College applicants, when filling up the Common Application form, may feel a bit queasy when they see the numerous white blanks set aside forExtracurricular Activities and Work Experience. What if an applicant hasn’t done so many extracurricular activities or doesn’t really have any work experience at all?

The truth behind extracurricular activities

According to Kenyon College Dean of Admissions Jennifer Delahunty, they do appreciate students with lots of extracurricular activities, but what makes them cringe is when they see items such as “personal reading” listed down. Delahunty is happy that a student loves to read, but items like these are just fillers.

The space provided for in the Common College Application form for Extracurricular Activities and Work Experience can reach a total of 12 blank spaces, but that doesn’t mean applicants are required to list down 12 activities. As a matter of fact, admissions officers are looking for more in-depth experiences. They prefer quality over quantity in terms of activities. After all, colleges and universities prefer well-rounded students who made distinct achievements in a specific field over students who have done plenty of little things.

For this year’s Common Application form, the sections for the extracurricular activities and work experience have been combined into a 12-line space. This was done so as to imply that there is no hierarchy between work experience and extracurricular activities.

Photo Credits: L.E. Macdonald

source: New York Times