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Why Do Colleges Ask for Extracurricular Activities?

What Are Extracurricular Activities for High School Students? Why They Are Important?

Extracurricular Activities are an integral part of high school life. The high school years offer an opportunity to explore new things, new activities for which you are really passionate about. These activities offer you a better idea about what you are and what motivates you the most. Apart from your test scores and grades, it is these extra- curricular activities which tell the colleges about who you are. For an Indian/NRI student the Extra-curricular Activities hold a lot of importance.

Now, let us tell you what all is included in Extracurricular Activities. Extracurricular activities refer to the activities which are done outside your classroom. This includes Athletics, Arts, Clubs, and Employment etc, virtually anything which a student is involved in actively and productively can be categorized as Extracurricular activities. There are almost 200 activities you can include on application as what you have done or what you are interested in.

Let's check some of the popular extra- curricular activities.

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Some of the Popular Extracurricular Activities:

Sports: This encompasses playing in the school sport team, or an intramural team, or even for club team outside the school.

Community Service: This includes any kind of volunteer work which a student does, either within the community, on at National or International level.

Employment: This includes any jobs or internships which are taken by the student.

Arts: This includes Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Comedy Clubs or even the Culinary Arts – this list is just huge.

Hobbies: This includes working as a Blogger, Joining a Film club, Hiking activity, taking part in Rubik’s Cube competitions and many more things.

Academic Activities: This means being part of clubs such as the Math club or Science clubs, doing any kind of research work, or indulging in writing. 

 

Just bear this in mind that colleges really want to know which activities you like to indulge in or in which areas you have some talent which can help you later in your life. It is possible that a student has Leadership Skills, which can be seen in his involvement with the community. If you go every weekend for a movie this cannot be counted as an Extracurricular activity.  But if you start a film club it without a doubt counts in.

Admission officers are very keen to know all about the student and these extra-curricular activities offer them the much needed insight. Some students take up leadership positions in school. This holds a lot of relevance in your application because this tells the college that you can lead.

Colleges want to look at students as contributing members of society. They want students who pursue their passions and possess talent. When a student pursues something actively at high school, chances are bright that they will repeat such a thing at college too and this is a very good thing.

The colleges are looking for traits such as leadership, passion and motivation in an Indian NRI student. A student should dabble in as many as 5 to 10 activities during the freshman year. Later on they can narrow it down to just 3 to 5 activities which they really like.  These activities should contribute in all round development of a student. But just remember the activities should not make you feel tired, they should energize you towards better performance.

 

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