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Extracurriculars

When considering students for admission, selective colleges are looking for individuals who will benefit the entire student body by bringing passion, talent, and diverse experiences.

For you, the main question is this: how can you show colleges that you’re a unique, engaged person who is committed to making a difference in the areas you care about?

Answer: by showcasing your main interests in life! Use this section of the application to show off the various ways you’ve worked to develop and expand your interests outside of the classroom, or to highlight your non-academic activities. Doing so will show colleges more about your passions and experiences, and give them insight into why you would be a benefit to their community. Don’t forget to include any academic and summer programs you participated in, and specifically cite the courses that you attended as a Duke TIP participant.

For more on the role they play in the college admissions process, see our special section on extracurricular activities or read Why Extracurriculars Matter on the College Board website.

Filed Under: Extracurriculars

Student TIPs

Show you are committed. Playing sports throughout middle and high school demonstrates your commitment. Volunteering at a local arts camp shows how you care about your community. Working to help support your family shows your ability to handle different obligations, manage time, and navigate financial difficulties. All of these things are helpful insights for colleges.

Parent TIPs

It is likely that your child will need help remembering and identifying all of the extracurricular activities they have engaged in and honors they have won during high school at application time. They may also have a more rigid idea of what this means compared to what admissions offices are looking for. Help them look at all areas of their life over the past four years: not just school, but church, volunteer, and community activities as well as internships, part-time jobs, contests they have won, special honors, etc. Be sure to include summer activities like their Duke TIP classes as well.

Ideally, you or your child will have set up a special file to house this information when they first started high school. If not, review your social media accounts to refresh your memory about what your child has been involved in for their college applications.

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