at clubs and sports your school offers, local jobs and internships for teens, and volunteer opportunities, and make a list of extracurricular activities you might be interested in. If you need ideas, we have a complete list of extracurriculars that includes hundreds of different options.

If you need more help, ask your guidance counselor, classmates, or local community members. You can also try doing an internet search for "your interest" + "your hometown" to find nearby activities you can get involved with. If your school doesn't offer an extracurricular you're interested in, you can start a club yourself, which is a great way to show initiative and leadership.

#3: Choose and Narrow Your Extracurriculars

If you are able to, choose several extracurriculars that you think you will enjoy. After participating in them for a few weeks or months, you can narrow them down to one or a few that you feel particularly passionate about and want to devote more time to. Colleges are more interested in depth than breadth, so having a few extracurriculars that you put a lot of time into and have a significant impact on is more impressive than a laundry list of clubs and sports you don't really care about.

Narrow down your interests in order to choose the best extracurriculars

#4: Increase Your Impact

Now that you've chosen your extracurriculars, it's time to strengthen them to help your college application stand out. First, look for ways to increase your impact. Like the examples mentioned above, this can include recruiting more members, creating new events, expanding the club's focus, and more. Try to leave your extracurricular better than it was when you joined it.

#5: Gain Leadership Skills

After you have started to have a larger impact, work to become a leader in your extracurricular. This doesn't always mean being club president or team captain. You can gain leadership skills by mentoring other members, leading a project, or developing a new activity.

Once you've started applying these five rules, you'll be well on your way to developing a great extracurricular to include on your college applications.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about community service? We have a guide that explains what community service is and how it can benefit you.

Are you thinking about doing an extracurricular or volunteer work in a foreign country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn if they're really the best option for you.

Not sure if you want to go to school in a big city or small town? Read our guide to learn if you should go to a rural, urban, or suburban school.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Writing About Extracurriculars in Your College Essays

Extracurricular activities are an important part of the application. How can you include them in your essays? Get tips and tricks with CollegeAdvisor.com.

Admissions and essay expert Ann Vande Velde will share her insider knowledge on how to include extracurricular activities in your essays during a 60-minute webinar and Q&A session.

In this webinar, you’ll have all your questions answered, including:

• How can I write about my extracurricular activities?
• How can I choose an activity that will make me stand out? -Are there any topics I should avoid writing about?

Come ready to learn and bring your questions!

Webinar Transcription

2022-10-25 – Writing About Extracurriculars in Your College Essays

Hi everyone. Welcome to CollegeAdvisor’s webinar on Writing About Extracurriculars in Your College Essays. I’m McKenzie and I’ll be your moderator tonight. So if you have any questions, you can direct message me. Uh, and also, uh, if you have any questions, uh, related to tech issues, you can direct message me.

Uh, otherwise, to orient everyone with the webinar timing, we’ll start up with a presentation. Then answer your questions in a live Q&A on the sidebar. You can download our slides and you can start to meet your questions in the Q&A tab. Now let’s meet our. Hi everyone. My name’s Anna Vande Velde. I’m super excited to be here tonight.

Um, just to give you a, a brief sense of who I am, um, I got my bachelor’s at Carnegie Mellon in psychology. Um, I thought I was gonna be a clinical psychologist. My life took a different path. I ended up at Harvard Law School and I’m now working as a nonprofit attorney and have been with CollegeAdvisor for over a year, um, advising students and also as a captain on our essay review team.

Great. And now real quick, we just wanna see where, um, everyone is at. So what grade are you currently in? Eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th or other. And other can be if you’re a transfer student or if you’re taking a gap year, and if you’re a parent on the call, you can select the grade that your student is going into.

And while we wait for those responses to roll in, Anna, can you tell us, um, does the activity that a student write. Uh, writes about, uh, need to be on their activities list? Great question. I would want to know a little more about what the student’s thoughts are. Um, cuz my initial thought is, why wouldn’t you put it on your activities list?

If it’s an issue of like you’ve maxed out the space, um, then I think you just wanna prioritize your activities list based on importance to you impact on your life and the amount of involvement. Um, so if there’s a club you’ve only been in for a week, maybe take that one off and put on the club that you’re writing about.

Um, but it, it’s gonna all depend on like the specifics. Hmm. So it’s looking like we have a great mixture in the crowd. We have 1% eighth graders, 5% ninth graders, 17% 10th graders, 37% 11th graders, which is not the majority, but they have the most percentage, uh, 36% 12th graders, and 3% other. And you can control the slides.

Great. Well, welcome everyone. Um, so the first question we wanted to answer is, where in the application do you even talk about extracurriculars? Um, and there are a lot of options. The most obvious place is, um, in your activities list. Um, and we have here activities, work and family responsibilities to highlight.

Activities list is broad. Um, you can really include so many different things there, and we’ll get into that later. Um, there’s also a section tried about honors and achievements. Those are usually related to an extracurricular activity. Your personal statement. You can write about extracurriculars. You do not have to.

Um, for those of you who maybe haven’t looked at or aren’t this far in the process, um, specifically with the Common App, which is where probably most of your applications will go through, there are a list of questions you can choose from for your personal statement. They’re pretty open-ended, um, and it’s completely up to you what you write about.

Can be an extracurricular. Doesn’t have to be the same thing is true if the college you’re applying to has, um, writing supplements. They might ask additional questions and want you to write additional essays there. And then I have letters of recommendation on here. You would not write this, that’s probably clear.

But there is an opportunity if you are asking a teacher or maybe a mentor and to write a letter of recommendation and they have seen how involved you are in a certain extracurricular, it’s completely appropriate to ask them, Are you comfortable writing about what you’ve seen me do in math club and in whatever the, the extracurricular might be?

So that’s just one more creative way to get your extracurriculars in there. Um, but that is not one that you would write. So the real answer to this question, what activities can students describe in their activities? List your essays. The real answer. Oh, sorry. Did my audio cut up? Okay. Um, the real answer is anything you can write about.

Anything, this is the list that the Common App provides in the activities list section. Uh, Anna, can we pause for a second? There are students, uh, with tech issues at the moment. Um, can you try, uh, speaking without the AirPods? That might help. Did I just cut out for a second cuz my laptop tried to use Siri?

I’ll try.

Can you hear me now? Yeah, I can hear you. Okay. Is this better? Everyone? I think that should help, but I’ll stop if we have anymore. Sorry about that. No, thank you for interrupting. Um, so I was just saying on the, on the Common App there is a section for activities and there’s literally a dropdown. That lists every single thing here.

That’s where I got this list from. So these are the types of extracurriculars that the Common App is thinking you might include. Um, you’ll notice the last one is other clubs slash activity. So truly you can put anything, um, it should be meaningful to you. It should be something you’ve been very engaged in.

Um, I did see one of the questions that people submitted ahead of time was about does it have to be like an official club affiliated with a school or a program? No. Um, so maybe, you know, if you’re dancing with friends, you could put it under dance or you could put it under other activity. They’re also gonna ask, you know, how many hours you’ve spent on it.

There’s a place for you to describe your engagement with that extracurricular. So you have a lot of leeway to write about what activities are most important to you.

So why, why are we even having a training on writing about extracurriculars and why is that something you would want to do? Um, first of all, writing about it in your essays will allow you to convey a lot more than you can fit in the activity section. Um, so that the description that you can put in that section is limited to 150 characters that is very short, that is less than like half of what you can put in a tweet.

Um, so you can’t fit a lot there. It’s hard to convey personal growth, um, really deep things there so you can capture that instead in an essay. Um, it also allows you to highlight things on your activities list that are maybe extra important to you. Um, and they’re just a great source I have found of stories.

And we’ll talk about storytelling and how important that is in your essays.

Speaking of how can students write meaningful essays about their activities? Tell a story. I say this a hundred times a day. I’m like a broken records. I drive my students not to lit, but I believe in it. It is so important when you are writing an essay, tell a story. You have the activity section to list, you know, what you did.

Here is where you show us what it looked like, what it felt like, what you experienced, what you learned, um, and any opportunity to connect that activity or what you learned in it to your college or career interests. Um, that’s a great thing to do in your essay.

Yes. Uh, so now we’re just gonna do another quick poll. So where are you in the college application process? Haven’t started. I’m researching schools. I’m working on my essays. I’m getting my application materials together. Or if you’re really lucky, I’m almost done. And while we wait for that, Anna, can you tell us how can writing about an extracurricular help those who have trouble writing about themselves?

Well, I think writing about ourselves can be difficult, and if you’re writing about an extracurricular, it maybe provides a little more structure to a question. Um, and like I said earlier, they’re just great sources of stories. So instead of thinking about like I’m writing about myself, you can start out by just describing the moment.

What did you see when you went to this new club? What did you think? What did you feel? What have you learned? Um, and if you can frame it like that, maybe it feels a bit less like you’re writing about yourself even though you are. Um, so starting with like a specific moment in mind that was really meaningful to you, I think is an easy way to, or easier way to start writing.

Mm-hmm. . So it’s looking like we have 26% have been started. 35% are researching schools, 21% are working on their essays. 11% are getting their application materials together and 6% though lucky if you are almost done and you can control the sides. Great. Well, it’s nice to have thread here. Um, so here are some high level tips for describing your extracurriculars.

Um, I’ve broken it out because my advice is different depending on where you’re writing about ’em. If it’s in the activity section. Um, You don’t have to use full sentences. Start with action words, like on a resume. Um, highlight your leadership, focus on what you’ve done, not what the club is. Um, so you don’t need to explain what Debate Club is.

Folks will know that. Um, and here’s a place to be specific. Um, so one example might be you could write Belong to Debate Club, where students debate controversial topics at various high schools in the region. Or you could write, participated in 15 debates. Organized team fundraiser, which raised over a thousand dollars in co-led practice sessions.

So I would say that second example is much stronger because it’s specific, you know, 15 debates raise over a thousand dollars and it uses action words like participated, organized, co-led. and it doesn’t waste that valuable 150 characters describing what debate club is. Um, in contrast, in your essay, you’re gonna tell me one to two stories of a debate practice or a debate you were in, Put us in your shoes.

What did it look like when you were standing on stage? What did it feel like? What did you hear? Um, and then really importantly, what did you learn about yourself? How did you grow? How has this shaped your college aspirations, your career aspirations? So there’s a lot more depth in the essay, um, versus in an activity section where it’s, you know, a lot, a lot briefer.

Um, things to avoid in your essays. I’ve already said this. You don’t need to describe the club organization if it’s obvious from the name. Sometimes it’s not. Um, and if it’s not, describe it. You want your readers to know what you’re talking about. Um, I would be as brief as possible there, so you save as much space as you can for you and what you’ve done in this club.

Um, similarly, an essay is not the place to list, you know, all of the clubs you’ve joined or all of the things you’ve accomplished in them, like simply as a list. Um, you can do that in that activity section, but here in an essay, you want to really pull your reader in, be engaging. We can do that best through storytelling.

Um, I have negativity on here. That’s not to say that you can’t write about. Negative moments. Sometimes those can be really rich areas to write about. Someone asked the question ahead of time about, um, is it okay to write about things we failed at? Absolutely. If you frame it from the perspective of, I failed at this and here’s what I did in response, here’s what I learned, here’s how I grew.

That could be a fantastic essay. Um, it’s okay to say you’ve failed, but you won’t want to end the essay there. Right. That would be your starting point. And then show us how you responded to that failure.

My experience reviewing essays, um, is that truly, you can relate almost anything back to your career or academic interest. Um, so I think sometimes students get a little worried, um, if I’m applying to. For a math major, and then I have to write about math club. Not necessarily. If you’ve been the most involved in theater and you’ve learned a lot about yourself there, then there you might have more to write about that might be more engaging.

And what have you learned about yourself in theater that confirms for you that math is going to be a, a good major for you? Um, it can be a personality trait. It doesn’t have to be I love math. I’m in math clubs. I’m going to be a math major Also, any amount of impact can be meaningful. There are some questions about impact.

Does it have to be world, world impact? No. Oh my goodness. Please do not put that pressure on yourselves. Um, these stories do not have to be TV worthy at all. Um, I read a fantastic essay. That was about a student’s journey in golf. Um, and it started out by him saying, Snap, the song of the, or the sound of the club as it hits the ball.

Da da da da da puts me in this place. And then this was actually an essay where he talked about how he didn’t do well the first year. Here’s what he did to get better. And it was all in like from his perspective and it was great, right? But that impact was mostly internal for him and a bit on his team.

Not a world changing impact at all. And that’s okay. Um, we can’t all impact the whole world. That’s just not realistic. Colleges know that. Um, and then there are interesting stories everywhere. Everywhere. I’ve read essays where a student just read something like on the subway. That sparked an interesting thought for them.

They followed it through, or a student heard someone say something about common sense and they thought, Oh, what does that even mean? They followed it all the way through. It’s interesting. If you put us in your shoes and you show us how you thought through a concept, it might sound overwhelming. I really encourage you to just take some time, sit and quiet or wherever you think best and just reflect where have I had impactful moments?

What, what, Where was I? What was I doing? What did I learn? And this is hard. This is hard for all of us, but I challenge you as. Having those thoughts and as you’re putting this work in to turn off that part that we all have in our brain that wants to immediately jump on it and say, Oh, I don’t know if a college is gonna like that.

I don’t know if that’s impressive to a Harvard, I don’t know about this. If you can turn that off just for a few minutes while you’re just brainstorming and thinking, let yourself take that story that you could tell there to completion. Take a step back and think like, Okay, is this a good story? Would I want to read this?

And does it tell the readers more about who I am as a person? So all that to say this is a process and it requires some thought and you can absolutely do it. Um, some high level advice. Show don’t tell is another way of me saying tell a story. So sorry, I had to get that in there one more time. Um, remember that lists are for activities sections, not your essays.

Number one rule, really, I should put this at the top. For anything you write, be genuine. Show us who you are. Um, actually write about the extracurriculars that mean the most to you, not the ones that you think colleges are going to care the most about. Because I can tell you they do not have a list. They do not have a rubric of this club ranks above that club.

This activity looks more impressive. Someone, um, asked if out of school extracurriculars look more impressive than in school. No. What they want to see when you’re writing, it’s just more about who you are, what you like, what you enjoy. So it can be any. Type of activity. Just be genuine, be yourself. Also, sometimes we just have to start writing.

Um, I know for me sometimes just getting that first sentence out, I could, there’s like such a writer’s block I challenge you. Let go start writing and then be open to rewriting and, and revising and getting feedback. Um, there’s that saying good writing is rewriting. I’m a big fan of that thing. Um, and feedback I think is really, really helpful.

With any essay from your teachers, your peers, your family, your CollegeAdvisor, um, that is what we are here for. And then this might be annoying to say, I’m sorry if it is, but if you can have fun when you’re writing these, why not? Um, you’re writing about the things you love the most and are the most passionate about, and hopefully even with all of the work on your plate and all of the stress of this process, I hope you can find an ounce of fun at least, um, in, in writing about what you love.

Yes. So that is the end of the presentation part of the webinar. I hope you found this information helpful. And remember, again, that you can download the slide from the link, the handouts tab. And this webinar is being recorded if you would like to view it again later on our website at app.CollegeAdvisor.com/webinars.

Moving on to live Q&A. I’ll read your questions, you submit it in the Q&A tab and read them aloud before a panelist gives you an answer. As a heads up, if your Q&A tab isn’t letting you submit questions, just make sure that you join the link through the custom, uh, join the custom link sent your email and not, uh, from the webinar landing page, also known as the website or else you won’t get all the feature that big marker.

So just make sure you join through that custom link. Uh, and, and real quick just before we get started, I have put some additional information in the Q&A tab. So yes, the character limit is meaning this. It’s150 words on the Common App. Um, different applications have different rules about that, but uh, the characters mean that, um, you can’t go, It’s gonna count each letter and digit that you type in, and I believe spaces are not included in that.

Punctuation? No, I don’t think punctuation is actually. Um, and then with the essays, you have a word count limit. So you get whole words, um, ranging from one word to 800 words depending on the, if it’s a supplement. The personal statement, which is the big essay that most people tend to write about extracurriculars in, um, is a minimum 250 words and a maximum of 650 words.

Uh, that is for the Common App. Every application portal has different, um, rules. Uh, and then also because it is a larger audience tonight, we ask that you do not vote on your, um, questions that you ask, cuz it disrupts the order of the Q&A tab. So, yes. Okay. So for our first question, this is a big question that everyone, uh, wants to know about.

What makes an essay about an extracurricular activity stand out? Love this question. What makes. Any essay stand out about an extracurricular or otherwise, is that I get to learn more about you. So if you can for a minute, put yourself in the shoes of the college admissions reader. They are reading a lot of essays, um, and they’re not always spending a whole lot of time on them.

So the more you can pull them in and engage them right at the beginning, the more likely they are to remember your essay at the end of the day. Um, and that’s, that’s what you want, right? So not here’s my spiel again, but if you can tell a story, put us in your shoes at the very beginning, only you have had that experience.

Only you have had those exact thoughts and feelings. So it’s immediately. Unique, even if it’s about something millions of people do, like golf, If it’s your specific experience with golf, it’s unique, it’s engaging. And I wanna know more. The essay is where people learn about you as a human and everywhere else in the application, the list, the transcript is you as a student on paper.

Um, so that’s, yes. Um, going on to the next question, more about the pros of the essays. A students asking should you use professional language or should the essays be casual? Good question. Um, an annoying thing about lawyers is that we say it depends a lot. Um, so I’m gonna say it depends and then I’m going to elaborate.

I would err on the. Of less casual. Um, you certainly want the essay to sound like yourself. Um, like if someone read the essay and then met with you and had a conversation, they could see like, Oh yeah, this person sounds on paper, similar to how they sound in person. Um, that does not mean that we would write LOL or whatever casual slang is popular these days.

I know it’s not lol. I know I’m old. Um. So find that balance between keeping your voice clear and prominent and not falling too casual. So, I mean, if you’re writing Google Docs and it underlines it as a word, that’s not a word, maybe um, swap that out, um, or explain why you’re using the word that you list.

Mm-hmm. Uh, kind of going off of that, versus asking, when you say that you do not have to write in full sentences in the activity section, do you mean to use bullet points? I don’t think bullet points all are even allowed, just like I don’t think you can enter them. Um, but you can use periods to abbreviate, um, before a full sentence.

Like you, you can take out the word the, uh, similar to like advice you get on, um, resume writing, if you’ve done that or Googled that. Um, yes, no bullets, but you can abbreviate. Mm-hmm. Uh, so I’m seeing a lot of, uh, specific questions, , about, um, various activities from, um, the first Lego League, um, versus, um, what are some other ones?

Dance and sports. Um, how do you know if a topic is good to write about, um, for your application? If you love it, if it’s meaningful to you, If you can tell me a story about something you have done in this activity, be it dance or legos, anything. And I can learn more about you as a human and how you would be as a friend to other students on campus or how you’d be as a student in class or a community member and maybe a new, a new city.

That’s it, y’all. There’s not, there’s not like a. This activity is good, this activity is bad. It can actually be anything. If you love it, if you have learned from it, if you have grown as a person in it and you can capture that in an essay, then it’s a great topic. Uh, going on to the next question, are there any activities that are cliche to write about?

I don’t think so. Um, I think, I think when essays come off as cliche, it has nothing to do with the topic and it’s coming off as cliche cuz students are maybe, you know, pulling together different cliche phrases in a way where it feels like, I don’t think the student talks like this. I think they’re saying this because they think.

I want to read that as an admissions reader, I think they’re, they’re writing this, hoping it’ll impress me instead of writing well from a genuine place’s passion. Mm-hmm. So there are no cliche topics. Only disingenuous. Mm-hmm. A good way to, um, see if your essay is coming off genuinely, um, is to have someone who knows you pretty well to read your essay and they can tell you if they think it sounds like you, if they think it represents you.

I know for me, with one of my essays, I wrote, um, something about identity, but it wasn’t really something about my identity per se, or nothing that I felt strongly about. And one of my teachers, uh, questioned whether or not it would be the best essay because it came off kind of bland and didn’t really connect with anything about my character and my personality.

So that can be a good way to see if your essays coming off cliche. Um, if it can apply to pretty much any other student and it doesn’t really relate to you. There are a lot of shared experiences, but if it can’t be directed back to you, that’s kind of where cliche or in genuineness, uh, comes in. Uh, going on to the next question.

Uh, should we write about an activity we did not enjoy? If you’re going to tell me why you didn’t, why you didn’t enjoy it, what you learned through that experience. Sure. Especially if that’s really relevant to what you wanna do in college. If that, if doing something you didn’t like, taught you a really big thing about yourself and your future goals, I would definitely write about it.

I would caution you to not frame, to not be overly negative and blaming the activity or the person who is leading it. Um, cause we don’t wanna come across too negative. Um, but yes, if you can, if you can tell me why you didn’t like it and how you drew. Uh, going on to the next question, a parent is asking, um, about the additional information section and if that is a good place to put, um, to write about activities that maybe weren’t on your activities list or if you wanted to use your essay for something else, would the additional information section be a good place to do that?

Um, is this, I’m not sure what additional information section there is. Um, so like there’s the Common App essay and then there’s the activities list and on like the, one of the last sections of the Common App application, and I’m not sure about other application portals. Um, but on the last section it asks is there anything else that you would like to add to your application?

And it gives. I, I wanna say it’s like 250 or six 50 words, but I’m not sure, Um, just to add any additional parts to your application. Usually people use it to like, explain maybe dips and grades or people have used it for activities, um, before. And then, um, it can be used to just expand on something, uh, in your application that wasn’t touched on anywhere else.

Thank you, McKenzie. Um, I understand the question now and, and I agree with everything you said. Um, you can use it for that. I, I caution my students against including activities just to have a long activities list. Um, so I think common epilepsy put 10 mm-hmm, um, if you genuinely have 12 extracurriculars that you.

Are so passionate about and they’re really impactful to you. Yeah, you, you can totally include it there. Um, I just, I wouldn’t feel any pressure to, to do that or to, to show colleges like I have done, I’ve set up world record in like, number of extracurriculars I’ve participated in, um, cuz they, I really are taking a holistic, uh, view of these applications and it’s not like maxing out the activity section, boost your points or anything.

There’s no point system. Um, so I hope that answers the question. You can, but I caution students to only include activities that they’re really genuinely engaged and excited. Mm-hmm. . Uh, going on to the next question, I’m gonna kind of combine these two, but does it need to be an activity or experience? We were recently involved in, and this kind of goes with the student’s question, asking if an activity that they were in, uh, in elementary, during elementary and middle school, but didn’t do in, um, high school can be written about because it inspired their, uh, in current interest.

Awesome question. I believe the Common App in the activity section wants you to talk about just high school activities with the essays, there’s a lot of freedom. Um, so that question about this thing I did in elementary or middle school that really informed what I wanna do. Yes. That sounds like a great starting point for your personal statement or for supplemental essay.

Absolutely. You can really write about anything in the essays. Um, doesn’t have to be just something you’ve done in high school. Uh, kind of going off of that, another student is asking, can they write about a camp that they attended and then sort to add on, uh, can we write about an activity that was only one day, such as a conference or a competition, uh, or an activity that we were not in for a long, that we were in for a short time?

Yes. Thank you. I actually, I had in my notes to address that one during the presentation and I skipped over it. Yes. If you go to a conference and it changes your life, where it tells you what you wanna study and what you don’t wanna study, yes. Please write about it. That sounds really important to your story, to knowing you as a person.

Absolutely. Camps similarly, um, you can include them on the activities list and or in an essay, uh, focusing on the impact that they’ve had on you. Uh, going on to the next question, um, just to kind of broadly talk about extracurriculars, cuz I’m seeing a lot of questions on it. Uh, a student is asking if there’s a disadvantage if you don’t have a large number of extracurriculars.

Uh, and another student is asking on the opposite end, Is it good to have a lot of extracurriculars? They just wanna know like, what is it about these extracurriculars? Yes. Yeah, good question. Be genuine. Don’t be like, me as a high school senior who joined every club my school offered because I thought that’s what colleges wanted to see.

It is not, that was a, I was pushing myself too hard and I was overextending myself. Go to the clubs and extracurriculars that excite you, that are interesting to you. and then just be genuine about that on your application. Colleges are really like, I know it can feel like they’re not, but they really genuinely are taking the holistic approach.

So they’re gonna look at your activities list, but they’re also gonna look at your transcript and they’re also gonna look at your essays. So if there’s something in, if you, if you’re like, Ooh, I’m worried I have only one or two extracurriculars. First of all, I would challenge you to look really closely at that list.

Uh, cause there are a lot of things on there, um, that you might not be thinking of as an extracurricular. You, I’m just scrolling back to it. Um, if you are engaged in any religious community, if you have any family responsibilities, um, so helping with siblings or grandparents, parents, if you have a job, there are so many things that you can put on that list.

Um, but first of all, if you think you don’t have enough, really go through that list closely and see if we might have more than you think. Um, and then just follow our natural passions and tell your story and your application. I don’t know, I’m forgetting there are two questions that, Did I get both of them?

McKenzie? Yeah. Like, is it, um, a disadvantage, uh, to have a low number of activities also, or a large number? It’s not a disadvantage, it’s just a fact. Um, and tell your story. If there’s a reason why that you think is worth sharing, do that in your personal statement or in the extra space. Um, but no, they’re, they’re looking at you as a whole person, not just as someone who should sign up for extracurriculars.

Yes. And for me, uh, cause I see that someone asking about the average, uh, on the Common App, you’re able to upload 10 activities and then they have a separate section for honors and awards. So you don’t need to use that space there. Um, a lot of people try to meet that, um, maximum number of 10, and we have other webinars that go over this, but you do not need to do that.

I believe that when I was applying to college back in 2019, oh my gosh, um, my senior year I had about, I wanna say seven activities on my list and I got into Cornell University early decisions. So it’s more so about what your, um, commitment and your involvement, even if it was a one day thing, it’s like what did you do in that?

Why was it meaningful? Getting, uh, across that point in your application overall is more important than the number of activities that you have. Though a lot of people do try and meet that number of 10 just because the space is available. Um, the coalition application, I believe only goes up to eight activities.

So if you wanted to submit more than that, I’d recommend the Common App, Uh, different, uh, portals, like the UCs, I don’t remember what they do, but some applications don’t allow you to submit anything. Like they don’t really ask for much information. So it really depends on, um, what schools and what application portal you’re using.

Uh, going on to the next question, cause I’m seeing it come up a lot, students are just really curious about, um, whether or not the, the activity or the essay needs to be related to your major or career interest. Great question. Um, I think first of all, uh, it depends a little bit on the prompt. Uh, if the prompt is a supplemental essay and it says, Tell us about an extracurricular you’ve done.

There’s maybe a little more leeway, but I think even there, you can bring it back to your interest somehow. It might not be obvious. Um, I read an essay the other day that related, um, archery to forensic science. Right? Those are not related, but the student learned certain things in archery, like patience, working independently, attention to detail.

Those are all super relevant in forensic science. And she made a really convincing argument that they are, and because of this extracurricular, she’s done, she’s now better prepared to be a forensic science. So I’m telling you, there is a connection there because in everything we do as humans, we are learning and we are growing.

And if we’re learning and growing, then we’re getting something that is going to be useful in a big new chapter like college. Uh, going along with that, uh, there are gonna be multiple essays in your application. So you have the personal statement, and I’m going off the Common App again, but the personal statement is big essay, um, that you find under the, my Common App, uh, section of the Common App.

Uh, and then you have the supplemental essays, which is found under each individual college, under the My Colleges section. And then, so, um, the personal statement, um, is a good place to write about this. Supplements can be a good place to write about, um, majors, uh, career interests, just because schools typically are asking the why school question, like, why do you wanna attend there?

Why do you wanna do this program? So that can be a good place to explain that and then maybe talk about a different activity or experience or whatever else in your personal statement. Um, but if schools aren’t asking that question or if you don’t have the space to talk about an extracurricular there, um, you can always, um, Use your personal statement.

And then also some schools will even ask you what activities you would like to participate in college and why. So that can be a good space to say like, Hey, I participated in this in high school and I’d like to continue. Um, that’s another space. It all makes more sense when you actually see it on the application.

Uh, and it does not need to be, your essay does not need to be related to your career or anything. I wrote about a college prep, uh, club that I started at my high school and I was applying pre-med and public health. Uh, I did eventually switch into the education side, but um, initially I got into pre-med and public health with my, um, essay talking about.

Education. There we go. Uh, but my supplements, were talking more about my interest in health and health. Uh, so, yeah. Uh, going on to the next question, a student is asking, should a person write about, uh, extracurricular activities or life experiences in an essay which would be more engaging and memorable?

I’m sorry, McKenzie, you cut out at the very beginning. Yes. Uh, so a student asking should a person write about extracurricular activities or life experiences in the essays, uh, which would be more engaging?

I’m curious how an extracurricular is different from a life experience. Um, in that everything we do is a life experience. If the question is about, is it better to write about an extracurricular, like a formal club or something that happened in my personal? No. Like none is, neither is better than the other.

Uh, write about what’s gonna, tell me more about you. You want the admissions readers to look at your entire application and see like, Oh, I know a bit about who this student is. I understand where they’re coming from and where they want to go, but they make, it makes sense. They’ve told their story throughout the application.

Um, so you don’t have to write about your extracurricular and your essay. Um, you can absolutely write about personal things. Um, I just got a, a chat question about writing about weaknesses being vulnerable. Yes. You can do all of that. Um, just, you know, frame it how we’ve been talking about. Tell the story.

What have you learned? How do you feel it’s prepared you, um, for where you want to go? Yes. And I’m seeing a question in the chat asking, Do I have to limit my essay to six 50 words? Is there a drawback to exceeding the limit? So on the Common App, it is going to cut you off after six 50 words, so you won’t be able to go over that.

Um, we recommend writing your essays in like a separate Google Doc or Word doc. Um, and then, uh, cutting it down, editing it there, and then, um, copying and pasting it into your, uh, application. Uh, and then it’ll show you whether or not you, um, your essay fits in or not. And you can like check the word count.

You need a minimum of 250 words to be able to submit your Common App. And, but you have a max at six 50, so there’s no way to exceed it. And on that, Um, we know that the admissions process is hard for, um, is overwhelming for parents and students alike, especially when trying to figure out how to get these essays down.

Um, cut down the word count, figure out what’s even right about and make the essays as strong as possible. Our team of over 300, uh, forum or admissions officers and admissions experts, such as Anna are ready to help you and your family navigate it all in one-on-one advising sessions. Uh, take charge of your family’s college admissions journey by signing up for a free strategy session with an admissions expert by scanning the QR code on the screen.

From there, you’ll be taken to, um, A form, um, which you can fill out to figure out when a good meeting time will be, and then you’ll be connected with someone from our team to figure out what our packages are, um, what our different services are. Um, but just to go over it a bit, uh, with your advisor, you’ll really get to know them in these, um, one-on-one sessions and then they’ll be able to get to know you, your interest.

Um, usually you’re paired with someone who’s been accepted into or attends the school of interest and even, um, is doing this a similar career path to what you’re interested in. So they can really help with guiding you to figure out what’s gonna be the best, uh, topic, best way to frame your application so that it is the strongest possible and really represents you, your passions, your interests, and helps you, um, helps improve your chances of getting into your dream schools.

And one of the highlights for joining CollegeAdvisor is you get access to our essay review team who can provide additional support, um, with, um, Your essays. And Anna, since you are the lead on that, do you mind talking a bit more about, um, the essay review team? Yes, absolutely. Our essay review team is here for you.

We are, uh, a select group of advisors within the CollegeAdvisor network who are particularly passionate about writing, editing, um, and essays that come to us through, typically through your advisor. Um, and we give thorough feedback. We do the inline edits. Um, we’ll help with word count if that’s an issue.

We’ll point out places where we think you might need more or, uh, you know, some clarification. Um, and then we’ll give you a paragraph or two of high level feedback, um, just to say like, Here’s where I see this going, great work. Here’s my biggest, Like, if you’re only gonna do one thing to strengthen this essay, this is what I would do.

Um, and that’s, that’s what we’re here for. We have a turnaround time. We’re very proud of. Uh, we get ’em back within 24 hours. It’s often even faster than that. Um, so we are here for you and would love to read your essays. Yes, it’s a, it’s a great part of CollegeAdvisor. You get a whole team just looking over your essays so that it can really stand out as much as possible.

And um, again, with helping with that word count, cause I know that is a bit tricky for students, but yeah, so, um, you can sign up again by going to, uh, by scanning the QR code on the screen and you can also go to app.CollegeAdvisor.com and sign up for a free account, um, with us where you can, um, review different parts of the application process, um, keep up with deadlines, research various schools, and you can, uh, keep track of our webinars, um, to view what’s upcoming or view, um, past webinars.

So yeah, so’s scan the QR code on the screen to find out more. Uh, now back to the Q&A. So I am seeing a student asking about, I just had the question. Um, Okay. Uh, similar to like the, um, clubs that are less formal. A student is asking, Do colleges consider hobbies as extracurriculars? I would want to know more.

I’d want to have a conversation with a student asking this. Absolutely. You can write about a hobby in an essay. A hundred percent. Cause you can write about anything. Um, if, if you’re wanting to include it on the activities list, I would just wanna hear more about what it is. Um, on Common App, at least they do ask questions about how long you’ve been doing it, how many hours per week you spend on it.

Um, so if it’s a hobby that you’re spending like 10, 15 hours a week on, I think that’s a strong argument to include it there. Um, and then you just wanna be thought of what, which drop down category you select for it. Um, so yes, you could, and you can absolutely write about it in an essence. Yes, it’s a long list of things that can be counted as, um, As your activities list, including family responsibilities, which is even more broad than a hobby.

So, um, just it’s really more so about your commitment and how well you’re able to explain it. And then also for different things, if you wanted a extra like voucher for them or extra verification, um, you can ask someone to write you a recommendation for them if you have the additional space. Some schools limit who or how many people you can ask, um, for a letter of recommendation.

But if you have the extra space to get a recommender who maybe watched you the hobby, that is a great, um, way to just get the extra verification in terms of whether or not colleges verify how many hours and stuff you participate in them or how many activities you’re really participating in. I’d recommend just not lying.

Um, and then just try and be truthful. If you can’t quantify how many hours you were in it, you can put like, how many days a week? Um, how many. How long you were in the activity. Um, just give a general idea of what your participation was like. And if it seems like it’s too many activities to where it doesn’t sound realistic, then maybe you can explain it in the additional information section.

But usually if you were able to accomplish that many tasks and the time you were given, then you should, you should be good. But if it, you’re saying like you did 150 hours a week on an activity, that’s probably not likely. Cuz 40 hours a week is like the average working hours and you’re full-time students.

Uh, so just keep that in mind. . Yeah, I tell my students like, Look, you want the right order of magnitude. Mm-hmm. . Um, and it’s okay to estimate on average how many hours per week, but it needs to be in the ballpark. It can’t be 150 hours per week unless somehow you are doing that. And then you should definitely write about that in an essay.

Uh, going on to the next question, should you talk about an activity that you quit?

If I can learn something interesting about you, I’d wanna know why you quit, um, what you did after you quit, what you learned about yourself. You might be starting to notice a theme to my answers, um, because that’s the goal of these essays is who are you as a person and how do you think, how do you grow?

How do you learn? Um, are you able to introspect? and reflect on a time and say like, Oh, I quit dance and here’s, here’s why. Here’s what I learned about myself. Um, again, staying away from the negative, like dance is a horrible activity. I would not say something like that. Um, focus on you and what you learned.

Mm-hmm. , Uh, going on to the next question is students asking how many activities do you recommend we, uh, should write about? Is there a minimum? Um, I guess that would depend on the, if it’s the essay or the activities list. Can you kind of touch on both? Yes, absolutely. Um, we’ve talked about the activities list, um, a bit.

So I’ll, I’ll be brief there. You’re limited to 10 on the Common App. You do not have to have 10. McKenzie, I think she had seven and got an early decision before now, like a rock star. Um, so you do not need to fill that in an essay. I, I would, I would tend to write about fewer activities, maybe even one, maybe even one moment in that activity.

Um, because the activities, the activities list is there, um, to see how, like how many things you’ve done. The essay is there not for that at all, cuz that’s what the activities section is for. The essay is there for me to learn more about you as a person. So if you’re spending a lot of your 650 words, well listing all the, the activities we’ve done, it’s kind of a waste of your space.

Uh, so when writing in an essay, I would maybe talk about just. Um, if, if two are related, um, or if there’s a reason you wanna talk about two. It’s not a hard and fast rule. Um, but just be thoughtful about why would, why would I write about more than one? And how does writing about more than one tell the reader more about me that they can’t get from my activities list?

Mm-hmm, uh, if it’s starting to sound more like a list or it gets a little bit off topic, that’s where writing about more than one activity and an essay can get a little bit difficult and then you aren’t able to expand as much as you would like to. If you just talked about one, maybe two activities or even a moment, like Anna said.

Um, it’s specificity is really good in essays and having multiple things to talk about limits that, um, y’all can check out our other webinars. There are even some. Workshop webinars where we go over specific ways to write the essay, different ways to edit it. Uh, you can check out our webinars on writing about a passion project, which overlaps a lot with this topic.

Um, and you can just switch it out for like an activity that you’re doing, even if it wasn’t something that you started. So that is also a good place to look and I’m also seeing some questions related to the admissions process in general. Like when should you start? Um, and uh, where do recommenders go?

You can check out our other webinars by typing in those keywords, like recommender or activities list or admissions process, um, on our website at app.CollegeAdvisor.com to find those more specific questions. And in terms of being able to save the application, the application does save as you go. I would just recommend with the essays that you would, um, do it in a separate doc just so you can edit it and see it a bit easier and even share it with someone else if you wanted them to read over it.

Um, and the activities list, you can just. You can do in the Common App, but then also having like a spreadsheet or a resume on the side, um, for you to look off of, uh, going on to the next question. Um, Okay. Uh, a student is asked, oh, if there’s any questions in the chat that you wanted to get to, please feel free to read them out and respond.

Um, uh, but how, uh, what are admissions officers looking for in an essay, particularly about the extracurriculars? And another student is asking, um, what are some common mistakes you see within the, within, uh, applications or within nasa? Yeah, in essays about extracurriculars and about anything readers, admissions readers are looking to get to know you as a person.

How do you think about the world? And it makes sense that they want to, to know that. Because you’re applying to be a student at their university where you’re going to come and participate in activities and participate in class. So they want to know how, how do you see the world, how do you engage with it?

What would you be like as a student here on campus? Um, and what was, Sorry McKenzie, I don’t remember the other question. Um, what are some common mistakes? I believe somebody, uh, is putting like top three mistakes and writing essays about extracurriculars. Okay. Um, top three might be hard for me to commit to cause I’m an indecisive person.

Um, mistakes I see are, I think that biggest one is just not going deep. Not, not introspecting. That’s when they’re coming off as cliche as if you’re writing this, um, cuz you want to impress me. Um, and doing this is hard. It. Like it does require. Why don’t to scare you if you can do it. And it’s helpful to do the work up front by thinking it through.

Like genuinely take some time before you start writing to think about what extracurricular is the most meaningful to me and why. I’m telling you, I don’t think every student does that. And I think putting in even just a few minutes to think about that before you start writing will really, uh, level up your essay.

Mm-hmm, uh, since we are coming up on time, is there any last advice that you would like to give to students or any questions again that you see that you wanna answer? My advice to students is that you can do this. I know it’s a long process and I was there, I remember how stressful it can be. Use your support network.

Um, Hopefully that includes CollegeAdvisor. Um, use your teachers, use your peers, your family. Um, it’s intimidating to ask people to read what we’ve written and it is so worth it to get feedback on your essays. Um, so that’s my number one advice. Be open to feedback, be open to reworking things, um, and then be you show your true self.

Use your real voice when you write and, you’re going to be fabulous and we cannot wait to work with all of you individually. Mm-hmm. So thank you for that wonderful answer. So that is the end of the, uh, our webinar. Thank you to our wonderful panelists, Anna, for all this great information about writing about your extracurriculars.

Um, here’s the rest of our October series in our upcoming November series where we’ll have various webinars on college panels and on, um, various parts of the application and essay editing, as well as some supplemental essay workshops for those, um, school specific essays. Um, So remember again, you can, um, rewatch this recording later on our website at app.CollegeAdvisor.com, and you can find other webinars as well.

Um, so if your question was not answered in tonight’s webinar, do try attending the, um, upcoming webinars or, uh, view our older webinars as well as looking on our blog where you may be able to find, uh, the specific answers to your questions. Especially for everyone that’s new to the admissions process. I recommend, um, watching some of our videos that go over the admissions pro, uh, process entirely so that you can figure out what’s coming up, what all do you need to do, and what all to look out for, uh, as you get started on this journey.

So thank you everyone for coming out tonight and goodnight .

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Best College Essay Examples

Extracurricular activities.

348 words | 2 page(s)

I believe that extracurricular activities are a crucial aspect of life. Life must be multidimensional and offer the individual a number of activities to enrich one’s life. I have several extracurricular activities. One of my favorites is a sport that I regularly engage in: table tennis. I find this form of the sport to be particularly interesting. I began playing it as a young child and have never stopped. While it does not appear to be as popular as regular tennis, I find it to be relaxing and enjoyable. There is, of course, also an element of competition to it. There are times when I have played competitively with it. Other times, however, I simply enjoy a nice, relaxing game of it with my family and my friends. I have a table tennis set in my house for me to practice and to play with my friends. Many of my friends also have developed a significant interest in it as well.

My summers have been quite busy. During 2012, I attended a two week sleep-away camp. The title was “Legacy: A Step Camp Experience.” It really was an experience! It gave me a greater understanding of who I am as a person and how I can use this to leave my mark on the world. I believe it will be one of the most formative experiences of my life. It emphasized diversity within New York society. We visited a number of different religious places of worship to understand how all of these influence society. I also went on vacation to India. In this experience, I did community service. I donated clothes to an orphanage, served meals and spent time with the children.

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In 2013, I attended a three week sleep-away camp; this focused on improving my leadership skills and fostering a greater sense of family. I learned that giving back is not optional; rather, it is our human responsibility. I spent the rest of the summer preparing for my SATs. I also completed several college applications. I believe this helped me to be better prepared for my junior year.

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Essay on Extracurricular Activities

Students are often asked to write an essay on Extracurricular Activities in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Extracurricular Activities

What are extracurricular activities.

Extracurricular activities are things you do outside of your regular school work. They can be clubs, sports, art, music, or volunteering. These activities help you learn new skills, make friends, and discover what you like to do.

Benefits of Joining

Joining these activities can make you happier at school. They teach you how to work with others and give you a break from studying. They also help you do better in school and can lead to better jobs in the future.

Types of Activities

There are many types of activities to choose from. You can play soccer, join a science club, or learn to play an instrument. It’s important to pick something you enjoy.

Getting Involved

To get involved, ask your teachers or friends about different activities. Try out a few and stick with the one you like best. It’s a fun way to learn and grow outside the classroom.

Also check:

• Speech on Extracurricular Activities

250 Words Essay on Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are things you do outside of regular school classes. They can be sports, clubs, debate, drama, school publications, student council, and other social events. These activities help students learn new skills, make friends, and find what they love to do.

The Importance of Extracurricular Activities

Joining these activities is important for several reasons. First, they help you grow as a person. You learn how to work with others, solve problems, and manage your time. They also make school more fun because you get to do things you enjoy. Colleges and jobs often look for people who have been involved in extracurricular activities because it shows you’re a well-rounded person.

Types of Extracurricular Activities

There are many kinds of activities to choose from. Sports like soccer, basketball, and swimming teach teamwork and discipline. Clubs like chess, science, or art encourage you to explore your interests. Activities like drama or music can help you be creative and confident.

Balance is Key

It’s important to balance schoolwork with these activities. Too much of anything can be bad, so make sure you have time for both. It’s okay to pick one or two activities that you really enjoy and focus on them.

Extracurricular activities are a great part of school life. They help you learn new things, meet new people, and have a good time. Remember to balance them with your studies, and you’ll have a great experience.

500 Words Essay on Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are the fun things students do outside of their regular school work. These can be sports like soccer or basketball, clubs like art or music, or even groups that help the community. They are not part of your grades at school, but they are still very important. They help you learn new skills, make friends, and discover what you love to do.

The Benefits of Joining In

When you join an extracurricular activity, you get to enjoy a lot of good things. First, you can make new friends who like the same things you do. This can make school more fun because you have buddies to share your interests with. Also, you learn how to work with other people as a team, which is a skill you will use your whole life.

These activities also help you become better at managing your time. You have to figure out how to fit your homework, your activity, and your rest time into each day. This makes you more organized and responsible.

Discovering New Passions

Sometimes, you might not know that you are really good at something until you try it. Extracurricular activities give you the chance to try new things. You might find out you are a great actor when you join the drama club, or you might learn that you love science when you join the science club. Finding what you love doing is a big part of growing up, and these activities can help you with that.

Staying Healthy and Active

Sports and other active clubs are great for keeping your body healthy. Running around and playing games is not just fun, it also makes your body stronger. It is important to move and not just sit all day, and sports are a great way to do that. Plus, being active can also make you feel happier and more ready to learn when you are in class.

Getting Ready for the Future

Believe it or not, extracurricular activities can even help you in the future when you are looking for a job. They teach you how to be a leader, how to solve problems, and how to talk to other people. These are all things that bosses like to see when they are hiring someone. Also, if you want to go to college, they like to see that you have done activities outside of class too.

Choosing the Right Activities

With so many different activities out there, how do you pick the right one? Think about what you like to do. Do you like drawing or painting? Maybe the art club is for you. Do you like being outside and learning about nature? Then maybe a gardening club would be fun. It is okay to try a few different things until you find the one that feels right.

Remember, the most important part is to have fun and try your best. You do not have to be the best at something to enjoy it. Just by being there and giving it a go, you are already doing something great. So go out there, join a club or a team, and start having fun!

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Fuel
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Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Complete List of Extracurricular Activities – 250+ Examples

February 26, 2024

There are many reasons to participate in extracurriculars. They’ll allow you to develop skills and widen your social circle. Plus, they’re fun! Moreover, extracurriculars are not only personally and professionally enriching, but can also be a critical component of your college applications. In fact, there are ten blank spaces for extracurricular activities on the Common Application. Now, do you need ten extracurricular activities? Nope. While you should feel free to experiment during your freshman and sophomore years, it is fine—preferrable, actually—to focus on a few core activities your junior and senior years. That is, focus on quality over quantity (scroll down for 250 extracurricular activity examples).

In addition, one’s ability to participate in extracurricular activities is shaped by a number of factors including academic load, personal and familial obligations, economic circumstances, and availability. It’s difficult to join a ski club if you live in Florida, write for the student newspaper if your high school doesn’t have one, or participate in after-school activities when you have younger siblings to babysit or a part-time retail job. Admissions officers will account for these factors, and you should as well.

Why Are Extracurriculars Important?

Different schools place different weight on extracurriculars. Generally, the more competitive the school, the more your extracurriculars can help you stand out amongst a field of academically-qualified applicants.

More specifically, extracurriculars:

• Give insights into your priorities and passions.
• Demonstrate commitment and initiative.
• Establish your interest in a prospective major. This is more important for some majors than others. Examples: pre-med, computer science, theater.

Extracurricular Activities Examples (Continued)

However, contrary to popular belief, college admissions officers are people, not robots. They are focused on accepting applicants who will make up a well-rounded student body , not necessarily on accepting individual students who check each and every box. This distinction is critical. Treat the activities section of your application as an opportunity to show what you have to offer to your future college community. What does your list of activities say about you? What do you want it to say about you? For example, perhaps you participated in only one club in high school—a single line item on the activities section of your application. Is that “bad?” Well, no. Let’s expand the scenario and say that you were a member of said club all four years of high school, eventually served as Vice-President, and participated in regional activities.

Now, what does that one activity say about you? It says that you are dedicated and secure in your interests. Conversely, let’s say you participated in eight different extracurriculars—some sporadically, some regularly. What does this say about you? You are a joiner. You are not afraid to experiment, but know how and when to prioritize. Both of these hypothetical students are promising candidates.

When reviewing extracurriculars, college admissions officers are looking for evidence of:

• Participation
• Achievement
• Community Engagement
• Relevant (or Unexpected) Interests
• Social Awareness
• Personal Growth

Typically, what your list of extracurriculars communicates about you is the most valuable part of this application section.

What Are Extracurriculars?

Whether you are just starting to explore extracurricular opportunities or are already considering how to complete the Common App activities section, it can be helpful to consider the range of activities. What constitutes an extracurricular activity? What are your options? Which extracurriculars fit your interests?

As the list of extracurriculars below shows, the list of potential activities is quite expansive. Use this list to brainstorm ideas or get a sense of the range of possibilities. In fact, if you are researching extracurriculars early enough in your high school career, you might even be able to establish a club or chapter that doesn’t yet exist at your school or in your community.

Alternatively, by perusing this list, you might find that are already participating in an activity without even realizing it “counts.” What do you do after school? For fun? During the weekends? That is, before you despair, are you sure that you have no extracurriculars ? No matter your circumstances, it is highly unlikely that you have nothing to include in this section of your application. Remember that an extracurricular can be any activity not related to coursework . This includes both formal activities and informal hobbies, paid work and volunteer positions, clubs and sports, etc.

List of Extracurricular Activities Divided by Category

Many of these activities could easily fit into multiple or alternate categories. For example, some language clubs are more academic and founded by and for students interested in learning and practicing a language, whereas others function more as cultural affinity groups.

Numerous organizations, clubs, or teams listed are national organizations, with students joining or belonging to a local or school-specific chapter. Where possible, we’ve linked to the national organization for more information.

Academic Clubs or Teams

Do you love science and plan to major in pre-med? An anatomy or biology club might be for you! Are you interested in practicing your Spanish skills outside of class? There might be a club for that! Join a club or an academic team because it interests you, not because you think it will look good (or, at least, not just because you think it will look good).

These groups can vary in competitiveness and levels of commitment. Academic competitions or challenges often entail some degree of travel, as well as opportunities for prizes and scholarships.

• Academic Decathlon
• Academic Triathlon
• Adopt-a-Physicist
• American Mathematics Competitions
• American Regions Mathematics League
• Anatomy Club
• Arabic Club
• Architecture Club
• Art History Club
• Astronomy Club
• Biology Club
• Business Club
• Caribou Mathematics Competition
• Chemistry Club
• Chemistry Olympiad
• Chinese Club
• Clean Tech Challenge
• Conrad Challenge (annual innovation and entrepreneurial competition)
• Creative Communication Poetry Contest
• EconChallenge
• Economics Club
• Electronics Club
• Engineering Club
• English Club
• French Club
• German Club
• History Club
• Kids Philosophy Slam
• Life Sciences Club
• Literature Club
• Math League
• National Academic Quiz Tournament
• National Geography Bee
• National History Bee
• National Science Bee
• National Spelling Bee
• Odyssey of the Mind
• Philosophy Club
• Physics Club
• Psychology Club
• Robotics Club
• Russian Club
• Science Olympiad
• Spanish Club
• Trivia and Quiz Clubs
• Web Design/Coding Club
• Writing Club

Affinity Groups

This list is not comprehensive, as these types of groups tend to vary according to the demographic make-up of one’s high school or region. Likewise, the names of these groups can vary significantly. Don’t see a group that serves you or your peers? Establish one!

• African American Student Alliance
• American Sign Language Club
• Asian Students Association
• Association of Latin-American Students
• Autism Awareness Club
• Black Students Alliance
• Black Students Union
• Buddhist Club
• Caribbean Culture Club
• Chinese Student Association
• Diversity Awareness Club
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Feminist Club
• Filipino-American Club
• Gay-Straight Alliance
• Indian Students Association
• International Students Association
• International Women’s Club
• Jewish Culture Club
• Jewish Student Union
• Latino Students Union
• LGBTQ2S+ Club
• Multicultural Student Union
• Muslim Student Union
• Muslim Students Association
• National Organization for Women
• Nigerian Student Association
• Pacific Islander Student Association
• Persian Club
• Queer Student Alliance
• Refugee Support and Awareness Club
• South Asian Student Association

Do you have a creative side, or are you planning in majoring in art or design?

• 3-D Modeling
• 3-D Printing Club
• Anime/Manga Club
• Blacksmithing
• Fashion Design
• Graphic Design
• Jewelry Making
• Knitting and Crochet
• Photography
• Video Game Development
• Woodworking

Community Involvement & Service Organizations

Many school clubs or societies require community service, as do many scholarships. Likewise, some college applications provide a separate section for listing your community service. However, you might also consider volunteering more regularly or joining a service organization. Not only can it be more enriching than a one-off volunteer opportunity, but it also counts as an extracurricular. There are many established service organizations, or you can look up local groups and reach out about volunteer opportunities.

• Adopt-a-Highway
• American Cancer Society
• Amnesty International
• Animal Rights Club
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Do Something
• Environmental Club
• Food Pantry/Soup Kitchen Volunteer
• Girls Lean International
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hospital Volunteer
• Humane Society
• Kiwanis International
• March of Dimes
• Missionary Work
• Nursing Home Volunteer
• Peer Tutoring
• Red Cross Club
• Religious Institution Involvement (Church, Mosque, Synagogue, Temple Involvement)
• UNICEF High School Clubs
• Volunteer Fire Department
• Youth Groups

Employment & Professional Development

Are you worried about your extracurriculars because you want or need to work instead? Well, don’t. Holding down a job is serious business, and demonstrates responsibility and resolve.

• Educators Rising (for future educators)
• Entrepreneurship Club
• HOSA (organization for future health professionals)
• Internships (paid and unpaid)
• Lifeguarding
• Landscaping
• Pet sitting
• Retail Work
• Service Industry Work (waiting tables, housecleaning, etc.)
• Teacher Assistance
• Tutoring (paid and volunteer)

Government, Leadership & Activism

From serving on your student council to volunteering for a local (or national) political campaign, there are many government-adjacent extracurricular opportunities. Other ways of cultivating your leadership skills including checking out one of the many established youth leadership groups or working with an organization that represents your political interests and concerns.

• Civil Air Patrol
• The Climate Initiative
• Current Events Club
• Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
• Foreign Affairs Club
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
• Girl Scouts
• High School Democrats of America
• Junior ROTC
• Junior State of America
• Mock Trial Club
• Model Congress Club
• Model United Nations
• National Beta Club
• National Speech & Debate Association
• National Teen Age Republicans
• Political Campaign Involvement
• Racial Justice Club
• Sierra Student Coalition
• Sunrise Movement
• Student Council
• Student Government
• Team Enough
• Young Democrats of America

Honor Societies

Commitment level and degrees of selectiveness can vary.

• Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics Honor Society)
• National Honor Society
• Quill and Scroll (International Honor Society for High School Journalists)
• Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society
• Science National Honors Society
• Tri-M Music Honor Society

Media & Writing

Even if there is no club or group that fits your media or writing interests, anyone can start a blog or a podcast!

• Blogging (personal or through an established web publication)
• Creative Writing (poetry, fan fiction)
• Culture Reviews (books, films, television)
• Literary Magazine
• Playwriting Club
• Radio (school or local station)
• Scriptwriting Club
• School Newspaper
• Sports Writing
• Television (school or local channel)
• Yearbook Committee

Music & Performance Art

Remember that this category includes more than performance. Do you love theater but have terrible stage fright? Join the stage crew to help with costumes or design. Do you want to support musical groups but can’t carry a tune? Offer to do the lighting or work as an usher during concerts.

• Acapella Group
• Chamber Music Group
• Choreography
• Chorus/Choir (school or community)
• Comedy Club
• Concert Band
• Dance (ballet, jazz, modern, tap, etc.)
• Improv Club
• International Thespian Society
• Marching Band
• Slam Poetry Club
• Spoken Word
• Theater (school or community, acting or production)

Special Interests

There is (or can be) a club for any interest.

• Astrology Club
• Bridge Club
• Cooking Club
• Dungeons and Dragons Club
• Forensics Team
• LARPing (Live Action Role Playing)
• Pokemon Club
• Renaissance Faires
• Society for Creative Anachronism

Sports & Recreation (Teams and Clubs)

You don’t have to be the MVP to get (and stay) involved with athletic extracurriculars. In fact, pursuing a sport even if you’re not an all-star demonstrates commitment and teamwork. If your school doesn’t offer a sport, look for recreational or intramural opportunities.

• Bird Watching
• Bodybuilding
• Cheerleading
• Climbing Club
• Cross Country
• Equestrian Club
• Flag Football
• Hiking Club
• Intramural Sports
• Marital Arts
• Quidditch Club
• Skateboarding
• Skiing & Snowboarding
• Surfing Club
• Track & Field
• Ultimate Frisbee Club
• Weightlifting

Remember, you can always start a club if you’re intrigued by one on this list and it is not already available at your school or in your region!

Other blogs that may be of interest include:

• Computer Science Competitions for High Schoolers
• 98 Passion Project Ideas
• 1oo Best Clubs to Start in High School
• NHS Essay Examples
• Should I Join NSHSS or NHS?
• Extracurricular Activities

Jordan Conley

Jordan received her BA from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, where she majored in Religious Studies and Classics. Following her undergraduate work, she spent several years teaching elementary school--first in northern Thailand as a fellow with Princeton in Asia, then in Bozeman, Montana. Jordan went on to receive a Master's in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and is currently working toward completing her PhD at Boston University, focusing on religions of the Ancient Mediterranean.

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I reviewed my Yale admissions file to see what the Ivy League school really thought about my application. What I learned surprised me.

• I reviewed my Yale admissions file to see what the Ivy League school thought about my application. 
• Most of my scores weren't that impressive, but they really liked my genuine attitude and excitement.
• Reviewing my application reminded me how far I have come as a student. 

"Brian spoke so fast it was electrifying."

This was the first quote from my Yale interviewer. She wrote those words in my admissions file, a document I finally got my hands on three years after being accepted into Yale University .

I remember that interview like it was yesterday. It was a Zoom call — my application cycle happened at the crux of pandemic remote learning — and I was wearing my father's old, oversize dress shirt. The interviewer was lovely. Some of my answers to her questions probably didn't make sense, and she was right. I definitely forgot to breathe in between my sentences.

But viewing my admissions file years later gave me a peek into what my interviewer was actually thinking that day, and I learned what really got me into Yale.

I reviewed my application as a junior with the registrar

Every student in the US can review their college admissions file under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. I emailed my university registrar, and within 45 days, a member of their support staff reached back out to schedule a virtual meeting. Picture-taking and recording were not allowed, so I jotted notes by hand.

There was very little verbal interaction between me and the staff member. She screen-shared my admissions file and let me read in silence. Something told me she understood the emotional weight of this moment for students, and I appreciated that. It is intimidating for any teenager to package their identity into a 650-word common application essay and a questionnaire — but it is arguably even more so to witness retrospectively how everything was judged.

I got a behind-the-scenes look into Yale admissions when they read my application

Each aspect of my application was rated out of nine points. My readers gave me a six for my extracurriculars and for my first teacher recommendation. They gave me a seven for my second teacher recommendation and my counselor's recommendation. I received an "outstanding" for my interview and a 2++ for my overall rating. The overall rating is given on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being the highest, and pluses were a good sign.

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In all, my ratings weren't exactly bad, but they weren't extraordinary either. The numbers on the pages stared back at me — cold, formulaic, and transactional. It felt strange to be reduced to a system of numbers, knowing that something as qualitative as extracurricular activities could still be broken down and scored.

Beyond the ratings, however, what truly stood out were the comments left by the admissions officers . Many of the comments were on my character, my essays, and the possible contributions I would make as a student.

"I teared up reading Essay 1," one reader wrote of my common application essay. Another said of the same essay: "His Chinese New Years are untraditional in that they remind him of his family's financial struggles."

I got emotional. All the memories of writing that essay came flooding back. I remembered how difficult it was to start it. I knew there was no easy way for someone to understand me without first knowing my background. I wanted to prove that I deserved a seat at the table where legacy students and the wealthy continue to outnumber their first-generation, low-income peers like myself.

I kept reading and found more comments from admissions officers that moved me: "He treats his mom well;" "He seems to have a truly good heart;" "One of the most intelligent, sincere, jovial students ever met;" "I have no doubt that Brian would push his peers at Yale to stand up for what's right;" and "I come away with compelling impressions that the student would contribute significantly to the undergrad community."

I searched for a negative comment. There were none.

I didn't deserve this, I muttered under my breath. Here I was, a junior in college, no longer a 4.0 student , my post-grad plans murky, balancing two part-time jobs and hoping to make it out of midterms alive. It felt good knowing that someone had rooted for me to be here.

The process reminded me how far I have come

Coming from an underserved household where no one had gone to college, I had always looked at the Ivy League application process skeptically.

Without the resources to enroll in SAT test prep and the financial safety net to pursue unpaid leadership positions and resume-boosting activities at school, I had doubted the "holistic" admissions process many colleges boast. My critiques about Yale remain numerous.

But at least in their comments, the admissions committee gave me grace in that they reviewed my application in light of my circumstances. I might never know exactly what happened in that reading room. Still, a couple of lessons ring true, based on my own viewing experience and my conversations with others who had done the same: Good character and potential are the key; I didn't need to be perfect.

And finally, I — not anyone else — needed to give me the fighting chance of applying in the first place.

"GPA is outstanding, especially in context," an admissions officer said. "This is a home run."

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