Preparing for college: activities

Grades are one important factor for getting into college, but there is another biggie to remember: extracurricular activities.

Colleges want well-rounded students. This trend is a little different than things were when our parents went to school. Colleges like intelligent students that do well in school, sure, but they also like to see students that do pretty well in school and are involved in a few activities.

Basically, they want to know that you’re not either (1) too lazy to get off the couch/computer and (2) a study bug with no social skills. They want the kind of people that can handle life and that will do well in the real world.

Grades still matter, but it’s the whole picture that really counts.

So what kind of activities should you choose? Whatever you like! Schools these days have so many options, just choose something you like to do and have fun with it. Not everyone can be class president, but you can participate in plays/musicals, band/orchestra, language clubs, sports…the list goes on and on (and is even longer when you get to college).

Sometimes it is good to choose one type of activity that you really like and really commit to it, but some other times it’s good to choose a few activities that you enjoy. I danced for a few years, ran track for two years, was involved in French Club/French National Honor Society, National Honor Society and was in as many musicals as possible. Add homework (to get those good grades) to all of that and I was usually pretty busy, but man I had so much fun in high school!

Not only do the activities you choose help you to get into the college of your dreams, but also they help you develop as a person (and, of course, give you more ways to have fun than GTA ever could).

PS Your activities also open you up for more scholarships.