Which Activities Are Best? - Nancy Federspiel, Director

Several parents have asked me, "What activities should my son/daughter do to get into college?" The question sits a little funny with me and so I probe more to find out what they really mean. The reply is something like, "You know, would colleges rather see the debate club than the ultimate Frisbee club on Johnny's activities resume?" Or an equally unsettling response of, "What I really mean is what activity should Johnny do to ensure that he will get a scholarship?"

This is when we take a step back and start with the big issues. Colleges are not measuring a candidate's worth by the length of her activities list. A candidate with a list that fills an entire page is not necessarily the winner...in fact that could do more harm than good. What an astute college admissions officer is really looking for is an activity list that shows dedication to a few activities with depth. They want to see commitment and passion to a select set of activities and not evidence that the student is trying everything under the sun to make that list look impressive.

This is the key to the answer. Your son or daughter should do whatever activity they love to do because that is what s/he will stick with. It will be tough for Johnny to endure four years on the Debate team if he dreads talking in public but you can bet he will gladly stay on the Ultimate Team for years if he loves to throw a Frisbee. A student's interests should drive the process, not the schools' interests.

Trying to predict what the "hot activity" is for your school of choice could make you crazy (not to mention your poor kid who is flopping from activity to activity). Last year BC's marching band may have needed a tuba player but this year they are all set in the tuba department but their oboe player just graduated. Do you try a new instrument at this stage of the game? Granted this example is extreme but you get the point. Letting the school drive the process is just not practical, whether you're aiming for an acceptance letter or a scholarship award.

Of course it would be great if your student's interests led to some sort of leadership role within that activity or if one of her activities had some sort of community service component to it. This would be a nice side effect of her involvement in her activity of choice. As long as the genesis of the idea to get involved stems from a genuine interest in that activity, you have a better chance of avoiding burnout. And let's face it, if your student is doing what s/he enjoys, then everybody is happier in the end.