Happy New Year!
It's always nice to take a break from work and spend time with family during the holidays. But to be honest, it's equally nice to get back to our normal routine and start working on all of those projects I've been thinking about these past few months. No matter how much I try to stay on top of things, the fall months - especially September, October, and November - get super busy with my seniors. Now that they're done with their applications, it's time for me to focus on the next class of students, at least for a couple of months.
January is always exciting as I start working with my juniors and help them with aptitude testing and getting a jumpstart on researching majors and colleges. Equally exciting (and satisfying) is checking in with my seniors and learning about all the acceptances and scholarships that have already come in for them.
Like many of you, I'm never totally unplugged from work - there's always stuff to do, webinars to watch and data to plough through. And every year, I'm thinking of better ways to help my students as they make their way through high school.
One important to-do item in January is to look into your extracurricular activities. There's still time to join clubs, volunteer, and even find a dual enrollment class at your local community college.
A question I often get is 'Which extracurricular is more important?' There's no right or wrong answer. It truly depends on what you're interested in. Think of what is interesting to you and I'll help you expand on that. The last thing a student should do is choose an activity based on what they think colleges are looking for - because, let's face it, we don't know what they're looking for and even if we did, it would change every admission cycle.
If you're looking for community service you should look close to home. You don't need to travel or pay for programs that build communities in other countries. Giving back in your own community is not only needed, but it's also very rewarding. It's best to choose an organization which has similar values to your own because then you will see yourself helping as often as possible and you get much more out of the experience. Putting in volunteer hours here and there doesn't go that far. It's much better to find something you love and then you'll find it easier to stay connected and volunteer. If there's one piece of advice I can give you it's this - Volunteer from the heart and do what you love, not what you think colleges want to see.
I've been going over data from my previous students* and have found that only 40% of my students have performed some kind of community service. That might sound surprising to many of you but you have to keep in mind that many students are athletes (60% of my students) and many take part in choir, orchestra, band, or Indian classical dance (close to 70%) and when you're busy with these kinds of activities, you really don't have enough hours in the day to pursue anything else.
Leadership is also another common activity among high schoolers and can range from being a board member for a club to being Editor in Chief of the school newspaper or Student Body President. In leadership, all titles are not created equal and if a student is interested in a particular club or organization it does help to take on more responsibilities and step in where leadership is needed. Some of the most satisfying activities students have taken on has to do with leadership. Volunteering your time for a worthy cause gives you a sense of accomplishment that is hard to match, this is true whether you're a high schooler or adult.
The reason why extracurriculars have become so important is that colleges want to know who the applicant is outside of the classroom. What excites them? What matters to them? How do they spend their extra time? When we work on the extracurricular list in college applications our goal is to showcase not only all of your activities but also your strengths and superpowers. That's why the best extracurricular activities are the ones that make you happy and give you energy.
So no matter what you plan to do, make sure you're using your time wisely. Put some effort into planning your extracurricular activities. Look into outside classes/courses and see what can help you explore new subjects and fields. Start thinking of the SAT and whether it's time to start prepping for standardized testing. It's all good. Everything you do will help you grow.
Class of 2025 - Congratulations!! You all have worked so hard and your efforts are being rewarded. Collectively, you've gotten over 85 acceptance offers and over $1,150,000 in scholarships and merit aid - and it's only January! Whoop! Whoop!
Class of 2026 - If you are thinking of signing up, now's a great time to do so. We have 8 months until the first round of applications go out, let's make the most of this time.
Class of 2027 and 2028 - Hope this article helps you as you navigate the school year. If you're on my mailing list you will receive a reminder to schedule a meeting in early February to plan for next year's classes. You also have the option to sign up for a comprehensive package or hourly sessions.
I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming weeks for course scheduling and summer planning. Signing up for a meeting is easier than ever - just head over to the Book Online page and choose the meeting that's right for you.
*I have collected data on over 120 seniors who I've worked with over the years. Students tend to have two or three strong extracurricular activities but a good number of them have just one strong EC.