What do you really need to know about extracurriculars (ECs)
when it comes to the college process? Not a lot really. I’ve seen online forums
where ECs are a raging hot topic filled with controversy and argument. This I
believe is a lot of misplaced anxiety and fear. Sadness. If I were to distill
my message about ECs into one sentence, I might say this, “Just do something you
enjoy.”
Don’t worry about filling two pages on a resume. Don’t worry
about what might look better to an admissions counselor. Don’t think of ECs as
part of college admissions. Think of your ECs as your opportunity to do
something you enjoy.
An EC doesn’t even need to be at the school. It certainly
can be. I’d love to have more members in my chess club. Just do something you
enjoy.
What you do is not nearly as important as why you do it. The
‘why’ does not need to be of great philosophical importance either. If you’re
playing club soccer because you enjoy being with friends, that’s a valid
reason. Don’t feel that you have to justify club soccer by waxing about the
thrill of competition or the intense battle on the field. Just do it because
you enjoy it.
Now what about those of you who enjoy making money? Making
money is okay too. A part-time job is a perfectly fine pursuit. Please don’t
let your studies slip though.
That’s worth highlighting. “Don’t let your studies slip.”
Allow me to sum up:
- Just
do something you enjoy
- Don’t
let your studies slip