Are there activities/organizations that impress highly selective colleges?
You may have heard that squash is the “big thing” for kids to have an edge in the admissions process, or that playing a hard-to-find instrument like the bassoon is your ticket to admission at the college of your dreams.
I hate to break it to you, but none of this is a sure bet for you to impress highly selective colleges.
That said, when you’re thinking about organizations to participate in, there are some things to consider:
1) What are you most excited about doing?
That might seem a little odd to some of you, but frankly, an admissions officer’s job is mainly trying to get to know you, to understand what gets you excited, and how invested you are in it. Remember, highly selective colleges tend to have tons of student organizations and clubs in which their students participate. You’ll hear about everything from juggling clubs to Model Government organizations, and they want to keep those going, to know that you’re truly excited about these things or about creating new ones that they can highlight.
With that in mind, though, the thing that will make a difference is:
2) How much of an impact you are creating in these activities?
These colleges want to know not only that they have tons of student organizations, but that they also have the best ones around. So if you’re a world-class violinist, or a community-changing student leader, or yes, even a renowned juggler, you’re bound to impress admissions officers. Now, not all of us have these talents, but we all have ways in which we can impact our communities and those around us. So the point is that colleges want to see you taking that to the highest level you can, ideally in a way that not only benefits you but also those around you.
The last piece to remember is,
3) what opportunities have you had at your disposal?
This matters, because admissions officers aren’t looking at applications in a vacuum. If you have the time and the freedom to participate in student organizations, they’ll want to see you being productive and making a difference in the things you care most about. But if you have to work to help out at home, or take care of a family member, or simply have circumstances that prevent you from participating in many things, share that, and don’t fret. Admissions officers are looking at you in your particular context, and what matters most to them is your attitude towards it. If you can overcome them, or do them in the best way possible, do it, and just explain it.
When considering all of this, remember one last thing: Admissions officers have your grades, your test scores, your essays, your recommendations, and in some cases, you interviews. If all of those things don’t come together and consistently demonstrate your excellence, one student activity, no matter how well you do it or how unique it is, will not change things around.
So participate in activities you care about, as many as you like, and be sure to be healthy and sane about it, keeping up your grades and doing your best. Only then will you be able to make the impact needed to make a difference, not only in the admissions process, but in your life overall.