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  • Work falls into working for an Employer and as Self-Employed. Consider the value of starting your career in one or more teams or companies, to gain work experience and get first had exposure to what you may be more passionate about.

    When seeking your first job in a team, company or organization—they would prefer to hire a candidate who will help them succeed. Applicable to most roles, they will seek a candidate who:

    • can demonstrate the appropriate skills

    • some experience with industry-related tools or software or ability to adapt to them without extensive training

    • self-directed initiative, adaptability to overcome challenges

    • creativity and or resourcefulness in resolving problems

    • ability to work with teams or with clients

    • ability to express ideas and influence direction—by writing skills, verbal skills, creative means to communicate ideas

    • contribute to diversity, which may offer unique empathy, and novel and fresh solutions.

    • would more likely be a positive contribution to a team

    Think to yourself what type of skills or experiences a college can offer you that may demonstrate your readiness or adaptability to apply to a prospective job.

  • A student’s success in graduating college and getting their first job is mostly up to them. The value placed on a college-program should reflect the students’ graduation rates and their readiness for employment. Some programs pride the quality and readiness of their students more than just passing all students, regardless of quality. Employers may differ on weighing employable skills and a school’s reputation. Some schools may have an increased rigor that can affect their graduation rates, by only graduating higher caliber students.

    A given school’s acceptance rates and recent minimum qualifications can reflect on the college/program as being desirable. Other factors may be the location, facilities, or teaching staff. Their graduation rate reflects on either how challenging their program may be, how self-selecting students find the rigors, or that one’s skills and goals still align with what the school/ program offers.

    This is a process of match-making, where they want all selected students to graduate and find employment—and students are seeking the same.

    Research other’s examples or brainstorm: what qualities or experiences may help an Admissions Office predict success from a stack of student applications?

  • A college or program within a college may have more applicants than available spots in the freshman year. The Admissions Office and program Department Selection Committee will sort, sift, and select the best freshman class on certain criteria. It is helpful to learn what those criteria are, what may help your application rise to the top during each round of review.

    Some desirable schools may have minimum academic criteria that help them pare down the list of applicants. Some programs may have a more skills-based or portfolio assessment that may be more important than mere academics. A prospective student should investigate to see what the requirements are and how to improve your odds on being accepted. Take notes, journal the journey.

    • A student can research the school’s program website or Admissions page for Freshmen for guidance.

    • One can ask teachers or adult peers who may be alumni of the school you are interested in, and an informational call or chat can give you some first-hand experiences.

    • Visiting a school’s program in person, or virtual tours or online-admissions prep meetings can be very informative.

    • Even cold-calling, emailing, or writing to alumni of a program you are interested in (e.g. if you have some connection by networking or if they have a public presence like an author or artist) you may learn of creative ways to rise to the top.

  • I recommend brainstorming short lists of:

    • Skill Set: what line of study/work you are most interested in? And skills to demonstrate that?

    • Solutions: what ways to show initiative, problem solving, or creative solutions?

    • Drive: what ways you can show leadership, team-work, or time-management?

    • Seeing Needs: how to demonstrate that you are aware of the world around you, its problems, and your empathy for others?

    Now create a Venn Diagram with four circles that overlap, with an overlap of all four in the center. This is not a mental exercise, take notes and reflect on your ideas.

    Brainstorm ideas and pin them down across the different categories—and see which may efficiently demonstrate the most and tell a story about you. Alternatively, you can look at each overlap and ponder what examples might fit. In the end you may highlight any ideas that resonate or worth more investigation. This can also be a partnered effort with friends that may join you in this—”demonstrating team-work.” Some examples might include:

    • [Skill Set & Solution: I like to create films] + [Seeing Needs: the cause is lacking student-aged support or in need for donations] + [Drive: initiative if starting something, or Team-work, if applicable]… <Research that cause, locally or more broadly, and see if there is a need—as a volunteer or eventual internship. Or initiate an awareness program, website, community activity with friends or on your own>

    • [Skill Set: I like to illustrate and draw and love graphic novels] + [Seeing Needs: what audience has a story to tell or be aware of? What audience do you want to connect with and why?] + [Drive & Solution: create and publish a printed or online graphic novel. If it takes funds, raise a campaign on KickStarter or GoFundMe or get a sponsor.] = <Create the graphic content or act as the creative director, if a collaboration; raise funds as needed and the work may be sold or given away>

    • [Skill Set: I like to create content and can build websites or promotional material] + [Seeing Needs: is there a local group, non-profit, small business, cause that needs help to promote an event or build or improve their web-presence] + [Drive: leading this effort with a successful outcome] = <Accept the call or research a small business, or group in need and help them establish a campaign of awareness, participation and fund-raising.>

    • [Skill Set: I like to build and paint, and I like the theatrical arts] + [Seeing Needs: local student or school performance needs set designers] + [Drive: can you find a role you can lead or with more experience grow in responsibility] = <Volunteer to lead all or part of an upcoming performance set design>

  • Brainstorming and having a short list of potential ideas is a great first step. What you do next will demonstrate initiative, drive, and passion.

    Is the problem to solve a real problem you are aware of, or a hypothetical? If it is a real problem, research or network to find whom to connect with to pitch your idea or offer your time and skills. If this is a hypothetical, do some research or share your idea with peers or teachers to validate the need and if there is a group with that need to contact. If there is no group defined yet but the need validated, do you (and possibly some friends) feel passionate enough to initiate an action to solve the need? Take action.

    While you may have time, you do not have forever. Time-management involves setting some short-term goals.

    • What should you try to do (e.g. research or network) by when?

    • By what date should you confirm from your peers, teachers, or parents if the need is valid and do you have their support?

    • By what date should you be solidifying a project or revisit the goal?

    • Mark your calendar, set reminders, follow up.

 

When preparing for college, extracurriculars are about quality, not quantity.

  • Choose activities that you enjoy, you excel at, and demonstrate leadership.

  • Different schools place different values on extracurricular activities.

  • For admission, extracurriculars are often less important than grades, course rigor, and test scores.

Artistic and Creative Pursuits

  • Artistic and creative pursuits like painting, drawing, sculpting, graphic design, fashion design, theater, music, and dance can emphasize your ability to think and create in visionary ways.

    As a result, colleges love seeing these activities on prospective students' applications.

  • Acting in plays, playing in bands, and participating on dance teams requires collaboration, coordination, and a commitment to a larger goal — all qualities that may help convince admissions departments you'll make a great addition to their communities.

Volunteering and Community Service

  • Volunteer experiences and community service demonstrate that you care about the world around you. Building homes with Habitat for Humanity, serving meals at Room in the Inn, or sorting cans at your local food bank can all help stress your commitment to service, in addition to making your community a better place.

  • Volunteer work and community service can indicate to colleges what they may be getting in return for accepting you, emphasizing how you may contribute to the campus community beyond just attending class.

Internships

  • If you're applying to a specific program or school within a college, relevant internships can be a powerful addition to your application. These experiences indicate your interest and experience in a particular field and can provide a helpful perspective for you to bring to relevant coursework.

In addition to preparing you for college-level coursework, interning with a nonprofit or local business can raise your chances of getting into more selective colleges.

While internships are usually reserved for college students, several opportunities are available to high school students.

Why do Extracurricular Activities Matter?

While grades and the coursework difficulty matter most, extracurriculars for college matter more than you may think. In a world of rising application numbers and an increase in the number of students reporting stellar test scores and top grades, admissions officers are relying more heavily on the extracurriculars to determine whether a student will gain admission. 

Additionally, if you participate in (or lead) extracurricular activities, you typically possess the types of character qualities, and professional skills admissions officers look for in potential students, including:

  • Drive

  • Leadership

  • Passion

  • Commitment

  • Time management

You cannot learn these skills in an academic setting. You learn them through experience and participating in high school extracurricular activities.

Michael WeiComment