Any parent who is looking at college applications knows how important getting involved in extracurriculars can be. Your teen might not have the involvement in school activities that are going to impress the kinds of colleges they are looking for, but it’s not too late. However, there’s no denying that children who aren’t sporty can find it tougher to find the activities that they like. Here are some of the options you might want to nudge them towards instead.
But according to a study by DoSomething.org, a group that connects kids with volunteer projects, students should heed this word of warning:
DoSomething.org conducts annual surveys on community service and college admissions. They have found that most admissions officers prefer students to be consistently involved with one issue over a variety of causes. Moreover, social change isn’t something you should do just to put on your application — follow your passion. Seventy-five percent of admissions officers stated that a school requiring community service does not “taint” their perception of the applicant’s commitment. If your experience was required, make sure that your level of involvement was clear, focusing on what you were most passionate about.
When your child is applying to a competitive college, every single thing that goes on the application makes a big difference. Grades are obviously very important, and so is the college application essay, but there will be plenty of students that have good grades and a great essay. So, how do the colleges choose between applicants? If they can’t separate them based on their grades and essays, they will start to look for other things, like extracurricular activities. The things that your child does outside of their normal studies make a big difference because they demonstrate a lot of the skills that colleges are looking for.
If your child participates in certain extracurricular activities that develop a wide range of skills, that looks great on their college application. It is often the thing that separates them from the other applicants and lands them their place, so it’s very important. There are all sorts of things that they can do, but it’s important that they choose something that they actually like. A college admissions officer will be able to tell the difference between somebody that is engaging in activities for their application alone, and somebody that is passionate about them.
If your child is not currently engaged in any extracurricular activities, these are some of the things that look great on college applications.
Student Government
Student government is a great thing to get involved with if your child has any interest in politics or even if they want more of a say in how their school is run. Colleges love it because it demonstrates a few very important qualities. Firstly, it shows that you are a good leader and the other students in your school look up to you as somebody that can be relied upon. Secondly, it shows that you are responsible and capable because you are trusted with important issues. Colleges also like students that are willing to engage with the student community and get involved in events that promote the college, so student government is a great thing for your child to put on their applications.
Educational Summer Camps
Educational summer camps are a great way for students to learn new skills and boost their existing knowledge so they can improve their grades. There are some great camps that teach very desirable skills, like Coder Kids, for example, which teaches computer coding skills. If your child attends these educational summer camps, it shows colleges that they are dedicated to their education and they are willing to put in the hard work. It will also help them to improve their grades, especially if there are certain subjects that they are struggling with.
Academic Teams And Clubs
Academic teams and clubs are another great way for students to show their dedication to education, especially if they enter competitions. It shows that where academic pursuits are concerned, that student is willing to rise to the challenge and push themselves so they can improve. It also demonstrates a competitive spirit which a lot of colleges like. If your child is particularly interested in a certain subject and they excel at it, you should see if the school has any teams or clubs that they can attend. Math and science clubs are the most popular, but there are teams for most academic subjects. If there is not one available, they should consider starting one of their own because this also demonstrates good organizational and leadership skills.
The Debate Team
The debate team has always been a very popular among extracurricular activities for students to put on their college applications. Being able to form a coherent argument is an important skill for college students when they are writing essays or giving presentations on a subject. Being a member of the debate team shows that you have the critical thinking skills to weigh up both sides of an argument and draw conclusions. It also demonstrates that you have good public speaking skills and you can perform under pressure. Their speaking skills are very beneficial in a classroom setting because they will encourage discussion among their classmates and improve the learning environment. People on the debate team are also more likely to have a good understanding of current events.
Internships
The thing that a lot of college students lack is work experience. This is an issue when they graduate and start looking for jobs because they do not have much real world experience. Colleges want as many of their students to graduate and get good jobs afterward because it reflects well on them, which is why they like applications that have obtained an internship. It also shows that you have the general skills that people need in the workforce like organisation, time management, and people skills. It also shows a level of maturity that a lot of students won’t have.
Volunteer Work
Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the local community and meet a lot of interesting people at the same time. It’s also great for developing new skills, and colleges love to see it on applications. In fact, a lot of the best schools consider it a must-have for any successful applicants. The best way to find volunteering opportunities for your child is to think about their existing hobbies and how they could incorporate them in a volunteering capacity. For example, if they are passionate about sports they could coach a local kids team. If they love animals, local shelters are always looking for people to help out. Volunteer work is only beneficial if it’s something that they really care about, so make sure that they find something that is a good fit.
A Part Time Job
Some applicants worry that their part time job doesn’t leave them enough time for extracurriculars and that will hurt their application, but that isn’t the case at all. Colleges recognize that some students need to work to help out their family so it won’t work against you. Having a part time job also teaches you a lot of the desirable skills that colleges look for.
If your child is in the process of preparing a college application, these extracurricular activities will be a huge help.
The education you have during high school can benefit you in college. This is especially true if you plan to pursue a law degree. There are reasons to make a high school debate team a part of your education.
A Debate Team Will Help You Learn Communication Skills
When you work in the legal field, you need to know how to communicate effectively. The best way to prepare for success is to learn these skills in high school. There is no better way to learn effective communication skills than by participating on a debate team.
Debate requires you to think clearly and carefully before you speak. You will learn to formulate your thoughts, and know in advance what you want to say. You will learn to be logical and rational. These skills will help you communicate in an effective manner.
Your Education Can Help You Learn To Focus On Facts
When debate is part of your education, you will learn to separate emotions and opinions from facts. You will be able to approach each topic you debate from a logical perspective. These skills will be useful in the classroom, and in your future career.
Debate Will Help You Gain Confidence In Yourself
Confidence is an important part of your education. Not only is confidence essential to a successful career, it can also make your life better when you are in college.
A person who has confidence in himself is more likely to resist negative peer pressure. If your fellow students drink, use drugs, or engage in other harmful activities, the self-confidence you develop from participating in the debate team can make it easier for you to make the right choices. You will know you do not have to follow the crowd, or engage in behaviors that are not in your best interest.
When debate is included in your education, it can also help your social life. As socializing is an important part of the college experience, self-confidence can help you make friends. When you are self-assured, you will be the kind of person other students will like.
You Can Become Goal-Oriented From Your Debate Team Experiences
Even if you are still in high school, gaining the most from your education requires you to be goal-oriented. When you practice for a debate, you will have goals in mind. When you know what you want to accomplish, it is the first step toward accomplishing the goal. This is a habit you can carry with you into college, and into your future.
Debate Makes Education Fun
While debate is serious, it is something you will enjoy. From learning about new topics to interacting with other students, it will be an enjoyable part of your overall education.
However, you will also find an activity can be fun and serious at the same time. While you will take many classes and participate in other activities in high school, the debate team is one in which you will have a good time.
Your education is your foundation for the future. Nearly every decision you make today will affect your future in some way. When you are planning the courses you will take, and the extra-curricular activities you want to participate in, make sure the debate team is on your list.
The debate team can provide a head-start to a successful career. It can benefit you throughout your college years, and when you enter the workforce. Equally important, it is something you will thoroughly enjoy. It can provide many benefits and opportunities that you cannot afford to miss. The debate team should definitely be part of your high school plans.
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Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he describes the benefits of being involved with a debate team and aims to encourage further study with a Champlain College Masters in Criminal Law.
When your teenager enters high school they are told from day one that they NEED extracurriculars to get into college. Parents nag them about it. Counselors and teachers lecture them about their importance. Most of the advice they receive, however, neglects to mention one crucial point: padding the resume with activities does not impress college admissions officers. They can spot this tactic when they see it and it gives a negative impression on the application.
How should you approach extracurriculars? With planned purpose. Begin freshman year by examining your likes and dislikes and trying out some activities. You don’t need a long list; just a few that you enjoy and are willing to commit to for four years. Think outside the box and remember that all activities don’t need to be school related. One student gained admission and a scholarship because an admissions officer that his hobby of raising carrier pigeons was unique. The possibilities are endless based on your interests.
Don’t forget that extracurriculars are only one part of the college application. Don’t spend so much time focusing on them that you neglect academics and test prep. A well balanced student possesses all the qualities necessary to impress the college admissions officers.
Nowadays, grades are not enough to impress colleges. Universities seek well rounded students who have the potential to contribute positively to their school and society. Students preparing for college should engage in different activities that will set themselves apart from the crowd. As students are always busy with papers and exams during the school year, summer is a great time for them to participate in activities that will impress colleges.
Volunteer Work
Caring for the Community
Volunteer service is a great way for high school students to show colleges they care about their communities and want to make a positive impact on society. Volunteering is also indicative of a student’s interests and personality traits. For example, tutoring elementary school kids, working in hospitals, and cleaning public parks suggests a student is compassionate and dedicated.
Work Experience
Community service is also a way to explore career options and potential majors. Volunteering allows students to obtain hands on experience in a professional field and develop work skills, such as discipline and teamwork.
Paid Work
Exploring Career Options
Like volunteer work, a summer job or an internship is a great way to explore different careers and develop traits that colleges look favorably upon. There are many internships available for high school students in research firms and major businesses. These are opportunities to network and see what the work field is like. A summer job is also a great way to develop work and financial responsibility. Whether it is at a major company or at a grocery store, a summer job will teach high students how to talk and act around employers and customers. This shows colleges that a student is a hard worker, dedicated, and willing to learn.
Saving up for School
A summer job can also help pay for school expenses, such as tuition, textbooks, and rent. While financial aid is available in the form of loans, scholarships, and grants, every penny counts.
Test Preparation and College Visits
Although it is summer, high school students should not forget about their academics. Summer is a prime time to enroll in test preparation courses for the SAT and/or ACT. This is also the time for students to research universities and see which schools would be a good fit for them. Colleges also host campus visits during the summer for potential students. This is the best way to learn about different campuses, talk with admissions staff, and explore what kind of programs are offered at a certain school. Universities also take note of high school students who attend their college visits and contact their staff; such dedication and curiosity always looks great on a college application.
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Today’s guest post is by Louise Baker. Louise blogs about getting an online degree at Zen College Life. Her most recent post looked at the best medical coding and billing schools.
One evening at our kitchen table, we were thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to share all our childrens’ great high school moments with colleges in the hope of getting them accepted?” And so bragTAG was born. A simple and effective tool to bring your high school child’s college application to life!
We decided to develop bragTAG on the Facebook platform, because that is where the high school children are. You know how much time they spend there – why not coax them into doing something GOOD while they’re there! Read on for an exclusive discount code for Parent’s Countdown to College Coach blog readers…
Using bragTAG, students/parents create multi-media representations of individual high school achievements – we call these bragTAGs. For example, that tremendous touchdown or perfect ballet performance can now be shown to college admissions counselors using videos, photos and journal (text) entries.
Throughout the high school career, bragTAG is absolutely free to use! When the student/parent is ready to apply to colleges, “bragTAGs” are then compiled into customized one page, multi-media resumes and forwarded to college admissions counselors (we suggest users have a relationship established prior to sending).
Individual bragTAG detail example with comment
Because our own very first question in the development process was, “How do we keep this secure?”, we decided to make sure bragSHEETs weren’t published in any way on Facebook. You can share individual bragTAGs on Facebook if you elect to, but bragSHEETs can only be forwarded to others. That bragSHEET is assembled on the fly, using our own secure cloud-based servers – and only assembled when viewed. In other words, bragSHEETS do not exist until college admissions/guidance counselors/teachers/coaches click on the link you’ve sent. Our servers then assemble the requested bragSHEET for viewing.
Complete bragSHEET (Resume) with multi-media photos, pop up videos and journal entries
Only persons with the link can see the personal info, and those that are viewing your bragSHEET do not have to be logged onto Facebook, or even have a Facebook account. Colleges will not see your child’s private Facebook profile! (You didn’t really want them to see those high school dance and party pictures, did you?).
There are several ways to use the bragTAG application. Send a copy of a bragSHEET to high school teachers whom you are asking to write your letters of recommendation – so they know more about you, and write a fantastic well-informed letter. You can send a bragSHEET to your school counselor, who can then recommend colleges based on your interests – or even help you edit bragSHEETs for the colleges you’re applying to. You may want to create customized bragSHEETs for each college you apply to, based on your research (or your independent coach’s research) into what a particular college is looking for!
So – students, parents and counselors unite – and work toward getting accepted at the college of your choice!
As an added bonus, we’ve created a discount code for Parents Countdown to College Coach readers! The first five readers to comment below will receive a code from bragTAG for UNLIMITED bragSHEET submissions (a $24.99 value). We’ll email the code to you as soon as we receive your contact info!
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Thanks to bragTAG for providing us with this guest post about their product. Find out more on the bragTAGFacebookFanPage, or the bragTAGCollegeBoundBlog and good luck in your college admissions search!
I can’t tell you the number of times my kids said, “Mom, I’m bored.” Most of the time, it was during the summer. After the first few days of summer excitement wears off, the boredom begins to set in. And this is the perfect time to encourage your teen to volunteer.
There are several reasons why volunteering is beneficial to your teens:
It’s the right thing to do. It teaches them to give of themselves.
It can help them determine their interests (volunteering at a children’s hospital, at an art or science museum, at a library, at a sports camp, at Habitat for Humanity–all of which might spur their interest in future careers)
Colleges like to see well-rounded applicants. Volunteering will show them that you a)made valuable use of your time b)that you are a person who is concerned with others.
It teaches them that work can be fulfilling and gives them a head start on having a positive work ethic.
They won’t sit around the house all summer complaining about being bored.
Volunteering is one of those “life lessons” that teaches your teen moral responsibility. The plus is that while they are learning the life lesson, they are improving their chances of college acceptance. For me, it’s a win-win proposition.
If you have any volunteer suggestions or work for a charity or a business that utilizes volunteers, we would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment here for my readers!
at a sports camp, at Habitat for Humanity–all of which might spur their interest in future careers)