by Grace Angel

Created on: April 18, 2010   Last Updated: April 19, 2010

There are many people competing for admission into various colleges around the country. Getting into college is more about being a well student and having potential to make a positive impact on society. Previous generations of students could get into college strictly on grades and the desire to become successful. Recent studies have shown that 96 percent of high school freshman across the country are planning to go to college. This means that the competition to get into college is extremely intense.

Extracurricular activities are very important for any student trying to get into a four-year college. Most community colleges will take almost anyone if they have a grade point average that is sufficient to graduate high school. The competition gets much fiercer when a student is looking to enter a four-year program. If a student has a well-rounded application, they will have a much higher chance of successfully gaining admission to the school of their choice.

Extracurricular activities can tell a lot of the personality of the student. If a student is not involved in various activities outside of the scholastic setting, it can be an indication that they are not socially well adjusted. The activities themselves do not need to be sponsored through the school system. However, some colleges want to see at least minimal involvement with a perspective students peer group. The ability to work with others is something that most college admissions workers are seeking from any perspective student. This is because most colleges want diversity in the student body.

The more than a student is willing to do outside of the school environment, the more likely it is that they will be committed and passionate about their studies at the college level. Furthermore, willingness to commit time to various volunteer activities shows that the student is willing to be part of something bigger than they are. The more a student is involved in the activities within their community, the more likely it is that they will be a vital and active member of the college community as well. Socialization is a major part of the college experience. Students that are not very social have been shown in studies to fail school in 53 percent of cases. This is not a worthwhile investment for the students that fail.

There are only so many things that any admissions officer can learn about a perspective student from their grade transcript. Their extracurricular activities however, give an indication to the admissions officer, of the type of individual that they are interviewing.

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