It’s no secret: grades matter and striving for personal academic excellence is the job of every student. But it’s important for individuals to develop outside the classroom too. Parents often begin this process, registering their young children for activities such as tiny-tot dance classes, town sports teams, and Lego clubs. As they grow, it’s up to those kids to continue participating in extracurriculars — in part to create well-rounded applications that meet the expectations of college admissions teams, but more important, to develop the all-important soft skills that are only learned through experience.
What Is an Extracurricular?
Some students worry that they have no extracurricular activities because they don’t play a sport or perform with the theater and jazz ensemble. If that’s you, think beyond the traditional, school-sponsored offerings. How do you spend a significant amount of time outside the classroom? Many tradition extracurriculars are school-based: sports, theater, and clubs. Involvement on a sports team provides a great example your ability to work as part of a team and your interest in self-improvement. Performing shows a desire to step outside your comfort zone and take on a challenge. If you’re on the production side of theater, you’ve learned project management and communication skills.
