Table of Contents
Which extracurriculars actually matter?
Colleges don't just count activities — they look for depth, leadership, and impact, and the bar differs from school to school. A "tier 1" activity at one college may read as ordinary at another.
Our school-by-school guides rank the extracurriculars that stand out at each college and show how to position your activities for that school's admissions priorities.
Extracurricular guides by school
- Beyond the 90%: Extracurricular Strategies for ASU's Elite Colleges
- The Ultimate Guide to Auburn University Extracurriculars: What "The Family" Really Looks For
- Boston College Extracurricular Guide: Becoming a 'Contemplative in Action'
- Cracking the Boston University Admissions Code: Why 'Urban Grit' and Real-World Experience Matter Most
- Standing Out at BYU: A Guide to Extracurricular Engagement Tiers
- Beyond the GPA: What Extracurriculars Does Rutgers Really Look For?
- My Heart is in the Work: A Guide to Extracurriculars at Carnegie Mellon
- The 'Maker' and the 'Healer': Crafting a Competitive Extracurricular Profile for Case Western Reserve University
- Clemson Extracurriculars: What the "Clemson Family" Looks for in Applicants
- Extracurriculars for Colorado School of Mines: Building the Oredigger Profile
- The Data-Backed Guide to Extracurriculars for Columbia University
- Best Extracurriculars for Cornell: Aligning with the 'Project Team' Culture
- Best Extracurriculars for Dartmouth College
- Best Extracurriculars for Duke University
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Emory University
- Florida State University Extracurriculars: The Vires, Artes, Mores Guide
- What Kind of Extracurriculars Does George Washington University Look For?
- Cracking Georgia Tech Admissions: What 'Progress and Service' Really Means for Your Extracurriculars
- Extracurriculars for Georgia Tech: The "Progress and Service" Guide
- What it Takes to Get Into Harvard: Beyond the Numbers
- The Hoosier Way: How to Build an Extracurricular Profile for IU Bloomington
- Science with Practice: The Ultimate Guide to Iowa State Extracurriculars and Admissions
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Johns Hopkins University
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Winning the Admissions Game: What Extracurriculars Does Michigan State University Actually Look For?
- Mizzou Extracurriculars: How to Stand Out for Honors and Journalism
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to New York University (NYU)
- NC State Extracurricular Tier List: How to Master 'Think and Do' Admissions
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Northwestern University
- Best Extracurriculars for Ohio State University (OSU): A Strategy Guide
- Oregon State University Extracurricular Tier List: Crafting a Winning Insight Resume
- Best Extracurriculars for Penn State: How to Stand Out for Schreyer and Smeal
- Best Extracurriculars for Princeton University
- What Purdue University Looks For: The Extracurricular Tier List
- Best Extracurriculars for Rice University
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Stanford University
- What Stony Brook University Looks For: A Deep Dive into Extracurriculars and Admissions
- What Extracurriculars Does Syracuse University Look For? A Strategic Guide
- Texas A&M Admissions: Building the Perfect Extracurricular Profile
- What Tufts Looks For: A Guide to Extracurriculars for the "Jumbo" Spirit
- The Best Extracurriculars for University at Buffalo (UB): A Strategic Guide
- The University of Alabama Extracurricular Tier List: How to Stand Out for Honors and Scholarships
- The Ultimate Guide to Extracurriculars for the University of Alaska Fairbanks: Showcasing Arctic Grit
- University of Arizona Extracurriculars: What Wildcats Really Look For
- Cracking the UARK Code: The Ultimate Extracurricular Tier List for University of Arkansas Admissions
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to University of California, Berkeley
- The Best Extracurriculars for UC Davis: A Data-Driven Guide to Admissibility
- What UC Irvine Looks for in Extracurriculars: A Comprehensive Guide
- Best Extracurriculars for UCLA: The Comprehensive Guide & Tier List
- Maximizing Your UC Riverside Application: The Ultimate Extracurricular Tier List and Strategy Guide
- The Best Extracurriculars for Getting Into UC San Diego (UCSD)
- Beyond the Party Label: A Strategic Guide to UCSB Extracurriculars and Admissions
- The University of Chicago Extracurricular Guide: Life of the Mind
- The University of Cincinnati Extracurricular Guide: Prioritizing Grit and Professionalism
- CU Boulder Admissions: The Extracurricular Tier List and Strategy Guide
- Maximizing Your Chances: The Ultimate Guide to UConn Extracurriculars
- University of Delaware Admissions: A Guide to Extracurricular Excellence
- UF Admissions: How Extracurricular Activities Can Get You Into the University of Florida
- What Extracurriculars Does UF Look For? A Data-Driven Guide
- What UGA Looks For: A Comprehensive Guide to Extracurriculars and Admissions
- The University of Houston Extracurricular Tier List: How to Show the 'Houston Hustle'
- Beyond the GPA: How to Showcase 'Chicago Grit' for UIC Admissions
- The UIUC Strategy: How to Build a Standout Extracurricular Profile
- The University of Iowa Extracurricular Guide: Standing Out Beyond the RAI
- Extracurriculars for KU Honors & Scholarships: What the University of Kansas Looks For
- How to Build a "Wildcat Spirit" Extracurricular Profile for the University of Kentucky
- Maximizing Your Extracurricular Impact: A Guide for University of Louisville Applicants
- University of Maryland (UMD) Admissions: What It Takes to Be a Terp
- What UMass Amherst Really Looks For: The Extracurricular Tier List
- University of Miami Extracurricular Guide: What 'The U' Really Looks For
- Best Extracurriculars for University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- What the University of Minnesota (UMN) Looks for in Extracurriculars: A Comprehensive Guide
- Extracurriculars for UNL Scholarships & Honors: What Matters Most
- Extracurriculars for UNLV: Winning the 'Rebel' Profile for Top Programs
- What UNH Looks For: The Ultimate Guide to Extracurriculars
- What UNM Looks For: The Extracurricular Tier List for Success
- How to Get Into UNC Chapel Hill: Extracurriculars and 'The Carolina Way'
- Best Extracurriculars for University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma Admissions: The Extracurricular Tier List & Leadership Strategy
- What the University of Oregon Looks for in Extracurriculars: Tiers & Strategy
- What UPenn Looks For: A Guide to "Practical Knowledge" in Extracurriculars
- What Extracurriculars Does Pitt Actually Care About? A Strategic Guide
- Maximizing Your URI Application: The Ultimate Guide to Extracurriculars
- The Ultimate University of Rochester Extracurricular Tier List: Building the "Meliora" Profile
- University of San Diego Extracurriculars: What It Takes to Be a Changemaker
- Cracking the UofSC Code: How to Build an Extracurricular Profile the Admissions Office Loves
- What Extracurriculars Does the University of South Florida (USF) Look For?
- The Volunteer Spirit: Cracking the Extracurricular Code for UT Knoxville
- Mastering the UT Austin Expanded Resume: A Guide to Extracurriculars
- What UT Austin Looks For: Extracurriculars and the "World Changer" Ethos
- What University of Tulsa Looks For: The Extracurricular Tier List & Admissions Strategy
- The University of Utah Extracurricular Guide: What "The U" Values
- UVM Extracurriculars: What the University of Vermont Really Values
- How to Get Into UVA: The Extracurricular Tier List & Strategy
- University of Washington Extracurriculars: The Tier List and Strategy for Husky Admissions
- UW-Madison Admissions: The Best Extracurriculars for Success
- Best Extracurriculars for Applying to Vanderbilt University
- The Best Extracurriculars for Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
- Best Extracurriculars for Yale: A Data-Backed Guide
New guides are added regularly — check back for more schools.
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