"The college admissions process seems more tedious, nebulous and overwhelming than ever ... which is why one college admissions expert is breaking down high school extracurriculars by the numbers. Kate Stone, founder of Kate Stone Prep, says that not all extracurricular activities are created equal. "Anything that thousands of kids are doing is always going to be less helpful for you," Stone tells TODAY.com. It's not that you should completely avoid popular extracurriculars, though. "It just means that you have to bring something creative or differentiated to it," she says. "Do the common activity in an uncommon way." On an Instagram reel that has earned almost 3 million views since it was posted in November, Stone ranks a handful of popular high school activities according to their value on an application for a top tier university. Stone goes into detail about what her rankings meant and gives her top tips for students looking at applying to elite colleges."
"Here is a list of the extracurricular activity rankings Stone mentioned in the reel on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) - along with some of her suggestions for making extracurriculars count. Newspaper editor: 7/10 Robotics: 3/10 Student council: 5/10 Winning academic competitions: 8/10 Playing viola: 9/10 Playing violin: 3/10 Taking an independent online course or college course: 8/10 Planning your prom: 7/10 Solving a real-world problem in your community: 10/10 Model U.N. and debate: 5/10 Eagle Scout: 6/10 Founder of a club: 3/10 Founding a club with a measurable impact: 9/10 Varsity captain: 5/10 Tutoring: 4/10 Internships: 7/10 Deca: 5/10"
"Tip 1: Differentiate Yourself When it comes to applying to elite colleges, it's good to stand out. That's why Stone ranked the less-common viola higher than the violin. "It doesn't mean that you're going to get into a top school because you're playing"
A numerical ranking evaluates common high school extracurriculars by their perceived value for top-tier college applications. Activities that demonstrate measurable impact, leadership with clear outcomes, or real-world problem solving rank highest. Less-common pursuits often carry more weight than widely participated activities unless the common activity is executed in a distinctive, creative way. Specific high-value examples include solving community problems, playing less-common instruments, winning academic competitions, and taking college-level courses. Typical or popular activities require deliberate differentiation to stand out. Students should prioritize sustained, outcome-focused involvement that shows initiative and tangible results.
Read at TODAY.com
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