Why are Extracurricular Activities important in your MBA Application and tips on how to get it right?

We all know that extracurricular activities are an important part of MBA applications. Every business school asks for a “well-rounded application” to analyze candidates’ potential but have you ever wondered why they care about extracurriculars and what exactly is the meaning of extracurriculars?

Extracurricular activities are simply anything you do that is not a high school course or paid employment. Extracurriculars are anything that you pursue with passion, something that makes you more productive and healthy. It implies you always do not need to have some NGO experience or win big awards. You can speak about anything that you do beyond work and that truly makes you happy and satisfied!

In this article, we will help you know exactly what extracurriculars adcoms are looking for and how you can differentiate yourself through your interests and passion!

Why are adcoms looking for Extracurriculars?

Adcoms are on the lookout to know what really matters to you, and then to get a sense of the skills you’ve developed through your experiences. Your extracurricular section is an opportunity to showcase leadership, collaboration, initiative, and passion for a cause. It’s also about your commitment to, and involvement in, the communities to which you belong.

They are looking for people who are ahead of the curve, who are progressing at a faster pace than their peers. But it’s not just about wanting to be successful in the business world! An extracurricular activity can improve a person’s MBA candidacy even if he or she did not assume a leadership role related to that activity. However, if an applicant does have an extracurricular leadership position, it may further elevate a candidate by showing their initiative and persistence in an activity where they have personal interest.

Extracurriculars can provide the competitive edge necessary for a qualified student to get an MBA interview invitation, and such activities could even be a deciding factor in an MBA acceptance!

Tips to highlight your Extracurriculars

As you think about your extracurricular involvement, keep these points in mind:

1.????Being a jack of all trades doesn’t help

Colleges would rather see the depth of involvement in one or two activities, rather than a large number of extracurricular activities that reflect superficial involvement. Extracurriculars are mentioned to help you highlight a different side of yours that can help adcoms know who you truly are. For example, there was a successful applicant to INSEAD who did not have a lot of NGO experience but he liked cooking and used to pursue this interest of his whenever he could get time. He, in his MBA application, mentioned how this activity is meditative for him and helps him be more productive and get through bad days! This showed his capability to survive in a fast-paced program like INSEAD’s. Show that you are dedicated to developing and deepening your personal self!

2.????Showcase your passion for your interests

Whatever you do, do it well! If you are doing what you love to do and taking the lead in the activity, it will help you showcase your passion and dedication towards it. Something quirky can turn into a meaningful extracurricular activity that will be attractive to college admissions offices. Leadership comes in many forms. Leadership in extracurricular activities doesn’t mean standing in front of a group and giving orders. Leadership can involve designing the set of a play, being leader in the band, organizing a fundraiser, starting a club related to the activity, designing a group’s website, or serving as an officer for a student organization.

Remember, no one activity is better than another. Drama, music, sports, dance, community service, any one of these can be a winner on a college application if you reveal dedication, leadership, and passion. Colleges offer a wide range of sports, clubs, musical ensembles, theater groups, and student organizations. The college wants to enroll a group of students with diverse interests so that you can effectively contribute to their overall community.

3.????Align your Extracurricular with your target school’s community

Do your research so that you know what extracurricular activities are offered at the schools to which you apply. Colleges aren’t simply looking for students with meaningful extracurricular involvement. They are looking for students whose meaningful extracurricular involvement will be an asset to the school.

4.????How Extracurricular Activities Affect MBA Admissions

It is not going to look particularly impressive if you have been involved in extracurriculars without being able to show any results. Remember that one of the reasons you are including extracurricular involvement is to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. And while it is always worthwhile to talk about making a difference in someone’s life, it is much more useful to your candidacy if you can talk about making a broad and wide-ranging impact.

What if you don’t have any Extracurricular?

If you are thinking about applying to an MBA but are worried about lack of extracurricular involvement, you might consider finding a side project that you can complete before you begin your application. Ideally, this project should connect with a past experience so that you can demonstrate some continuity in your extracurricular interests.

You should start this process by reflecting on your past, looking for extracurricular experiences that you may have overlooked. Perhaps you discounted an extracurricular activity from your time as an undergraduate because it was too brief or you thought it was too unrelated to your career? Search your past and see if you can turn up an experience that can form the basis of a new extracurricular project.

Once you have identified a viable experience from your past, you can then work to connect it with your current profile by identifying a manageable side project that you can complete in the lead up to the MBA application. By revisiting the experience via a new project, you can work on creating a demonstrable example of your leadership, initiative, and investment in the community.

What counts as an Extracurricular in your MBA Application?

• Arts: Theater, music, dance, painting, photography, creative writing, and other creative endeavors.
• Hobbies: Colleges are interested in your passion whether it be rocketry, model railroads, collecting, blogging, or quilting. These activities show that you have interests outside of the classroom.
• Music: Chorus, band orchestra, ensembles, and solo. These musical groups could be through school, the community, or your personal group or solo efforts.
• Sports: Any major sport is welcome. If you are a highly accomplished athlete, be sure to look into the recruiting practices of your top choice colleges early in the admissions process.
• Clubs: Chess club, mathletes, debate, language club, film club, diversity/minority groups, and so on.
• Community activity: Community theater, event organizing, festival staff, and many other activities are organized through the community, not the school.

Summing Up

Any extracurricular involvement is good, but your dedication and level of involvement are what will really make your application shine rather than having a dozen activities. They are looking for students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways. Consequently, the strongest applications show that the applicant is committed to an activity in a meaningful way. Think about what your extracurricular activities say about you. What is it that you are bringing to campus in addition to your academic accomplishments!

Many of us are really keen to know what activities will most impress colleges, and the reality is that any of them can. Your achievements and depth of involvement matter much more than the activity itself. If your extracurricular activities show that you are passionate about something outside of the classroom, you’ve chosen your activities well. If they show that you are accomplished, even better!

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