Extracurricular activities make a difference in your college applications. You already know that, but students aren’t always clear about how they affect your application. You may wonder, “What activities are best for my application,” or “How many should I have?”
To help you get your head around how your activities matter, University of the Pacific’s admission counselors (the people who read your application) have some advice for you.
What counts as an extracurricular activity?
It’s common for students to focus on three types of activities: sports, service work and school clubs. It’s great to be involved in those extracurriculars, but they’re not the only ones that universities consider meaningful.
When counselors review your application, your extracurriculars help them understand you— your interests, your drive, your leadership capabilities and commitment. Activities are not just a box you need to check.
“I just really want to see what you’re passionate about,” says Senior Assistant Director of Admission Danny Ramirez Martinez. “Is it athletics? Is it volunteer work? What interests do you have outside of academics? I just really want to know what kind of student you are, because I want to be sure that you’re going to be a perfect fit at Pacific.”
So, think about what you do each week. Even if you aren’t in a sport, club or volunteer position, you probably still do something that helps a university understand you. You might have a job, take care of your siblings or play an instrument.
You may not consider those extracurriculars, but each of those things can demonstrate commitment, the fact that you’re trustworthy or that you’re driven to learn new skills. That’s what a university wants to learn about you. They’re worthwhile inclusions on your application.
What extracurriculars do colleges like?
You might think there are “right” extracurriculars that universities value more highly, but that’s not the case.
“There’s no right activity,” says Assistant Director of Admission Emily De Herrera. “It depends on what you’re interested in, what your passions are. I want to see that you grew in this activity, that you showed leadership.”
In other words, a university wants to see quality engagement with your extracurriculars. That can look like long-term commitment, leadership roles or growth in responsibility over time. If the activity is a sport or musical instrument, you could also show achievement in competitions or shows.
When a university sees that you’re really involved with an activity, it understands your story better. That helps it find you a place on campus.
“Sometimes, students feel like they don’t have enough activities or that their activities aren’t to the standards we’re looking for,” De Herrera says.” “But we want to know things that you’re part of. And that gives us a big insight into who you are. That way, we can connect you better to our campus, get you club ideas or different groups that you can join at Pacific.”
How many extracurriculars should I have for college?
Just like how there are no “right” extracurriculars, there is no “right” amount of them, either. You may see someone say online that you need to list six, eight or more extracurriculars on your application, but this advice misses the mark.
Keep in mind, a university wants to see quality engagement with your activities. It’s better to list a few extracurriculars that you do a lot than a whole bunch that you’re barely involved in. So, the “right” number of activities for you is how many you do meaningful work for.
How to talk about extracurriculars on your college application
When you add extracurriculars to your application, there are a few ways you can show quality engagement:
- The activity section: When you list your activities, the application asks you for information about how long you’ve done it, what you did and what leadership roles you held. This is a great chance to show your depth of involvement.
- The personal statement: Your personal statement doesn’t need to be about your activities, and it’s OK if your statement doesn’t mention them. But it is an opportunity to weave one in. For example, if your statement addresses an accomplishment of yours, you could talk about how a new role with a club, job or internship led to an outcome you’re really proud of.
- Your letters of recommendation: If one or more of your recommenders is tied to an extracurricular, their letter might give more information about your commitment or achievements there.
Senior Assistant Director of Admission Melanie Pio advises that you speak with a role model about your activities. They may highlight aspects of your work that you haven’t thought about. She also says that you should focus on what you did, not what your extracurricular is about.
“We’re not looking for one sentence about what your activity might be,” she says. “We’re looking for in-depth details of what you’ve done or relationships you’ve built in your community.”
Little free time? How to shine anyway
If you’re worried that you don’t have enough deep involvement with an extracurricular, take some time to think about what you do every week. Universities don’t just think of extracurriculars as formal, school-sponsored clubs. They’re the parts of your life that show your commitment, interests, drive or responsibility.
“Even babysitting or helping with a family business, those count,” Ramirez Martinez says. “You should definitely list that on your college application.”
Regardless of what you do, it’s part of your story and what makes you you. That’s what you want to show on your application.