Many students underestimate the impact freshman and sophomore year of high school have on your college applications. When it comes to extracurriculars, freshman year is an excellent time to explore your interests and join a variety of clubs. Try to join 2-3 clubs in 9th grade to get a feel for what you enjoy—you’ll have time to drop them later if you need or want to. However, if you find your niche early on and stick to it, colleges will be impressed with your commitment. Meanwhile, by sophomore year you’ll be more familiar with your school and your interests. This can be the year to pursue leadership roles and perhaps even start your own initiative. As you start thinking about which of your interests you’d like to develop, use this list of questions to guide you through your decisions.