A common concern among parents and students preparing for U.S. college admissions is what to do if all extracurricular activities (ECs) are school-based.

First, let’s clarify that school-based ECs are perfectly valid and can be just as impactful as outside-school activities. Examples of school-based ECs include:

• Student Government
• National Honor Society
• Debate Club
• Academic Clubs (Olympiads, Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Clubs)
• Music and Band (Orchestra, Marching Band, etc.)
• Newspaper/Language Club
• Robotics Club
• Tutoring Program
• Drama Club
• Environmental Club, and more.

While these activities are rooted in school, many can expand beyond the classroom, allowing students to demonstrate leadership, initiative, and passion. In the next section, we’ll explore how to enhance these experiences for a stronger college application.

When listing activities on applications like the Common App, it’s important to showcase meaningful involvement rather than focusing solely on quantity. The Common App asks students to detail activities done outside the classroom, which doesn’t necessarily mean outside of school. Students choose the type of activity, specify their position, name the organization, and describe what they did. They also indicate when they participated (school year, school break, or year-round) and how many hours were spent.

The Common App allows up to 10 activities, but it’s not necessary to fill every slot. For example, MIT only asks for four significant extracurriculars, recognizing that listing 10 can sometimes feel excessive. Highlighting a few meaningful activities is often more effective than stretching to fill all 10. It’s important to focus on impactful activities at the top of the list, rather than forcing entries for the sake of completion.

Ultimately, quality matters more than quantity. Harvard, for example, evaluates students across several categories to determine their overall fit for the school. Focusing on a few key activities that show depth and commitment is often more compelling than listing many less significant ones.

The categories include:

• Academic

• Extracurricular, Community Employment, and Family Commitments

• Athletic

• Personal

• School Support (may be combined with Personal)

In simplified terms, Harvard’s categories can be summarized into four main areas:

• Academic: Activities like SAT, ACT, AMC, Olympiad, or research.

• Extracurricular: Participation in school clubs and similar activities.

• Athletic: Sports, whether within or outside school.

• Personal: Skills and experiences that can also be developed within school.

All these categories can be fulfilled through school-based activities.

For academics, extracurriculars, and athletics, evaluation factors often include longevity, leadership roles, and achievements at the state or national level. These areas are typically assessed based on tangible evidence, such as awards or recognitions. The Personal category, however, can be more subjective. To help clarify, Harvard provides a Personal Rating description, outlined as follows:

• Level 1: Exceptional character, extraordinary compassion, great courage, and unconditional support from recommenders.

• Level 2: Strong leadership, maturity beyond age, resilience, and solid recommendation support.

• Level 3: Positive but neutral traits.

• Level 4: Concerning personality traits.

Since conveying Personal aspects through essays alone can be challenging, other application elements, such as recommendation letters, play a crucial role. Strong letters of recommendation from teachers serve as official evidence of a student’s character, particularly when they highlight dedication and positive involvement in the school community.

Leadership positions further strengthen this evidence by showcasing both teacher recognition and peer acknowledgment. A variety of leadership roles are highly valued, as demonstrated in the chart above. Leadership is essential because it reflects recognition from both teachers and peers, acting as a clear indicator of character. Notably, all of Harvard’s scoring criteria can be met through school activities alone, spanning every category. It is entirely possible to secure strong college admission prospects based on school-based activities.

However, while school ECs are vital, don’t overlook the often-underappreciated Personal category. Recognition from teachers and peers adds significant value here. Evidence of such traits can be highlighted in essays or resumes through titles or descriptions of community roles. Leadership positions, in particular, add credibility and weight to an application.

For example, one of our students served as a school ambassador. Beyond creating promotional materials for media and clubs, they expanded their influence by establishing a Media Marketing Department and becoming its president. In their essay, they shared how their passion and dedication drove them to take on this role.

Although this activity wasn’t academic or athletic, their leadership within the school significantly bolstered their scores in the Extracurricular and Personal categories.

In conclusion, achieving high scores across all categories with only school-based activities is entirely feasible. Students should not worry about the absence of activities outside of school. In fact, having only external activities without school engagement could raise more concerns for admissions officers. Colleges primarily seek evidence of meaningful involvement within an applicant’s high school community, so focus on impactful school-based ECs.

This post is for those worried about a lack of extracurricular activities outside of school. I hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to A-One Institute. Thank you.