What Matters and Why

What matters when you’re applying to colleges? What do admissions teams really want to see? Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. Colleges and universities take into account many factors for admission, and every school weighs each aspect differently. Still, extracurricular activities are one thing almost all schools consider (including our team here at the University of Pittsburgh).

When admissions teams are reviewing applications, your involvement in extracurricular activities could sway the scales in your favor. But what extracurriculars are admissions teams looking for? How many activities do we want to see? Why do universities care about extracurriculars at all?

These are the questions we answer below!

What types of activities count as extracurriculars?

Here’s some good news: your extracurriculars don’t have to be school-sanctioned. Yes, your activities can include school government associations, clubs, honor societies, sports, and other groups. But non-school-related activities count too. We want to know if you volunteer with community or religious organizations, take care of a family member, work a part-time job, or even run your own small business. Whether you’re sorting food at the local food bank, babysitting, playing in a band, selling your artwork on Etsy, or any other organized activity outside the classroom, you’re building skills that could help you navigate college life successfully,and our admissions team wants to hear about it!

How do extracurriculars strengthen an application? 

Let us repeat ourselves: participating in extracurricular activities does make you a stronger candidate for university and program admissions. Here’s why

Your activities help your character, talent, and ambition to shine through—and predict how you’ll impact your college community. 

Colleges know that your grades don’t tell the whole story, and we aren’t looking for students who are 100% focused on academics 100% of the time. A big part of college is learning from all of the people around you, with each person bringing to the table different experiences, passions, ideas, skills, and opportunities for growth. That’s why we want to know who you are as a person, what excites you, and what attributes you have that will shape our overall community and culture.

By looking at the things you do outside the classroom, we get a more complete portrait of your abilities and interests. The extracurricular activities you choose can highlight your unique combination of strengths, your commitment to a specific goal, or your drive to make a difference. All this, in turn, tells us if you’re a good fit for the University of Pittsburgh. If you’re active now as a high school student, it’s likely you’ll be active on Pitt’s campus as you continue to pursue the causes, ideas, and activities that inspire and move you. (Down the road, when you’re entering the professional world, the extracurriculars you include on your resume will also help tell your story to potential employers.)

You demonstrate that you’re ready for the challenge of college. 

Participating in extracurriculars gives you a chance to develop and show off the skills and traits that will help you to succeed in college (and in the workplace, later down the line). Communication, time management, teamwork, creative thinking, and problem-solving are all skills that you can build in extracurriculars, and these same skills will be critical in your classes, labs and outside the classroom curriculum. If you’re applying to a particular scholarship, program, or college within a university, certain traits can be especially important to highlight. For example, say you want to go into international business. Showing that you use your second language skills regularly and that you have experience applying your entrepreneurial or leadership know-how to get results will count in your favor. 

Your involvement in activities can also demonstrate an ability to set and achieve goals, address challenges, and persevere through obstacles. By sticking with an activity or focusing on a particular area of interest over an extended period, you show commitment. By taking on leadership roles or starting your own group or organization, you show initiative, responsibility, and a desire to take change into your own hands. As a University, we value these characteristics, which will help you to not only excel as a student at Pitt but also to represent us well in the future as a Pitt alum who is paving new paths and pushing past barriers in your field! 

You learn more about yourself before starting college. 

It happens to everyone. You think you’ll like something—then you try it and realize you were wrong! There’s simply no guarantee you’ll enjoy an activity until you’ve done it. When you participate in extracurriculars, you discover what you like, what you’re good at, what you want to get better at, and what you really don’t like doing after all. The earlier you learn that the more deeply you can focus on the things you do like and develop the skills and talents that will allow you to make your mark on the world.

Extracurricular activities can even give you clues as to what majors interest you and the career path you’ll choose. Of course, you can change your mind later, but it’s nice to be able to at least cross off a few options and identify a few possibilities. Being confident in your interests and your strengths will help you make a good impression as a candidate.

You get a chance to expand your horizons. 

Participating in extracurriculars does more than help you learn about yourself. You also learn about new people, activities, and viewpoints. Getting involved in a group activity or starting a new job can push you outside your comfort zone, where you can meet more people, try new things, and gain an overall broader perspective. At Pitt, we want students who are open-minded, curious, and ready to learn, both inside and outside the classroom. Embracing and actively seeking out diverse ideas and people is a cornerstone of who we are as an institution and our ability to forge ahead, and we’re looking for students who share those values. You can connect with other Pitt students on our social media platforms and ask them about the activities they like to participate in outside of classes! At Pitt, we’re happy to share our interests and invite new people to join in!

“Students celebrate Holi on Pitt’s campus!”

How many extracurriculars should I participate in? 

There’s no magic number of extracurriculars that will get you accepted into Pitt or any other school. What matters more than the quantity of activities you participate in is the quality and depth of your participation. How involved are you in those activities? Has your involvement and level of responsibility increased over time? Do those activities reflect your work ethic, talent, and passion? College admissions teams want to see applicants who are exploring their interests, developing their strengths, and making meaningful contributions in the areas they touch.

As you join groups or activities in your school or community, keep a record of everything you do and the responsibilities you take on. If an event or experience was particularly noteworthy, jot down what you gained from it or why it was valuable. We can learn a lot from our successes but even more from our mistakes, so take time to reflect on both! Having this notated list can help a lot when it comes to building a resume, completing your college application, writing a personal statement, and even preparing for a job.

Of course, if you’re highly involved with one or two extracurriculars, that’s perfectly fine if that’s where you keep your focus. There’s only so much time in the day, and your goal should not be simply racking up extracurriculars to list on your application. Instead, you should be able to talk about your experiences and growth within each organization or activity. Why does this activity matter to you? What have you enjoyed about it? What have you learned? What has been your impact on your community and fellow group members? These are the types of questions you’ll want to be able to answer.

“Pitt students attend the Activities Fair to learn about clubs and organizations on campus”

How do I decide what extracurriculars to join? 

If you haven’t found the right extracurricular activity for you, there’s no need to fly into a panic. Simply think about the subjects and causes that naturally draw your attention. What do you like doing or learning about? Find out how you can explore those areas deeper.   

See what groups are available at your school or through local community organizations. Your teachers or school counselor may have some ideas for getting started. Also, organizations may not always have jobs or volunteering opportunities listed, but, if you reach out to express interest, they might have something you could help with. Even better, you could contact the organization prepared with suggestions about how you could help them. If nothing feels like a good fit in person, you can also get involved in an online organization or create your own group of like-minded individuals working toward a common purpose

Have more questions for our Admissions team? 

Whether you want to know more about strengthening your application to the University of Pittsburgh or have questions about another topic altogether, we want to help! Check out our FAQs, request information online, or contact our Office of Admissions and Financial Aid staff to speak with a member of our team.