Module Content

How it works: Choose an extracurricular activity, make sure it's uncommon (either in your choice of topic or what you say about it), and use it to reveal different parts of who you are.

Three Reasons You Probably Should Not Use an Extracurricular Activity as Your Personal Statement Topic

I want to start by trying to convince you to not choose this method. Why? Three reasons:

1. Many selective schools already ask students to elaborate on an extracurricular activity in a separate, supplemental essay. I think it's better to find another topic for your personal statement and save your extracurricular activity for the extracurricular activity prompt.

2. Many students write about similar activities, so it can be very difficult to stand out.

3. It takes a lot of time and energy to do well—so much, in fact, that I should probably call this an advanced method.

In short, my advice is to turn around right now and try one or two of the other methods—you have six other choices. I'd say do this especially if the extracurricular activity you're considering as a topic is on this list:

Examples of common extracurricular activity topics:

A Few More Topics to Probably Avoid (Because They're So Common)

• The Big Performance Essay, in which, despite the nerves, the author is actually able to remember the lines/give the speech/execute the choreography after all.

• The Big Game Essay, in which the author either wins the game! Or (more likely) loses the game, but learns An Important Life Lesson and proceeds to #winatlife.

• Related: The Sports Injury Essay, in which the author is playing the sport they were born to play when, crack/pop/crunch, they break/twist/dislocate their ankle/shoulder/you name it and lose not only the season, but also their connection to the team. But then—good news—they make the best of things by becoming an assistant coach/finding another passion, etc.

• The Mission Trip Essay, in which the author (who comes from privilege) takes a trip to either a foreign country or works with (usually) a younger person who does not come from privilege, and ultimately learns one of three things: a) how much they have to be grateful for, b) how crazy it is that poor people can still be happy, or c) while they initially went there expecting to teach, what instead happened was just the opposite ... (you get where I'm headed here).

Having said all this, it's not impossible to use an extracurricular activity as your topic.

If you do, however, I believe that you must do one of three things in order to do it well.

Three Ways to Stand Out If You Choose an Extracurricular Activity as Your Personal Statement Topic

To stand out, you must somehow make your extracurricular activity uncommon. You can do this in one of three ways:

1. Choose an uncommon extracurricular activity. See common examples above and uncommon examples below. If yours isn't listed, it's probably somewhere in between. Or, if it's super rare, you probably know it.

2. Make uncommon connections. In other words, include insights that are likely to surprise your reader. I'll show you how to do this below.

3. Use uncommon language. Simply put, say things in ways we wouldn't expect, or haven't heard before. Again, examples below.

Admission officers (not to mention teachers and counselors) are tired of reading extracurricular activity essays that choose common topics, make common connections, and use common language.

Example: "Basketball (common topic) has taught me many valuable things, including discipline, perseverance, and the importance of hard work (common connections), but I have learned that all are important for success (common language)."

So how do you stand out?

Either choose an uncommon topic, make uncommon connections, or use uncommon language.

In case you're wondering, here a few ...

Examples of (more) uncommon extracurricular activity topics:

Must you choose an uncommon extracurricular activity in order to stand out?

Not necessarily, but it can help. Chances are, an essay on medieval blacksmithing will intrigue a reader more than a(nother) golf essay.

If you do choose a common topic, however, it's essential to make uncommon connections and use uncommon language.

In fact, I'd believe that the more common your topic is, the more uncommon your connections (i.e., insights) and language need to be.

But what do uncommon connections and language look and sound like? Let's look at a couple examples.

First up is an essay that's connected to a somewhat common topic: Boy Scouts. But the author takes an uncommon approach by focusing on a particular aspect that he finds interesting: leading historical hikes.

Take a look:

Boy Scouts/Hiking

When I was in elementary school, I came home from school every day in the fall and took a five-minute walk to a pond near my house. I remember watching the white egrets strut along the water's edge, peering in to look for sunfish, and counting the noses of snapping turtles resting at the water's surface. I'd take a short hike around the pond through the crisp autumn air before finally heading back home.

These walks inspired me to enter Cub Scouts, and ultimately to cross over into Boy Scouting. Despite several of my friends quitting Scouting to focus on athletics or other activities, I stayed. I loved everything from creating makeshift slings from neckerchiefs to constructing shelters in the middle of the woods. I aspired to follow the trail to Eagle to its peak and become an Eagle Scout. However, what always excited me most was exploring the outdoors through hiking.

As a history nerd, to the point where I would be that guy reading history textbooks for fun, hiking allowed me to immerse myself in historical settings. Through Boy Scouting, I was able to arrange and lead Historical Trail hikes, giving myself and my troop firsthand perspectives on a Valley Forge winter, or the actual walk up Breed's Hill along Boston's Freedom Trail. I became the troop storyteller along these hikes, adding my own tidbits of information such as pointing out Eisenhower's five-star general flag waving from his personal putting green in Gettysburg, or how Spuyten Duyvil was perhaps named following one of the first reported shark attacks in America in 1642. While I may not remember every detail of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, I can certainly remember the chill of standing outside Rebecca Nurse's house on a cold October day in Salem. And although I have read about Gouverneur Morris's shrewd political maneuverings during the Philadelphia Convention in William H. Riker's The Art of Political Manipulation, it is something else entirely to stand in Independence Hall's assembly room and picture dozens of diplomats scrambling to craft the framework of a nation fresh out of war.

Hiking also gave me the opportunity to teach younger Scouts about various Scouting skills, from orienteering (using a map and compass) to conservation principles like Leave-No-Trace. My troop engages in trail maintenance projects, and we actively monitor a trail we adopted from the NY/NJ Trail Conference. I especially relished the opportunity to apply what I had learned in AP Biology towards actually helping preserve the environment from the harmful effects of invasive species by identifying and removing harmful plants such as thorny multiflora rose. It is one thing to learn about pollution, global warming, and invasive species in a classroom; it is another thing entirely to see the biodiversity of an ecosystem quickly succumb to man-made pressures.

Just as my walks around the local pond were an escape from suburbia, hiking with the Boy Scouts has given me the chance to help others experience the beauty of the outdoors. On a recent hike, I was walking with a new Scout, Louis, who had just crossed over from Cub Scouts. Louis confided in me how disconnected he felt away from his video games. To get his mind off of his electronics withdrawal, I stayed with Louis for the remainder of the hike and pointed out everything from milkweed stalks to coyote scat. After the hike, Louis was exhausted but had a glimmer of excitement towards the environment around him, and could even tell the difference between poison ivy and Virginia creeper. Louis is currently one of my troop's most active younger Scouts.

When I'm hiking, I'm not merely a hiker; I'm a historian, a conservationist, and a teacher all in one.

What Makes This Essay Uncommon (In My Opinion)

1. Uncommon Connections (i.e., Unexpected Values). Many students who write about Scouting choose to describe how hard they worked on their Eagle Scout project (or, if Girl Scouts, their Gold Award). Or maybe they tout their leadership skills, or the importance of teamwork. This author, instead, focuses on the values of resourcefulness, history, teaching, and environmentalism.

2. Uncommon Insights. I appreciate that this author answers the question "so what?" in some interesting ways. One example is this line: "It is one thing to learn about pollution, global warming, and invasive species in a classroom; it is another thing entirely to see the biodiversity of an ecosystem quickly succumb to man-made pressures." This helps the reader understand more clearly why these hikes are so meaningful to him. I also love this sentence: "Louis is currently one of my troop's most active younger Scouts," as it provides insight into the author's impact on Louis.

3. Uncommon Language (i.e., Craft). I find this essay to be well-crafted in its details and descriptions: "white egrets strut along the water's edge, peering in to look for sunfish, and counting the noses of snapping turtles resting at the water's surface." I also love its succinct conclusion: "When I'm hiking, I'm not merely a hiker; I'm a historian, a conservationist, and a teacher all in one."

4. Vulnerability. I also like the bit of vulnerability in his revelation that he is a "history nerd, to the point where I would be that guy reading history textbooks for fun," as not everyone will think that's cool.

In short, this isn't your typical Boy Scouts essay.

Next, here's an essay written about a more uncommon extracurricular activity:

Boxing

Getting punched in the nose hurts. A lot. Your eyes start to water, all the blood rushes to your head, and you're disoriented in a haze of pain and anger.

My mom, the most aggressive pacifist I know, frequently condemns boxing as an uncivilized, animal-like sport. She says if all I want is to clear my head, I should try something more peaceful, like yoga. But the boxing gym, with its bright fluorescent lighting and pulsating beat of classic rock punctuated by the thappitta thappitta thappitta of pounded speed bags, is where I find my rhythm. It's alive. And it's taught me so much more than just how to fight.

The first time I hit a heavy bag, 80% of my understanding of boxing had come from Wii Sports, where a single well-placed nunchuck jab could send a bag flying across the room. And so, the second I walked up to the unassuming bag, vastly underestimating its rigidity, I unleashed the strongest right hook I could muster, aaaaand ended up spraining my wrist. Losing my first bout to a sack of rubber was, I can safely say, a new low. And boxing is full of moments like this, where one wrong move invites a sharp hook that bruises not just your ribs, but your ego. After a while, though, you get used to it; you develop a stronger core, physically and mentally.

It was clear from Day One that I, the lanky, grass-fed vegetarian, would not be fighting in a tournament anytime soon. But oddly enough, this quickly became liberating. In the absence of a "goal", I was free to learn. I experimented with everything from pressure fighting to out-boxing to even swarming. Boxing became a reminder to enjoy learning for the sake of learning. In Physics, I tried learning astrophysics that wasn't tested anywhere, but fulfilled my curiosity about space; in Latin, beyond memorizing basic facts about Republican-era comedies for IJCL, I began translating them, and fascinated by how much they revealed about Roman social norms, pursued an Independent Study on the topic.

The immediacy of each decision I make when I box engages my mind in a way few other things can. The constant, repeated feedback loop provided by a sparring session literally and figuratively keeps me on my toes, and trains my mind to think analytically in split-second intervals. The same way I rapidly gauge how my opponent's weight is shifting, I map out counterarguments in the two minutes I have to prepare a rebuttal in mock appeals. Time crunches on tests or toss-up questions in quiz bowl pale in comparison to the millisecond before you're struck with a left cross.

In boxing, patience is everything; one well-placed uppercut is worth 20 small jabs. And this idea, to avoid the low-hanging fruit in favor of a better opportunity, has guided how I approach emceeing. When writing material, it's easy to fall into the trap of coming up with filler punchlines that will generate weak chuckles at best, but to come up with that one joke guests will remember long after the night is over, that takes patience.

Getting punched in the nose still hurts. But I'm convinced there's more to boxing than just punches and counterpunches. To be able to spar with someone for 3 straight rounds, but then leave the ring as friends, says something profound about us as a species; we're able to compartmentalize our fundamental instincts and our rational thoughts, without sacrificing either. And it's our capacity to harbor this duality that makes boxing not just an "animal-like" sport, but rather something we can learn from.

What Makes This Essay Uncommon (In My Opinion)

1. Uncommon Topic. This essay will stand out in a sea of essays on more common sports (football, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, golf, cross country, etc.). The first lines help: "Getting punched in the nose hurts. A lot."

2. Uncommon Connections (i.e., Unexpected Insights). Other boxing essays might focus on the importance of values like hard work, grit, and perseverance. This author instead demonstrates values like humor, experimentation, intellectual vitality, quick thinking, patience, and critical thinking. I also find the conclusion to be particularly insightful, as he reveals his unique perspective on boxing: "I'm convinced there's more to boxing than just punches and counterpunches. To be able to spar with someone for 3 straight rounds, but then leave the ring as friends, says something profound about us as a species; we're able to compartmentalize our fundamental instincts and our rational thoughts, without sacrificing either. And it's our capacity to harbor this duality that makes boxing not just an 'animal-like' sport, but rather something we can learn from." This shows his unique perspective and ability to think critically.

3. Uncommon Language (i.e., Craft). I find this essay to be well-crafted in the author's choice of details, including the "thappitta thappitta thappitta" he uses to describe the sound of a speed bag. I also appreciate this phrasing: "The same way I rapidly gauge how my opponent's weight is shifting, I map out counterarguments in the two minutes I have to prepare a rebuttal in mock appeals. Time crunches on tests or toss-up questions in quiz bowl pale in comparison to the millisecond before you're struck with a left cross."

4. Vulnerability. Finally, I find this essay to be vulnerable in its choice of topic, as there's a chance the reader might consider boxing too violent and may therefore develop a negative view of the author. I also think it's vulnerable to admit at the start that he gets punched in the nose—"a lot"—and that he sprained his wrist his first time using a punching bag. But both these details endear me to him. Why? Often, it's hearing about others' mistakes (as opposed to their successes) that can lead us to identifying with them. This is true for me with this essay.

A Mini-Exercise to Get You Started on the "Extracurricular Activity" Essay

1. Brainstorm 4-7 values you can connect to your extracurricular activity.

If your topic is hiking, for example, you might list:

• Nature + beauty

• Resourcefulness

• History

• Teaching

• Environmentalism

• Helping others

Why 4-7? Because you're likely working with a 500- to 650-word limit, you'll likely choose only 3-5 examples to describe in detail (assuming one main example and value per paragraph), so I'd recommend generating more examples than you'll need so you can discover which ones work best. Then keep the best and cut the rest.

2. Make sure these values are somewhat uncommon.

How? Spend 1 minute brainstorming the cliche version of your essay using the Values List.

What would the typical essay on your topic focus on: hard work, discipline, leadership, teamwork? You decide.

Then, inwardly, promise yourself to not focus on these values in your essay.

If you see any in your list of 4-7 that are somewhat common, either try to find more uncommon ones to replace them, or make a note beside it (like this: "need to make uncommon") so you'll remind yourself that you'll need to either find an uncommon example or use uncommon language in order to make it stand out.

As an example, the value of "nature" in the hiking essay isn't uncommon, but the way he describes the "white egrets strut[ting] along the water's edge" is uncommon.

Or the value of "perseverance" is probably common for a boxing essay, but the story on punching the bag "aaaaand spraining [his] wrist" is funny and is easy to visualize, so we might even remember it.

3. Brainstorm an example for each value to create a simple outline.

For the "Boy Scouts/Hiking" essay, the outline might look something like this:

• Nature + Beauty → taking walks as a kid

• Resourcefulness → making things for Scouts

• History → leading historical hikes

• Teaching → teaching various Scouting skills

• Environmentalism → applying lessons from AP Bio

• Helping others → going for a walk with Louis

For the "Boxing" essay, it might be:

• Humor → story about "unleashing a right hook on a speed bag and spraining my wrist"

• Determination → "Over time I've gotten used to taking punches/failing"

• Experimentation + Intellectual Vitality → "I knew I was never going to compete as a boxer; for me it was learning for the sake of learning" (can connect to physics, Latin)

• Quick thinking → "repeated feedback loop" (can connect to debate)

• Patience → one good punch is better than 20 small ones (can connect to joke-telling/emceeing)

And, in case you're wondering, you can either brainstorm the values first or the examples.

Time to start.