Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Let’s be real: college admissions used to be simple(ish). You had the grades and the scores, and that’s all it took to get in.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

But now? Now, you could be valedictorian, math Olympiad champ, and still get ghosted by your dream university.

Why?

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Because in 2025, being smart isn’t enough. You’ve also got to be interesting.
And that’s what extracurriculars make you – interesting!

Your GPA shows you’re smart.

Your extracurriculars show you’re alive.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

A great question at this moment would be “What are extracurriculars?”

And the answer is beyond sports and music.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Basically, if it happens outside the classroom and you’re not being graded for it; it counts. Whether it’s volunteering, starting a small business, running a meme page with 50K followers (yes, even that), or interning at your local vet’s clinic is an extracurricular activity.

Whatever speaks to who you are beyond the syllabus is extracurricular.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Think of extracurriculars as your way of telling colleges: “Look, I’m not just smart, I’m also capable of doing cool things when no one’s making me.”

Because they’re not just building classrooms anymore. They’re building communities.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Admissions officers want students who’ll take initiative, show up with actual energy, contribute to campus life, and be future leaders, creatives, researchers, or game-changers. They want people who’ll make their university look good in 10 years.

Joining 12 clubs in 12th grade? Cute. But leading one project for three years and making an impact? Powerful.

Colleges don’t care how much you do anymore. They care about why you did it, what you learned, and how it shaped you.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Quality over quantity. Always.

Here’s what catches attention (if done well):

• Creative things like writing, painting, filmmaking, music, photography.
• Leadership roles like club president, event organiser, initiative-starter energy.
• Community services like volunteering, fundraising, advocacy work.
• Academic extras like Olympiads, research projects, science fairs, hackathons.
• Internships or work experience (even shadowing your aunt’s startup counts).
• And of course, personal projects like blogs, podcasts, handmade jewellery business, anything that says: “I made this from scratch.”

Imagine reading this in a college app: “I joined the Environment Club because I love nature.”

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Now compare it to this: “I joined the Environment Club to understand why our recycling bins were always empty. Ended up creating a waste segregation campaign for the whole school.”

What do you notice?

One shows action. The other? Impact.

Reflect on what you did, what went wrong, what you learned, and how you grew. That’s the gold colleges are digging for.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

You don’t need a Nobel Prize in 11th grade. You need to start now. Pick one thing. Show up consistently. Document the journey. And grow with it.

Start a mini book club. Volunteer at an NGO. Intern with your cousin’s company. Even better? Start something of your own. Admissions officers love initiative.

Your extracurriculars stacked up in your applications tell colleges what kind of energy, passion, and personality you’re bringing to campus and believe us, they care.

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

So next time someone tells you extracurriculars don’t matter? Politely remind them “Grades open the door. What you do beyond the books gets you invited in!” and remember us – we probably must have celebrated your win long before because we knew you’d make it!!

Extracurricular activities for study abroad admissions

Written By – AKOSMEETA HAZARIKA