Colleges aren’t terribly picky about how you spend your down time, as long as you’re doing something meaningful. They won’t know if you spend hours upon hours playing video games; they will certainly notice a lack of notable activities on your college application. But you don’t have to be king (or queen!) of the world, with a long list of stellar accomplishments. As long as you can demonstrate to the admission committee some level of accomplishment, initiative, commitment, and leadership, then you’re on the right track.

So how involved do you need to be?
You don't have to play varsity football or be elected vice-president — there are many ways to showcase your talents and achievements. But with so many programs and organizations, teams, clubs, and causes, it can be hard to predict what will make a splash to the people you most need to impress. Realistically, there are some activities that do tend to stand out more than others. If your accomplishments are a little more on the unusual side, putting together a proper presentation can help admission officers see those debate awards or rock-climbing activities more clearly.

What colleges look for
When admission professionals evaluate your “extras,” there are a few things they are likely to take into consideration during their committee meetings:

Dedication
How significant is your contribution? Admission profe...

Author: Amy Ambler

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