Extracurricular Activities Richard Guide Now

These are activities you participate in consistently but don't necessarily lead. They show you are a community member and a team player.

To know where to go, you need a map. I have adapted the classic admissions tier system for this Extracurricular Activities Richard Guide.

Your goal: Move from Tier 4 to Tier 2 in one area, or from Tier 3 to Tier 1 in a niche. extracurricular activities richard guide

Let me be blunt. In 2024, colleges use the "spike" method. They don't want a well-rounded student. They want a well-rounded class made up of spiky students.

If you are the "Average Joe" who plays JV soccer, is Secretary of the Key Club, and plays clarinet in the band, you are interchangeable with 50,000 other applicants. These are activities you participate in consistently but

The Richard Guide to the "Spike": Find the intersection of what you love and what the world needs. Then go incredibly deep.

Case Study A (Rejected): SAT 1500, GPA 3.9. 10 different clubs. No awards. Case Study B (Accepted to Stanford): SAT 1480, GPA 3.8. Only 3 extracurriculars: Your goal: Move from Tier 4 to Tier

Your 5-10 activities must tell a single story. For example: “I care about elderly loneliness” → President of the geriatric club → Volunteer at nursing home → Started a pen-pal program with local seniors → Built a web app connecting teens to elderly neighbors. That is a narrative.