Extracurriculars 101

Extracurricular activities are important for high schoolers as these activities help them develop personally and prepare them for future endeavors like college and beyond. An extracurricular activity is anything that isn’t required for graduation, so the options are endless when it comes to what is considered an extracurricular activity.

What activities should your teen pursue?

Allow your kids to consider what their passions are and find extracurriculars that align with those. They can look to existing clubs and activities, even if they’re traditionally considered for adults. Your student may be able to start their own club or chapter of an organization if they’re not finding what they’re looking for.

As a parent, you can help find the opportunities, or work with them to do research, for example, checking out local youth civic organizations, but allow your students to pursue their interests. This helps develop those interests and allows your child to become clearer on what they might like to pursue in college or for work. These activities also allow your students to become more well-rounded, which they can then show on their college applications. These activities are where students can set themselves apart from other applicants in the college admissions process.

Using extracurriculars for course credit

Even though these activities are taking place outside of school, there may be times where they can be used for credit. For example, a physics club might be used for a lab requirement and sport team participation could be used for PE. Be sure to check what your student’s requirements are and see where their activities may fit in- this is an extra benefit of these activities. So, your students’ extracurricular activities could show up on their transcript as extra activities or as part of a course!

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about civic youth organizations
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