Outside of Class

Extracurricular Activities 
While the academic record remains the most important information you will submit to colleges, how you choose to spend your time outside the classroom and how you commit yourself will be of interest as well.  In the areas of extracurricular activities, MORE IS NOT EQUAL TO BETTER!   A long list of clubs has less meaning than your commitment to specific groups and how your contribution has made a difference.

Colleges are more impressed with the student who makes significant contributions to a few activities rather than the student who belongs to many organizations and does not contribute much to any.  Not everyone can be captain of a team or president of the class.  While colleges are interested in knowing about leadership positions you might have, they are most interested in knowing about your most focused extracurricular involvement and interests.

You do not have to be "well-rounded."
There will be a place on college campuses for both well-rounded students and students with special talents or leadership in one or two areas.

Think about how you would talk about or describe your activities and involvement.  Colleges are interested in campus activities as well as outside activities including part-time work, community service, church involvement, youth orchestra, club sports, summer experiences, etc.

Resumes
The Resumes section of this site contains information on what to include and how to organize a resume.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES

Planning

Plan early for summer employment or other activities to explore interests, pursue challenges, and find ways to grow and achieve success.  Travel, study, and jobs or volunteering help you learn more about yourself and the kinds of college communities and programs of study that might suit you.

Expand your horizons and gain experience.  Admission committees in highly selective institutions increasingly believe that how you use vacations reveals your priorities and resourcefulness; what you do shows people what you value.

Here are some ideas:

Volunteer

You can search Chattanooga area volunteer opportunities through the United Way and VolunteerMatch.

Hit the Books

If you're not involved with a summer program, check into taking a college class at UTC or Chattanooga State.

College Visits

If possible, visit colleges, taking campus tours and attending information sessions wherever you can.

Get a Jump on Applications

• Gather catalogs and application materials, keeping track of what materials you have or need.
• Gather ideas for college-application essays by keeping a journal about significant books, issues, experiences, and thoughts.
• Go online to college websites to get an idea of what their applications require and what, if any, essay questions might be asked.