Very! Admissions officers don’t just look at your grades and coursework; they want to see what you spend your time on outside of school and learn what matters to you. But what extracurriculars will impress admissions officers? What will lead to the best opportunities? How do you choose? 

The extracurriculars that will stand out on your application depend on your goals, how you maintain your commitments, and what you achieve. 

As you consider a future course of study and career, your extracurriculars can help you figure out your interests and hone your skills, giving you opportunities to pursue relevant research and gain insight into your chosen field. Extracurriculars that are relevant to your intended major can also demonstrate your interest and commitment. Your extracurriculars don’t have to center around one professional field to help your application, though. It’s impossible to predict what specialization will make you unique in a given applicant pool. Choosing the right extracurriculars is less about choosing what will impress admissions officers and more about choosing what’s right for you. 

So how do you choose the right extracurriculars for you? The key is to start early, and give yourself some options. You don’t have to stick with everything you try in middle school or your freshman year. In fact, you can learn valuable lessons by venturing outside your comfort zone to learn what is and isn’t for you. Once you find the extracurriculars you enjoy, stick with them over your entire high school experience. 

No matter what you choose, it’s important to maintain a core group of commitments. Sustained commitment both looks good on your application and helps you grow, giving you benefits beyond college admissions. You are more likely to build strong relationships and develop your skills and interest over the course of a few years, which in turn gives you opportunities to gain leadership positions and earn achievements. Whether they center around your chosen field or not, extracurriculars that you stick with for all four years of high school, where you become a leader and win awards, will always be more impressive than a smattering of late-breaking commitments you pick up when college applications start to loom. So don’t hesitate.

Future Forward’s strategic advisors will help you find the right extracurriculars to further your goals and interests, and our MAP feature will help you build a strong profile.