By: Taren Vaughan
Being a top notch student is something that we should strive to be. Maintaining good grades is a guaranteed way to receive scholarship opportunities. Be that as it may, some scholarships require much more than a stellar academic performance. Having a GPA of 4.0 or better is outstanding but what about your involvement in extracurricular activities?
During their time in school, some students have a tendency to get way too caught up in their academics. Yes, there is such a thing as getting too hung up your school work. It may sound strange but there comes a time where a student needs to push those books aside and experience the other aspects of school life. At every educational institution, students are provided with opportunities to get involved in numerous clubs and organizations. Dance teams, sports, student body organizations, drama club; you name it, they most likely offer it. Being involved in that one additional activity can make you a stand out when it comes to getting scholarships.
Aside from receiving money for school, well rounded students also grasp the attention of admissions committees. Imagine this scenario. A member of an admissions board came across two applications where the students had identical GPA’s. What would lead them to select one application over the other? It would be one’s participation in extracurricular activities. Believe it or not, participation in these activities could land you the job of your dreams one day.
Now you may wonder what kind of extracurricular activities students should participate in. Well that varies depending on the student’s interest. They may become involved in sports or they may find enjoyment in the science or art club.
Should activities be limited to school grounds?
A student should definitely not feel as if their extracurricular activities should take place only at school. Becoming a part of off campus clubs and organizations is a great thing to do. It shows that a student it not afraid to branch out and associate themselves with people outside of their classes. Volunteering within your community is an activity that receives much praise as well. Knowing that a student spent their time helping someone less fortunate speaks volumes about their character.
As you can see, being well rounded is very crucial for students. Institutions and scholarship committees want to see that an individual did not only focus on their studies. But they found time to get involved in other activities as well. Participating in interest clubs or organizations can also really help a person develop socially. You get the chance to be exposed to people from different backgrounds and learn new things. This is valuable when it comes to dealing with the real world population. So as a student, make sure you make it to a student council meeting or suit up for that upcoming try out. Remember that being well rounded adds to your uniqueness as a student.