Extracurricular Extravaganza

Beta Club, Key Club, Student Council, Senior Executive Board, Spirit Club, Fishing Club, Invisible Children, PLD Letter Society, Prom Steering Club, clubs, clubs, and more clubs. There are an abundance of clubs and it's been drilled into our heads, since the summer before freshmen year, that we must join as many clubs as possible in order for our applications to appeal to colleges. However, is this really what colleges are looking for? Are they truly interested in your ability to fill your schedule with so many activities that you hardly have time to eat, sleep, or breathe? Doubt it.

While admissions officers want to see student involvement, they aren't looking for the quantity as much as they are the quality. In fact, according to Naomi Rockler-Gladen's article, "Extracurriculars and College Apps: Smart High School Activities for College Applications," colleges are looking for 4 main things when considering extracurricular activities. They're looking for:

• Commitment: Schools would much rather see that you are consistently attending a select few clubs rather than joining dozens of clubs for only a few months at a time.
• Leadership: If you can rise to any role of importance in a club, whether it be 2nd secretary or president, you're much more likely to catch the eyes of an admissions officer than if you were to have no role at all in several different organizations.
• Connections: While you may want to be in all of the fun clubs, like Ultimate Frisbee Club or Sandwich Club, colleges are much more interested in seeing organizations that relate to your goals in life or clubs that seem prestigious, such as Key Club or Future Educators of America.
• Work Ethics: While involvement in extracurriculars is important, your GPA is still important. Don't fill your schedule with so many activities that your grades begin to slip, or else you won't even be considered at some colleges.

Enjoy the clubs and organizations that are available to you, just don't stretch yourself out too much and remember, quality is prevalent over quantity as far as extracurriculars go.

source:http://college-preparation.suite101.com/article.cfm/extracurriculars_college_apps