10 Unusual Activities that Stand Out on College Applications

Unique extracurricular activities that can help you get accepted

As an educational therapist, college counselor and tutor, I am asked the same question year after year: which extracurricular activities stand out more on a college application. Should Julia run for student body president? Should Tommy join the football team? Or perhaps Sarah should volunteer at a homeless shelter.

Ultimately, students should sign up for activities that peak their interest. But in many cases, I’ve found that students rarely think outside of the box when it comes to extracurricular activities. They believe that participating in the “typical” high school activities will give them an edge in the college admissions process. In actuality, it may drown out their application and make them a forgettable applicant.

Thousands of student body presidents apply to elite colleges every year. Thousands of athletes become captain of their sports teams. And at most high schools, students must volunteer in order to graduate. So, which extracurricular activities will cause an application reviewer to take pause? Here are ten extracurricular activities that students may want to participate in to give their college application a boost.

Start your own business: Working in high school is very important because it allows you to establish a different type of work ethic. It also helps students understand the value of a dollar.

But if you have a concept, why not turn it into a small business. Running a small business in high school can demonstrate many character qualities, such as the ability to lead, budget and organize.

Several of my students have started small clothing lines, offered pet grooming services, designed jewelry, and helped companies design their websites. There are a variety of platforms that students can sell on such as Etsy, Ebay, Amazon and Poshmark. Social media can also help to drive sales.

Starting a business can show colleges that a student isn’t afraid to take calculated risks, work hard, and learn from successes and failures.

Play and “unusual” sports: Those students who are starting high school may want to consider playing a less traditional sport. One of my students was a badminton state champion. There were less than 100 people who played badminton in the state but the achievement looked fantastic on an application. A few years ago, I tutored an ice skater from Los Angeles. She went to Brown University. These are the types of sports that an application reviewer may find interesting.

Publish in high school: If you like to write, consider publishing in high school. It doesn’t have to be the school newspaper or newsletter. Write a few articles and send them to your local newspaper or a small magazine.

You can also start a blog to discuss topics that you are interested in. Become an independent journalist and cover some of the stories around your city.

Write a few poems and submit them to magazines or contests. Some adventurous students may want to write a collection of short stories and even a novel.

Travel to other places: When we can all travel again, explore unknown places. Go to other countries and volunteer. Or travel across your own city and explore areas that you may not have experienced. Ultimately, document your experiences and share them with the world. College admissions officers can see a different side of you.

Start your own non profit: Most students volunteer in their community throughout their high school career. However, consider being a trailblazer and start your own non profit that you are passionate about. Raise money and help the homeless in your local area. Start an organization that helps abused animals. You may have some unique ideas as to what type of non profit you want to start. Show off your leadership skills and establish something that you are passionate about.

Host a monthly music concert: If you and your friends are musicians, organize a concert to showcase your talent. You will learn the art of marketing, budgeting, and organizing an event. You could even raise money for a non-profit. While we are all social distancing, you could also arrange something virtually to appeal to those at home.

Create an art or photography show: Rent out space and showcase your art in a gallery or at a coffee house. Since many public spaces are closed, you can place pictures of your work on a website. You can sell various pieces to raise money for a non profit. You can even ask some of your friends to contribute some pieces of artwork.

Learn another language: Many schools require students to take Spanish, French or Latin. Consider becoming fluent in another language such as American Sign Language, Chinese or Japanese. If you are fluent enough, try writing a poem or short story in another language.

Get involved in Politics: If you are really passionate about a candidate or a particular policy, why not consider getting involved in high school. But you can also get involved with politics locally. In most areas, community meetings are held to discuss the various events and concerns that are occurring in the area. Attend those meetings and offer to volunteer for any committees. Speak at those events and represent the youth in your local area.

Create or Build Something: If you have a knack for building or creating things, why not capitalize on that in high school. Many of my students have created robots, designed computer games, built cars or fixed computers. If you like computer games, why not try creating one yourself? Show colleges that you are hands on and like to take risks.

It’s always important for students to find extracurricular activities that they are passionate about. However, far too many students fall into a trap of participating in mainstream, common activities. Don’t be afraid to fail but make sure to get back up and learn from your experiences. Colleges will see your drive and initiative and your application will stand out from the rest.