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Beyond Academics: Extracurriculars and Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

The activities section of your application is where you showcase what you do outside of the classroom. Colleges are looking for students who are passionate, dedicated, and who will contribute to the campus community. They are not just interested in school-based clubs; they want to see all your commitments. 

Valuable extracurriculars include:

  • Student Leadership Roles: Being a class president, a club leader, or a team captain shows that you can motivate peers and manage projects. Starting your own club or project also demonstrates leadership and initiative.  
  • Community Service and Volunteering: Giving back to your community shows that you care about the world beyond your school.  
  • Work Experience and Internships: Holding a part-time job or an internship demonstrates practical skills, responsibility, and the ability to balance multiple commitments. For international students, this is especially valuable as it shows a real-world understanding of different industries.  
  • Arts and Athletics: Involvement in sports, music, theater, or visual arts shows discipline, teamwork, and creative expression.  
  • Personal and Family Responsibilities: Colleges, such as NYU, explicitly state that time spent caring for siblings or taking on additional family responsibilities is valuable and should be included. This shows maturity and responsibility.  

The key is quality over quantity. It is far better to have a deep commitment to a few activities than a superficial involvement in many. When you list your activities, rank them in order of importance to you and, most importantly, reflect on what you learned from them. You should also be sure to use action verbs and quantify your impact wherever possible, such as "awarded $465,000 to 200+ arts groups".  

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation provide a crucial, third-party perspective on your character and abilities that cannot be conveyed in your essays. Most US universities require letters from at least one teacher and your school counselor.  

  • Teacher Recommendations: A good teacher letter provides a window into how you perform in a specific discipline within the classroom. Ask a teacher from a class you did well in or one in which you worked particularly hard, ideally from your junior or senior year.  
  • Counselor Recommendations: The counselor letter provides a broader overview of your profile and your extracurricular pursuits. It can highlight your "hook" or singular focus. It is the student's responsibility to build a good relationship with their counselor to ensure they can write a strong, personal letter..  

To ensure you get a great recommendation, provide your recommenders with a "brag sheet" or resume with information about your goals, accomplishments, and relevant activities. This will help them write a more focused and anecdotal letter on your behalf.