Non-competitive extracurriculars

[Anonymous]

If a student has an interest they pursue outside of school that’s not team-based or competitive is it worth listing as an extracurricular? I’m thinking if a situation where a kid is interested in/develops skills in (through classes in their community) in something like pottery or carpentry but doesn’t start a club at their school dedicated to it or win competitions. (I know this is not going to boost the application but at the same time it has taken a lot of effort over years and is a genuine passion.)

[Anonymous]

yes

[Anonymous]

I think you're overthinking it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a student has an interest they pursue outside of school that’s not team-based or competitive is it worth listing as an extracurricular? I’m thinking if a situation where a kid is interested in/develops skills in (through classes in their community) in something like pottery or carpentry but doesn’t start a club at their school dedicated to it or win competitions. (I know this is not going to boost the application but at the same time it has taken a lot of effort over years and is a genuine passion.)

Genuine passion goes in essay. The child talks about finding passion and being in flow and how that energizes them and expands POV

[Anonymous]

Of course it does! It's a great extracurricular and probably more impressive and sincere to colleges than assistant vice president of awesomeness for whatever made up school club a kid has.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely! The best thing a kid can do in high school is find what they love and dedicate themselves to those things. I encourage you to listen to the Inside the Yale Admissions Office podcast - yes they are looking for high achievers, but they are also looking for people who are thoughtful and authentic. We only get that way when we pursue the things that are meaningful to us.

[Anonymous]

Activities are how the admissions officer can get to know the student, how they like to spend their time. Activities don't need to be competitive or about awards.

[Anonymous]

My son's main extracurricular was outside of school. It was a passion and unique and without a doubt mattered to admissions (we know this because reference was made to it in the acceptance letter).

Anything that shows your child used their time in a productive and focused way counts.

[Anonymous]

My kid is interested in foreign policy and is using her gobs of downtime this summer to take a some Coursera classes and paying extra to take the quizzes earn a certificate showing she completed a series of classes in an area she is interested in. She was supposed to be doing a similar program overseas this summer. No idea if it will help. But it could if she applies directly to a school of foreign policy. At the very least, it shows she did something productive this summer and has a genuine interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it does! It's a great extracurricular and probably more impressive and sincere to colleges than assistant vice president of awesomeness for whatever made up school club a kid has.

+100

College admissions officers have a great radar for sensing when a student's list of extracurriculars is padded out with stuff that the student did just to list clubs and organizations.

Genuine interest in something -- even a solo artistic endeavor like pottery etc. -- is better than halfhearted participation in a bunch of competitive things (yes, even sports) that don't actually interest that student.

Work with your kid on writing skills so he or she can be able to express and explain that interest well in writing! And most schools have spaces for "additional information" or they let you submit portfolios of writing, art, videos of dance or music -- even if the student is not some award-winner in those fields or even if they don't do competitive dance or music competitions etc. You just explain that you're submitting X to show how you spend your time and your passion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in foreign policy and is using her gobs of downtime this summer to take a some Coursera classes and paying extra to take the quizzes earn a certificate showing she completed a series of classes in an area she is interested in. She was supposed to be doing a similar program overseas this summer. No idea if it will help. But it could if she applies directly to a school of foreign policy. At the very least, it shows she did something productive this summer and has a genuine interest.

Good for you kid, PP! I hope she enjoys the courses and gets a lot out of them. Sounds like an engaged and interesting student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in foreign policy and is using her gobs of downtime this summer to take a some Coursera classes and paying extra to take the quizzes earn a certificate showing she completed a series of classes in an area she is interested in. She was supposed to be doing a similar program overseas this summer. No idea if it will help. But it could if she applies directly to a school of foreign policy. At the very least, it shows she did something productive this summer and has a genuine interest.

I think it will be helpful espcially if she writes that is her intended major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in foreign policy and is using her gobs of downtime this summer to take a some Coursera classes and paying extra to take the quizzes earn a certificate showing she completed a series of classes in an area she is interested in. She was supposed to be doing a similar program overseas this summer. No idea if it will help. But it could if she applies directly to a school of foreign policy. At the very least, it shows she did something productive this summer and has a genuine interest.

I think it will be helpful espcially if she writes that is her intended major.

[Anonymous]

Yes - I had a discussion about this with an admissions director and she said absolutely that counts and it's refreshing to read about a kid who is authentically doing things in their own time rather than the same old list of sports and clubs they see all the time. For my DS it's a few things he does with our church, taking instrument lessons for his own development and enjoyment (does not perform/compete publicly), pursuing an individual sport again on his own time for enjoyment. He really only has one thing he does at school and it's not year-round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in foreign policy and is using her gobs of downtime this summer to take a some Coursera classes and paying extra to take the quizzes earn a certificate showing she completed a series of classes in an area she is interested in. She was supposed to be doing a similar program overseas this summer. No idea if it will help. But it could if she applies directly to a school of foreign policy. At the very least, it shows she did something productive this summer and has a genuine interest.

I think it will be helpful espcially if she writes that is her intended major.

Thanks. Fingers crossed. She is definitely all in on applying directly to foreign policy schools at places like Georgetown, American, GW (but t
TOO CLOSE TO HOME MOM) or FP/IR somewhere like Tufts. But she’s a rising junior and college admissions are going to be harder to gauge than they were for her sibling. Her amazing (free) summer program was cancelled. Going overseas next summer is a big question mark. She may or may not get ACT/SAT scores, she had a good first AP score, but will colleges take it seriously, distance learning, her big elective that she loves and has spent years participating likely canceled for the year, and she’s a musician who has no good opportunities to play with other musicians— just zoom lessons.

It felt like college admissions were a crap shoot for her 2019 sibling. And now ???? I’m telling her to work hard, keep doing productive thingsshe she enjoys (as much to keep her from being depressed as to add to a college resume) and it will work out. But, I have no idea whether that’s true. Finding a Coursera sequence that was similar to her summer plans helped. But yikes. She’s facing a crappy junior year.

Anyone else whose heart is breaking for their high schooler want to form a support group? Yes, I know she could have dead family members and it’s small potatoes in the big scheme. But, it’s still hard.

Sorry to derail. One of those parenting days.