outside of school. Let’s explore what colleges look for in extra curricular activities.
Commitment: It’s not the number of extra curricular activities that impresses, but
a long-term commitment to a few. Listing
a myriad of activities that were not pursued
in depth is a turn off. Think: quality over
quantity. Often, the application asks you
to list the activity then check the boxes for
each high school year participated.
Leadership: There is typically a section
on the application that asks applicants to
list the leadership roles held in high school.
If your child is involved in any activity, encourage him to become a leader. If no leadership role exists, encourage him to create
one.
Awards and Honors: Recognition for
achievement in sports, academics, clubs,
and character, bolsters the application, giving the student an edge on scholarships.
Be creative with the types of awards your
homeschooler can earn. If his activity
doesn’t offer them, ask the leadership team
to create awards for the students.
Competitions: There are many competitions homeschoolers can enter that look
great on college applications. A few examples are: writing, speaking, science, math,
creative arts, volunteer service, and even
video gaming. Start researching competitions early as there are entry deadlines.
Volunteer Service: Colleges highly value
service. Applications have a special section
dedicated to community service. Encourage your child to volunteer in areas that
interest him most and at places that need
help. My daughter earned the Presidential
Service Award for her volunteer activities
in our church and has a beautiful certificate
to document her award.
Summer Pursuits: Because there is a sec-
tion on the application that specifically asks
how the student spent his summers, en-
courage your children to pursue something
of value during those summer months.
It is so important that your children are
active in high school, and keeping good
records of the things they’ve done is crucial. I’ve written a manual called College
Yes U that includes a section for your child
to keep records on their high school endeavors. It is an invaluable resource that
will greatly help students not only prepare
for, but stay organized during their high
school years. College Yes U will be available
through Apologia next year.
Jeannie Fulbright, homeschool mother and
Certified Life Coach, is the author of
Apologia’s Young Explorer science series, and the
upcoming College Yes U journal for students
to plan and prosper through high school. You
can find Jeannie on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest and her website www.Jeannie
Fulbright.com, where she offers encouragement and counsel to homeschool parents.
Scholarships are often
awarded to students
who show commitment
to activities done
outside of school.
