How to Write About Extracurriculars in Your Personal Statement and Supplemental Essays
Vision International - Overseas Education Consultant
Woman-led overseas education consultancy in Mumbai. Shaping Futures, Beyond Borders
Extracurricular activities are a crucial part of your college application, showcasing your interests, talents, and commitment. Writing about them effectively can help admissions officers understand your passions and predict your involvement on their campus.
Why Write About Extracurriculars?
While your activities are listed in the Common App, essays provide a space to elaborate on those that are particularly meaningful to you. Use this opportunity to convey the significance and impact of your involvement.
?Writing About Extracurriculars in Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement should reflect a meaningful part of your life, giving admissions officers insight into who you are. Here's how to do it effectively:
1. Convey Your Strengths Without Bragging
???- Highlight core strengths such as intellectual curiosity, teamwork, or problem-solving. Balance showcasing your strengths with being authentic and human.
2. Focus on Outcomes
???- Avoid getting bogged down in details. Instead, emphasize what you learned, how you grew, and the positive impact of your activities.
3. Answer the “Why” Questions
???- Explain why you chose the activity, why it mattered to you and others, and how it makes you a compelling candidate. Implicitly answer why this demonstrates you should be admitted.
领英推荐
Writing About Extracurriculars in Supplemental Essays
Supplemental essays often ask you to elaborate on an extracurricular activity. Here’s how to make your response stand out:
1. Make Relevant Connections to the School
???- Show how your activity aligns with the school's programs or values. Demonstrate that you've done your research and are a natural fit for the campus community.
2. Emphasize Meaning and Impact
???- Highlight the significance and outcomes of your activity, focusing on how it shaped you and your goals.
3. Think About Values
???- Align your extracurriculars with the values of the institutions you’re applying to. Use your activities to make a compelling case for how you fit into their community.
Conclusion
Writing about extracurriculars can be one of the best ways to expand on important activities and make meaningful connections with the schools you’re applying to. Focus on the significance, outcomes, and alignment with your values to make a strong case for your admission.