In my previous article, I talked about my college essays and how they helped me get into my dream schools.

In this article, you’ll learn about my extracurriculars in-depth and why schools such as UCLA, USC, Penn State, and Columbia liked them.

Click here for part three to learn why my essays and extracurriculars worked so well together.

Here are my extracurriculars in a nutshell:

1. Psychological research (2 years)
2. ASB (3 years)
3. Honor society president (3 years)
4. Took a graduate-level course at UCLA (1 semester)
5. Contributor in a psychology textbook (1 year)

Goal

The goal of the admission process is for college admission officers to better understand who you are as a person/scholar and why you want to pursue a specific discipline in the first place.

This means your objective is to tell a COHESIVE story and every part of your application must fit this narrative.

Simply put, your extracurriculars must build off of everything you wrote in your college essays.

In my case, I applied to psychology programs and wrote about wanting to become both a clinical child psychologist and researcher in this field.

These career goals were inspired by my own childhood trauma and desire to help children in similar situations. 

While my extracurriculars were diverse, they all touched on mental health and/or research in one way or another.

Finally, your extracurriculars must also highlight your achievement in four major areas:

• Academics
• Leadership
• Innovation
• Community Service

Related: Why you should not be a Jack of all trades

#1 – Psychological Research

Satisfies: Academics, Innovation

Research in psychological science was the first way I connected to the major (psychology) and my college essays.

My main responsibilities were experimental administration, data collection/entry, and basic analyses. 

I also learned how to use software commonly used in this field to analyze data. This in particular was a MAJOR PLUS because it demonstrated my willingness to step out of my comfort zone to learn a new skill.

Moreover, research experience is especially sought out by top colleges because their prestige was largely built on their ground-breaking research and discoveries in the first place. 

This means they are constantly on the lookout for students who have the potential to succeed in research and innovate in the future.

Why colleges love it: Shows willingness to challenge myself and potential to succeed in research. It also builds on how and why I’m interested in psychology.

#2 – ASB

Satisfies: Leadership, Community Service

ASB is one of the few activities I don’t recommend students doing because it is so common and hard to make original.

Luckily I already knew this coming in so when I ran for office I did so on a platform that focused on mental health issues among students.

I became the representative for disabled students, specifically those struggling with mental health issues and learning disabilities.

For three years, I advocated for better resources and increased funding to departments that help these students.

One of my major accomplishments was successfully advocating for an audio-assisted crosswalk on a busy intersection near my campus for students with disabilities.

This was very beneficial in the admission process because colleges understand how and why I supported mental health issues in my community. 

It also highlighted my community service and leadership abilities.

Why colleges love it: Continues to emphasize how and why I’m interested in psychology while showcasing my ability to lead others and build communities.

#3 – Honor Society President

Satisfies: Academics, Innovation, Leadership

I was VP/President of my chapter for a few years and used my platform to support mental health issues.

For example, I presided over an ad hoc research committee looking at these very issues in my community and wrote the first iteration of our chapter’s report.

I also created the chapter’s first scholarship fund to award high-achieving students who overcame barriers in their lives, such as mental health issues and drug addiction.

This experience was very helpful in the college admission process because I continued to demonstrate my passion for mental health and research.

I also got to showcase my ability to lead others and support my community through advocacy and community-building.

Why colleges love it: Continues to focus on how and why I’m interested in psychology while showcasing my ability to lead others and support my community.

#4 – Took a graduate-level course at UCLA

Satisfies: Academics

I took a graduate-level social science course at UCLA during the summer of 2015 while I was still in community college. 

This meant I already had a UCLA transcript before becoming an actual student there!

It was the most challenging experience for me at the time because I was not used to reading 200-500 pages of material each WEEK – and understand it before the next class.

Luckily, I got an A- in the course.

This was a MAJOR PLUS in the college admission process, especially at UCLA, because I demonstrated my ability to succeed at both a university AND graduate level.

Selective colleges want to see you challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, which is why they always encourage you to take as many AP/IB and honor classes as you can. 

These challenges serve as your proof of concept such that you CAN succeed at their school.

Remember, it is much better in their eyes that you take a challenging class and get a B than to take an easy one and get an A.

Why colleges love it: Shows willingness to challenge myself despite the possibility of failure. Also proves that my priority is to LEARN, not to collect awards or accolades.

#5 – Contributor in a psychology textbook

Satisfies: Academics

I had the honor of working with a professor to publish a new edition of his textbook, which would be used in his future psychology courses.

While I only helped with a single chapter on DSM-5 mental disorders, this was a great experience because I learned valuable research and academic writing skills.

This was a MAJOR PLUS in the college admission process because it reinforced what I said in my essays about wanting to become a researcher.

Why colleges love it: Builds on how and why I’m interested in psychology. Also showcases my ability to succeed in research and similar academic pursuits.

Recap

The reason why my application worked so well in the college admission process was because I stuck to my script (each part told the same story while building off of each other).

In my college essays, I focused on the WHY (my childhood trauma inspired me to become a psychologist and researcher).

And with my extracurriculars, I focused on the HOW (committed to activities that demonstrated my interests in mental health and research).

I want to emphasize that while extracurriculars are indeed an important factor in the college admission process, applicants are evaluated holistically.

This means no one part of the application will determine whether you get into a top-ranked university or not.

As an applicant, you must check every single box on each college’s checklist:

• Well-written college essays
• Unique & personal extracurriculars
• Good test scores
• Positive interviews
• Glowing letters of recommendation

Lastly, your extracurriculars must also highlight your strengths in the four areas mentioned at the beginning of this article.