Hey guys! I'm a high school freshman, and I have tons of extracurriculars. Any life changing advice? I also go to a highschool that requires you to graduate with the IB diploma, and only offers IB classes. Does that affect anything?
Honestly? Extracurriculars are cool. Colleges love them, but it shouldn't be your entire focus. Classes are important, and so are your grades. When your thinking about this kind of thing, the thing that matters when it comes to standing out, is the balance of both. You don't want a 100 extracurriculars, you want a few strong ones. You probably want to aim for a few that your super strong at, that align with your interests, or that your willing to learn and participate in. I don't know much about IB classes and diplomas, but those will definitely stand out compared to a regular HS diploma.
If you have any other questions, I'm sure you can look it up or ask for professional advice.
That鈥檚 awesome you鈥檙e already diving into a lot of extracurriculars 鈥 just remember, it鈥檚 quality > quantity. Colleges (and honestly, life) care more about the stuff you stick with and grow in rather than trying to do everything at once. Pick 1鈥2 things you actually love and see how far you can take them (leadership, awards, projects, etc.). That鈥檒l stand out way more than a super long list.
As for IB it鈥檚 rigorous, but also respected worldwide. It won鈥檛 hurt you at all; in fact, it usually makes college apps stronger because unis know it鈥檚 tough. The main 鈥淚B effect鈥 is just workload, so make sure you don鈥檛 burn out trying to balance every club + full IB. Time management will be your best skill.
Life-changing advice? Don鈥檛 just do things for the resume do them because they鈥檒l shape you, give you stories to tell, and teach you skills you鈥檒l actually use later. Oh, and protect your sleep. No activity is worth tanking your health.
that is awesome! being so proactive and thinking about this so young is great! the ib diploma looks great, but is a lot of work. make sure that once you get to upperclassman years you're not too overwhelmed with extra curriculars. remember, a few impactful things are better than a bunch of random ones!
To keep this community safe and supportive: