This informal CPD article ‘Balancing academics and extracurriculars for US applications’ was provided by UES Education, specialists in international university and school admissions, working with top schools across the UK and Europe to provide a bespoke service for those who want the best possible application support in the UK.
The school orchestra, the house play, the excitement of the football pitch: extracurricular activities are an important part of education and school life. For students applying to US universities, extracurriculars are even more important. In the US, applicants are assessed not only on their academic credentials, but also on a range of other aspects including activities as well as standardised testing, recommendations from teachers, and essays.
This ‘holistic’ view of admissions is a shift from the typical university preparation mindset in the UK, which tends to be fully focused on academics. To support US applicants, teachers and university advisors may need to widen their focus to include not only grades, but also activities. Finding a balance between academics and activities can be tricky, but schools can help students manage both and create strong profiles for US applications. To do this, supporting students in choosing extracurriculars strategically, managing their time and organisation, and avoiding common pitfalls are key.
Choosing extracurriculars strategically
When students hear that they need strong extracurriculars for US applications, they may jump to pack their schedules with numerous unconnected activities. However, they should be advised that this is not the best approach. US universities generally prefer students who are involved in a few activities about which they are genuinely passionate, and in which their involvement has increased over time. This is also good news for students’ academics: a few activities should not take away so much time from academics that grades drop.
To set them up for success, advise students to choose their activities in a strategic way. Below are some things to consider:
- Under holistic review, US admissions officers often look for applications that tell a clear story with the varied aspects linking together to show a coherent picture of the applicant. As such, aligning extracurriculars with academic aspirations can be a smart choice. For example, robotics club might be a good choice for students interested in engineering; canvassing for local MPs for those interested in politics, and volunteering at an animal hospital for those interested in veterinary science.
- US admissions officers typically value sustained commitment to activities, so the longer students are involved with something, the better. Particularly, years 10-13 are particularly important for activities, as these are often looked at most closely.
- Encourage students to track hours spent on activities, or specific achievements within them, as this can be helpful when it comes to application time.
- Progression within an activity – like moving from member to leader – as well as leadership, community involvement, intellectual curiosity, and achievement are commonly valued considerations.
Time Management & Organisation
Managing time wisely will help students balance extracurriculars and academics. This skill will also be valuable at university, so it is a great one to foster in them. Some tips to impart to students on how to organise and manage their time are below:
- Encourage students to prioritise important and urgent work/activities and not lose focus on less important things.
- Creating a schedule is key! Prompt students to use tools like weekly planners or calendars (digital or analogue, depending on what works best for them), and block out time for schoolwork, activities, and fun/rest.
- Remind students to cultivate the habit of checking their emails and calendars/planners every day, so they don’t miss anything.
- It can be easy for motivated students to over-commit, so making sure students know when to say no and having teachers and counsellors looking out for students who are stretched too thin is important.
- Finally, it sounds simple but encouraging students to get enough sleep and to maintain overall well-being is crucial to balancing varied demands.
Pitfalls to Avoid
When it comes to activities, there are a few pitfalls that students can fall into. First, students who know activities are important to US applications may try too many things for short periods. This approach is generally less impressive to US admissions officers, who typically prefer extended involvement.
Second, students shouldn’t allow activities to have a negative impact on academic grades, which are the foundation of applications. US applications have many components, and students must manage their time wisely and reduce other activities if needed to keep grades high.
Finally, no matter how accomplished a student is at their activities, it’s important for them to reflect on them. In the applications, the activities are presented in a dedicated section in which students list their activities and provide succinct descriptions. Even though these descriptions are restricted to a short word limit, it’s important that students leverage these to show that their activities have taught them important lessons and helped them contribute to their community and develop values and character. For example, ‘I took piano lessons for eight years’ does not show the self-awareness and specificity of ‘I developed discipline and performance skills through eight years of piano lessons, culminating in grade eight achievement.’
Overall, extracurricular activities can help students to enhance their US applications, as well as providing them with an outlet to have fun and enjoy themselves doing something they care about. By selecting activities carefully, developing organisational skills, and avoiding common pitfalls, students can find a balance between academics and activities that will serve them well not only in school, but also at university.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from UES Education, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
