509: What Colleges Want (Part 8): Extracurricular Activities Deep Dive: How Getting Involved In and Out of School Can Boost Your Application

On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Carolyn Starks, a former Pomona and Bates admissions officer and Associate Director of College Counseling at Oakwood School (North Hollywood, CA) at the time of recording, to talk about extracurricular activities and the activities list on college applications.

They get into, among other things:

• What are some of the benefits of getting involved in your school community?
• How can students explore activities outside of their high schools?
• How do admission officers evaluate a student’s activities list?
• Frequently asked questions about activities and summer programs
• And more! 

But first, let’s meet Carolyn: 

Carolyn Starks followed her father’s footsteps and attended Rhodes College in Memphis, TN where she studied English and Africana Studies. After graduation, she moved to Portland, ME to work at Bates College where she focused on supporting first-generation-to-college, BIPOC, and/or low-income students through the admissions process. After two years, she landed a job at Pomona College’s Office of Admissions where she joined the Access Team, ran the College’s diversity fly-in programs, and learned to be justice oriented in her approach to educational equity. Though at the time of recording Carolyn was Oakwood School in North Hollywood’s Associate Director of College Counseling, she will soon be moving to serve as Co-Director of College Counseling at Santa Fe Prep in Santa Fe, NM. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys indulging in local cuisine and watching Bravo with her husband and her dog, Ms. Pecan Pie. 

We hope you enjoy the episode. 

Play-by-Play

• 4:48 - What is Carolyn’s background? 
• 6:20 - What activities was Carolyn involved in during high school?
• 8:36 - What activities did Tom participate in during high school? 
• 10:45 - How can students learn about the opportunities at their school?
• 16:50 - Why should students get involved within their school community?
• 23:09 - How can students be involved in extracurriculars outside their school? 
• 29:57 - What should students keep in mind when applying to highly selective schools?
• 36:13 - Do colleges have preferred activities or summer experiences?
• 36:41 - Does placement on an activities list matter?
• 37:37 - How many years should students participate in an activity? 
• 39:05 - How important is having formal leadership roles? 
• 42:18 - What might not be worth putting on your activities list? 
• 46:25 - How many activities is enough? 
• 51:22 - How can students maintain a balance between their home life, academic, and extracurricular activities?
• 55:47 - Closing thoughts 

Resources

• Extracurricular Activities: A comprehensive guide with 400+ examples and ideas
• How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
• A List of Activities You May Not Have Considered Including—But That Count!
• 80+ Real Examples for Writing Your Extracurricular Activity List