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Facebook Live Recap: Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are a good way to give admissions officers a glimpse of who you are as a student—and as a person. In my recent Facebook Live Q&A, I provide my insider tips on everything from listing extracurriculars on your college applications to what matters most to admissions officers and more.

In case you missed it, here’s a recap with a list of the questions I answered and the full video of my session!

HERE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU'LL SEE ME ANSWER:
  • What is recognized by colleges as an extracurricular activity?
  • Should a student be well-rounded or develop a passion for one thing?
  • What is the best way to show your impact?
  • How far back are you allowed to list an activity?
  • Is it okay if an activity is not a year-round activity?
  • Is it more important to list what you spent the most time doing, or what was most meaningful?
  • How many activities can you list on your application?
  • Should a student submit a resume with their application?
  • If a student is not getting recruited to play a sport, does that sport matter in the college admissions process if it’s an extracurricular?
  • For homeschoolers who are focused on a single sport, how many other extracurriculars do colleges expect the student to participate in?
  • What if a student doesn’t play a sport?
  • If a student doesn’t want to major in music, can they still get a scholarship in music if they are qualified?
  • If the student has opened a successful business in the community using his/her talents as the service provided, how can it be best showcased?
  • Can a talented student still submit a portfolio if they don’t want to major in art?
  • If your student takes orchestra as a class during school (and performs in the concerts), does that count as an extracurricular?
  • How can students provide evidence for their interest and ability?
  • My son, a sophomore, thinks he would like to be a finance/business major however, he would rather do Model UN at school than DECA. Is this okay?
  • How can a student make being an Eagle Scout stand out on their applications?
  • If a student has a YouTube channel, can they list this as an extracurricular?
  • My son likes computer games, robotics, and general video games and enjoys creating them. How would these interests be viewed for college admissions?
  • Is a part-time job considered an extracurricular activity?
  • How important is it to be a member of National Honors Society? And how important is it to list this as an activity?
  • How do you report volunteer service hours when you have a lot to report? 
  • What should a student do if they are academically high achieving with not much time for anything outside of academics?
  • Should students write their college essay about an extracurricular activity?