Grades are important on college applications, but the best way your kids can stand out to administrators is to have a few extracurriculars listed somewhere in their applications. While colleges do care about the grades of their prospective students, they also care about the character of people they admit; therefore, what your children do after school, during weekends and over summers tells them a lot about the kind of person they are. Not only do the following activities look good on an application, they help your kids become well-rounded individuals.

Part-time job

Most kids are encouraged to get a part-time job during the evenings and weekends because it will give them a little extra cash to spend on excursions with their friends, or saving for something big. However, jobs look good to a college administrator because they show reliability, professionalism, and time-management skills, as well as some extra qualities depending on what the job actually involves. Your child doesn’t need to write an entire essay on how to fill out your Marshalls application like a pro, but they can write about what they have gained from working during the weekends, and what they have learned about themselves. A part-time job also gives your kids valuable work experience that will help them get a part-time job during college if they need some extra cash to support themselves, and it will also teach them financial responsibility for the future.

Volunteering

While some kids would prefer some cash compensation for working in their free time, the benefits of getting involved in the community by volunteering cannot be overstated. Volunteering for a charity, either at home or abroad, can help your kids develop skills such as compassion, hard work, and fundraising, which will certainly be useful when they join clubs in college. Volunteering also shows initiative and a willingness to help others. All these qualities will shine on a college essay, especially if the topic of said essay is the goals of the charity your child works with.

Tutoring

One of the best ways to confirm that your child is a superb student in a particular subject is if they tutor other students in said subject. Tutoring is definitely something your child should mention in their application if they are hoping to major in this topic in college, or if they’re looking to get into teaching in the future. For your kids, tutoring teaches them patience, the ability to be flexible with their teaching plans if it doesn’t work for a particular student, and they’ll be able to give concise explanations – a talent that college administrators will appreciate when they read their applications.

School newspaper

Working on the school newspaper will sharpen your child’s writing skills, as well as teach them critical thinking and the ability to work to deadlines.Whether they want to major in journalism or not, these skills will be invaluable in the future, and it shows college administrators that your child is actively involved in school events.