Ask Ms. Blue: Should I Join Extracurriculars at my US High School?

Dear Ms. Blue –  

My high school in the US offers a lot of different extracurriculars – clubs, sports, plays, music and more. What are the benefits of joining one of these extracurriculars? Are these helpful for university applications, or should I stay focused on my studies?  

Thank you for your insights!

Best,  

“Extra” Exhausted by Extracurriculars.

p.s. – What clubs were you in when you were in high school?  

Dear “Extra” Exhausted,  

When I was in high school, I was editor of my school’s newspaper (yes, we still had one of those!) and yearbook. I was also a member of the Track & Field team, Spanish Club, and Quiz Bowl team. From my personal experience and through years of advising students on their path to university admission, I can tell you that the benefits of joining extracurricular activities are many.  

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Skill Building: Extracurricular activities help students develop skills they need to be successful. Alongside skill building like teamwork, communication, and time management, students also learn practical skills – coding, writing, public speaking, problem solving, painting, building, and more.  

Socialization: Being involved in activities after school means you interact with your peers in an environment other than the classroom. It helps you build friendships based on your shared interests. Socializing in extracurricular environments also helps you build deeper connections with your teachers, club sponsors, coaches, and school community.  

Personal Growth: Engaging in extracurricular activities challenges students to step out of their comfort zones, which fosters personal growth, resilience, and confidence. Participating in clubs, sports, arts, and volunteer organizations shapes values like discipline, perseverance, responsibility, and sportsmanship. These experiences help students learn how to work with others, overcome disagreements, collaborate and compromise. Personal growth is all about recognizing positive changes in yourself that you have worked hard to achieve, and extracurriculars are the perfect place to affect that positive change.

Each of these benefits – skill building, socialization, and personal growth – can have a real impact on your university applications. Simply being in clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities doesn’t impact your admission chances. However, being able to demonstrate personal growth does! At Amerigo’s Signature programs, we don’t just advise students on this process, we design opportunities to help them engage in community service, summer programs, and more.  Learn more about Amerigo's Support Services here.

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Regards,  

Katie Blue

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