An extracurricular activity is a voluntary activity performed by students as a form of enrichment, recreation and social interaction. What are extracurricular activities, exactly? Journal of International Students, 3(2), 85-101. These activities not only help to keep children fit and healthy, but physical activities have also been proven to support mental health. However, sometimes the school principals and teachers also bring in these activities in the school among the students. #4: Do let your activities tell your story. Understanding Students' Precollege Experiences Universities like to be known as hubs of activity, charity, and culture, and it's largely the students that make them that way. So, extracurricular activities or EAs are just activities that you do outside of class. With a little something for everyone, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy! Diversity in clubs and extracurricular activities plays an important role in adolescent lives and futures. Improving academic performance by boosting brain functions. A group study conducted by surveying school-age students in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that 70% of adolescents in the USA are involved in some form of extracurricular activities.[1]. First, let's talk about what an extracurricular activity looks like. Interested in Business/Economics? You've probably been bombarded with stories about how everyone who is successful in getting into college played a varsity sport and was student body president and built homes for the poor in Costa Rica. Keep in mind that colleges are really looking to see activities that have somehow developed talents that you will use later in life, developed your leadership skills, allowed you to show involvement with your community, and allowed you to make an impact. Guèvremont, A., Findlay, L., & Kohen, D. (2014). They understand that not all students have the luxury of pursuing traditional extracurricular activities, and they will think that the way you have spent your time is just as valuable. Want to know what else is important on the college application? Check out our guide to working towards a college application profile that will get you into as many schools as possible. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. Journal of School Health, 84(5), 317-325. doi:10.1111/josh.12154. Should you do something that doesn't interest you, just because it will look good on your application? Again, colleges are most interested in students who have the potential to be making positive differences on campus, and later, in the world. Career prospects. Here are different types of extracurricular activities that colleges actually want to see. Extra-curricular activities need not always be sports either. In the description, she tells how she helped grow the club from 4 to 20 members, ran several charity projects through the club that raised over $5,000 for art programs for local youth, and arranged an informational event at a prominent art museum to help raise awareness of the importance of art in people's lives. Admissions officers agree that when they're evaluating student activities, they care less about what the actual activity is and more about what it says about you. Almost anything that you are actively and productively involved in can be considered an extracurricular activity. Professional School Counseling: 2014-2015, Vol. What if you didn't have time for joining clubs or playing sports because you had to work to help support your family, or you spent your afternoons looking after your younger siblings? If you try to do everything, you will inevitably get burned out, which could ruin your grades, social life, and excitement about going to college. Correlational studies showed positive relationships with involvement in ethnic/cultural clubs and intellectual and psychosocial development, multicultural competence, interpersonal skills, and leadership. Journal of College Student Development, 56(4), 349-362. So, what are the best extracurricular activities? All rights reserved. Inside the classroom and outside of it, you'll start to get a better idea of who you are and what drives you. It’s an opportunity for them to try new things, develop new skills and make new friends who they might not have otherwise met; all of which will contribute to improving their confidence. Alleviating boredom, stress, and pressure by providing an opportunity to make new friends with similar interests. Fortunately, what college admissions officers want to see is very predictable. Creating a multicultural competent environment for diverse student populations allows them to engage with others, openly discuss possible biases and stereotypes, and form meaningful intergroup relationships. Thus they are extra academic activities that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school or university education and normally happen outside the classroom. Hobbies — Remember, extracurricular doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be through or at school. Extracurricular activities are simply anything you do that is not a high school course or paid employment (but note that paid work experience is of interest to colleges and can substitute for some extracurricular activities). For example, you probably have a lot of maturity and a good sense of responsibility for someone your age, and you're good at balancing school work with other commitments. So extracurricular activities are just activities that you do outside of class. Cherng, H. S., Turney, K., & Kao, G. (2014). 50 Awesome Extracurricular Activities You Can Do At Home General. [16], An Extracurricular Management System (EMS) is a management information system for education establishments to manage extracurricular data and processes. (2011). Teachers College Record, 116(3), 1-28. Extra-curricular activities are a vital part of helping children to grow in confidence and social responsibility. Are you just doing an activity so you have something to write on your college application, or are you doing it because you couldn't not do it? Extracurricular School Clubs: A Time for Fun Some expected extracurricular activities include FIRST Robotics, HOSA, Volunteering at hospitals, science fairs, or math team. But what do colleges think your summer job is really going to tell them about you? Kort-Butler, L., & Hagewen, K. J. It usually only happens when someone shows dedication, follow-through, and initiative. It is important to continue research on incorporating multiculturalism and ethnic/cultural clubs into schools. Balancing activities with school, home life and down time is key. 12 Extracurriculars That Help You Stand Out Develop a new skill. Participation in If you have been a part of a club, how can you change it for the better? Also, extracurricular activities can provide families with a safe environment for their children while they are at work. Specifically, they're looking for three things: passion, leadership, and impact. Though extracurriculars are an important part of a college application, they will almost never cancel out bad grades and test scores. The word "extracurricular" can be broken down into its roots for a literal explanation: "extra" means "outside" and "curricular" refers to all of the work you do in the classroom. #7: Don't get burned out. For the South Korean TV series, see, The examples and perspective in this article, Pence, A. R., & Dymond, S. K. (2015). The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. Admissions officers like it when students are passionate about a certain activity because it means they are more likely to continue doing it in college, and also because these kinds of activities show who you are at your best. "Extracurricular" redirects here. Effects of diversity experiences on socially What admission officer would like to see related to extracurricular activities is leadership, commitment, and passion. Even more importantly, they love to see students who are developing their talents and passions. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 6(4), 219-230. doi:10.1037/a0035130, Inkelas, K. K. (2004). Therefore, showing that you have the desire and sense of responsibility that a leader needs can be very attractive to admissions officers. involvement and adolescent self-esteem: A growth-curve analysis. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. There is not one activity that holds more importance for admission officers than another. Want to build the best possible college application? Interacting with International Students. Luo, J., & Jamieson-Drake, D. (2013). [4] Similar findings with racial and ethnic minorities and immigrant adolescents showed that minority, first, and second generation adolescents were less likely than their counterparts to have friends and be engaged in relationships, however, extracurricular activities facilitated socialization. They also help in : Reducing screen time due to free time management by learning new skills. Examining the Educational Benefits of How have you changed the activity that you have been involved in? They both complement each other to develop you to be a well-rounded student ready for life after graduation. Making your own kombucha company, a summer house painting operation, have a … Cultural awareness 4. Research including students with disabilities involved in extracurricular activities show that they were more likely to have friends than those who were not involved. Check out our long list of extracurricular activities to see if there's anything that interests you. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! There is a good chance that you will discover something new that you had never thought would interest you. Definition: An extracurricular activity is any activity done outside of class. Communication skills 2. They can include arts, sports, clubs, jobs, arts, music, volunteer work, personal commitments, … SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. 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