Extracurriculars show your interests.

Colleges want students who are going to make a difference and who are passionate about a variety of subjects. Colleges look for more depth than breadth. You don’t have to feel like you have to do it all, but you do want to show colleges that you have focused passions with a sense of commitment and purpose. Your resume will record many of the activities to highlight key areas.

What should you include you might ask? You want to show colleges that you are open to learning new skills and working with others and that you have clear interests and that you are well-rounded. Consider the following areas:

• Leadership activities: Any leadership activity is something you want to include on a resume because it shows that you take initiative. Whether it is related to sports, work, volunteer work, student organization, or non-profit organization, include any aspect where you showed leadership.

• Community Service: Helping others shows your humanity and caring nature and your interest in impacting your community in a meaningful way.

• Debate: Clubs that include a component of debate are noteworthy to include on a resume since it shows that you are an effective communicator and are capable of argumentative, critical thinking.

• Internships: During the summer, you may want to see if you can get an internship in a field of interest. If you are interested in web design, you may want to see if there are any local business who need help. If you are interested in medicine, see if you could shadow a doctor at a clinic or in a lab.

• Sports: Playing a team sport shows commitment, dedication, and cooperation. Include any sports on your resume and any awards or championships.

• Work Experience: Work experience shows responsibility and cooperation with others.

• Clubs: Include any club where you were able to learn something or expand on skills. You will want to show colleges that you like to work with others and learn new skills. It can also show that you are open to new experiences.

• Technology: If you have learned skills such as computer programming or web design or graphic design, you can include that on your resume as well.

Join an existing Meridian Extracurricular Club

See what clubs Meridian offers to see if there is something that appeals to you.

Meridian Extracurricular Activities

Start your own club.

If you don't see what interests you and are passionate about a topic, start your own club and contact one of your administrators about the process at school.

Look at local and national organizations that offer ways to get involved.

• Check out Volunteer Match to get some ideas of local opportunities or Community Impact's website of local Austin volunteer opportunities.

• Do Something. org has some ideas as well as College Transitions.

• Yelp has a page for volunteer opportunities for teens in Austin.

• Austin Top 50 --ideas for volunteering for teens.

Possible Areas of Interest

• Special Olympics

• Projects Abroad

• Global Volunteers

• Global Volunteers

• Habitat for Humanity

• TED Talk Translators (for bilingual students)

• Student Environmental Action Coalition

• Reading is Fundamental

• Bookshare

• Literacy First

• ASPCA (animals)

• TeensGive.org

• Pet Therapy

• YMCA of Greater Williamson County Volunteer Page

• Camp for All (disabilities camp)

Links

• https://post.edu/blog/the-best-extracurricular-activities-to-include-on-your-college-application%E2%80%AF/

• https://www.nshss.org/blog/what-are-good-extracurricular-activities-for-college-applicants/

• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/outside-the-classroom/extracurriculars-matter-to-you-and-to-colleges