Why It’s Important to Have a Balanced and Meaningful List of Activities

Students, when you first sit down with a College Counselor, one of the first things we are going to ask about are your activities. We want to know about sports you play in school (and out of school), any school clubs you have been active in, volunteer experiences, and jobs you have had. The reason we ask is because, one way to set yourself apart from other college applicants is to have a balanced and thorough list of high school activities.

What is “Balanced”?

A balanced list of activities encompasses several different areas of interest. Meaning, a student who loves sports, and is mainly involved in athletics, should also have a few other areas of involvement, perhaps a school club and some community service ventures. A student who is deeply involved in community service should also have something else on their resume, such as a sport or internship. The point here is that colleges want well-rounded students who are able to show that they have a few different interests.

What is “Meaningful”?

A meaningful list of activities is one where students show depth to their interests. They don’t just do a bunch of different things one time. Colleges like it when students continue with their passions and commitments for several years, if possible. For instance, students who stick with their sport all four years of high school, or students who continue to work with the same charity for consecutive years. Particularly impressive to colleges is when students can demonstrate more and more responsibility and leadership over the years. Becoming a Captain of a sports team, getting a promotion at a workplace, applying for a leadership position within the school are things colleges really like to see.

A couple more things:

• If there isn’t a club at your school that you would want to join, create one! Most high schools make the process of starting a new club relatively easy. Grab a few friends, find a teacher who will supervise, develop a name and idea for your club and you’re good to go! (Colleges love this kind of initiative!)
• It’s never too late to add something to your resume. Whether its joining a club at school, or volunteering for a local organization, join now and add it to your resume.

If you have questions about what to put in your resume, or how to begin creating one that will stand out, contact Campus Bound today.