Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: The best high school activities for college are the ones you pursue with depth. Common choices like debate, Model UN, tutoring, sports, and summer camps can all work when you commit over time, take on responsibility, and show impact. Colleges look for sustained involvement, initiative, and genuine interest rather than a long list.
7 Common High School Activities for College and How to Add Depth
Students and their parents always ask for my advice about what high school activities they should pursue. Answering this question well means knowing the kid, knowing the opportunities available, and knowing the goals. A useful place to start is with the high school activities that appear most often on college applications, and how to make them your own.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be engaged outside of academics during high school. The goal is to use that time in ways that reflect who you are. There are a few ideals to strive for: excel in your activities to a high level; balance your time so that your grades stay up; choose unique activities you are interested in. The key word here is depth: choose activities you truly care about, then take them further than most students do. Keep an eye on your schedule, too, so your grades and other commitments stay on track.
Before we look at the list, a note on perspective: these are the activities admissions officers see most often. From my experience of reading college applications at an Ivy League school, the below activities are very common. Because so many students list them, the way you engage with them matters more than the activity itself.
Each of the high school activities below can be a meaningful part of your application. Every student has the potential to do more than required with an extracurricular, and show leadership, creativity, and initiative that will wow an admissions officer. If these ideals apply for you, then by all means stick with one of the high school activities below! Not to mention that there is value if one of these extracurriculars brings you joy. The key is to choose them because they matter to you, and then build on them over time.
1. Debate
Debate teaches many research and presentation skills that can help you academically. [1] If you win state and national championships, most top colleges will be impressed. But debate also takes tons of time. To do it well requires extreme preparation and dedication. It’s good for your mind, and it rewards students who manage their time well. Debaters must be super-efficient with their studying if their grades are going to get full points.
2. Cheerleading & Pep Squad
School spirit activities should be embraced because you have school spirit and it cannot be denied. Do it because you love it, and let that enthusiasm come through in how you describe it. These high school activities help build school communities, so if you write about them, try to emphasize that aspect!
3. Model United Nations & Mock Trial
These popular clubs can improve your public speaking, which is a remarkably valuable skill that will help you in life. Because MUN and Mock Trial appear on so many Common App activity lists, depth is what makes your involvement memorable. If you are interested in them, do something more with this club. Be a leader, initiate events, and be a champion at competitions.
4. Summer Camps
Summer camps on college campuses cover almost every interest, from engineering to creative writing. If you have a specific interest you want to pursue, you can have an amazing experience with like-minded teens. It can also give you a preview of college life. Some programs are highly selective, such as the Research Science Institute, which brings about 100 high school students to MIT each summer to conduct research with experienced scientists. [2] For most camps, the value to your application comes from what you do afterward, such as starting a project, pursuing a related course, or sharing what you learned with your community.
5. Service Trips
Short service trips can open your eyes to new communities and needs. Admissions officers tend to look past the destination and toward what you learned and how you kept serving once you came home. The most compelling service stories usually continue close to home. If you have a cause you care about and your activism requires travel, that is awesome; go for it! A single week of service is a starting point, and our guide to finding meaningful volunteer work can help you build on it. Colleges love to see sustained involvement over time.
6. Tutoring
Tutoring is one of the most common activities on college applications. It is a fulfilling way to help others, and it shows up best on your application when you can describe your commitment clearly. How dedicated are you? What is your long-term commitment? If you have clear answers to these questions, tutoring can show real dedication. Keep track of your hours, the students you work with, and how they progress, so your activity list reflects the full picture.
7. Team Sports
Or any sport. Athletics can be a rewarding part of your profile, especially when you take on leadership as a captain or compete at a level that draws recruiting interest. Sports are great activities for making friends, learning how to be a team player, and having fun. If you truly love your sport, by all means keep it up! Choose your sport for the love of the game, and let your commitment and growth tell the story.
There is this notion that “athletics” is a box you should check for your application to show that you are “well-rounded.” But often, admissions officers are more drawn to students who wholeheartedly pursue one unique extracurricular. Thousands of students participate in athletics, so your role, growth, and commitment are what make your experience distinctive. Recruitment is one path, and leadership, mentoring younger teammates, or connecting your sport to a wider interest are others.
Bottom line, however, is that any activity can be the best activity for you if you love it, get deeply involved, and have significant impact. Please keep in mind that this blog was written through the lens of college admissions. The goal is to be thoughtful and strategic about your time. Life requires both a sense of strategy and a determination to follow your heart.
How to Choose High School Activities for College That Show Depth
Admissions officers read your activities in context, and they are looking for evidence of who you are. Yale, for example, describes valuing a “willingness to explore new horizons,” including “curiosity; creativity; and an enterprising mindset.” [3] You can show those qualities through almost any activity when you approach it with purpose. Use these questions to decide where to focus your time:
- Do you look forward to it? Genuine interest keeps you involved for years, and sustained involvement is what colleges notice most.
- Can you grow in it? Look for room to take on more responsibility, whether that means leading a team, organizing an event, or mentoring newer members.
- Does it connect to your other interests? A debater who writes policy research, or a tutor who builds a reading program at a local library, shows a clear thread across the application.
- Can you point to an outcome? Results do not need to be national awards. A project you completed, a club you grew, or people you helped all count.
It usually makes sense to go deep in two or three activities rather than spread yourself across ten. If you are deciding how focused your profile should be, our guide to well-rounded vs pointed student profiles explains how colleges think about balance, and our overview of how to do a passion project for college applications shows one way to turn an interest into initiative.
How to Present Your Activities on the Common App
Once you have chosen your activities, the way you describe them shapes how a reader understands your involvement. The Common App activities section gives you room to share work, hobbies, clubs, community engagement, and other responsibilities or circumstances that shape how you spend your time. [4] Every entry is brief, so each word needs to carry weight. Think of each description as a short piece of evidence: what you did, how often, and what changed because of your work.
- Lead with your role. Name your position and what you were responsible for.
- Use specific verbs and numbers. “Tutored six middle school students weekly in algebra” tells a reader far more than “tutoring.”
- Show change over time. If you moved from member to leader, make that progression visible.
- Order by importance. List the activities that matter most to you first, since readers form their impressions early.
For a step-by-step approach, see our guide on how to write the Common App activities section. With thoughtful choices and clear descriptions, even the most familiar activities can show a reader exactly what you care about and how far you have taken it.
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