The Effects Of Extracurricular Activities On College Students

When students participate in extracurricular activities they learn lessons and concepts of leadership, teamwork, organization, analytical thinking, problem solving, and time management. In high school if a student wants to do a sport or other activity they will pick the activity that they like and enjoy. This is the kind of decision making skill that could help determine the type of career path for a student. By participating in extracurricular activities youth can find something they enjoy learn to use this in a career. “Participating in certain extracurricular activities having to do with the field that the student is interested in could help them find a job. If someone is looking at a resume for a potential employee, and they see they have experience or interest in what they are looking for, they will be more likely to hire that person” (Massoni). Having been apart of a particular extracurricular activity can be a positive influence in a job resume. This will cause students to find a new ambition in a career. Even on college applications these activities will affect if a student will be accepted, and in some circumstances many activities can earn a student thousands of dollars in scholarships (Massoni). Extracurricular activities can benefit students in teaching them long term commitments. When youth participate in

When most people think of band, football, photography, and chess club they do not believe that these programs will teach more than how to throw a ball or how to play B flat on an instrument, but that is untrue. There have been many studies done on the effectiveness extracurricular activities (ECAs) have on students, and how these activities produce miraculous outcomes and can be the foundation for the academic excellence of a student. Taxes are so high in our country, and many schools have cut after school programs because of budget expenses, which students will benefit immensely from ECAs throughout their lives because it raises the graduation rate, broadens student’s

Although many theorists criticize that the extracurricular activities takes valuable time from the family, relaxation and leisure time, especially sport participation requires more and more time due to its increase in competiveness and amount of practice (Melman et al., 2008; Shaw et al., 1996 in Fredericks, 2012). In Fredericks study (2012), the unique time requirement in sports participation is explained as an enforcer to develop even stronger relationships, better refinement of the skills and most importantly more conscientiousness. The media concentrates on the highly involved students, which make approximately 3-6% of the entire high school student body, that clock in over 20 h per week, whereas the average of students participates 7-8 h per week in afterschool program, which means they stay for less then 1.5 h more after school (Fredericks, 2012). Paradoxically, according to Mahoney et al. (2006 in Fredericks, 2012) actually the most involved students, at least 20 h/per week, showed better capability in adjusting to the academically and psychological demands. These results are only applicable to a very few amount of students and not to the majority of the American population.

In the research paper of Nikki Wilson, Impact of Extracurricular Activities on Students, it says there that students who participate in extracurricular activities benefit from the opportunities that it has presented them. One of these benefits is having better grades. My friends Julie and Alex answered in the survey I prepared that having extracurricular activities challenge them to get good grades because if they do not, they will be required to drop their extracurricular activities and they want to set a good example. Having to keep up their grades so that they can participate in their chosen

Play less and study more! Due to global increase in competition, kids today are forced to achieve very high grades or secure very high percentages. Students are so worried about grades and position that neither they have anytime for themselves nor for any extracurricular activities. They suffer from several disorders such as depression and emotional disorders. Academic subjects and extra-curricular activities complement each other and develop a well-rounded, socially skilled, and healthier student. There are so many possible extra-curricular activities that each student can choose one those appeals to him or her personality. Extra-curricular activities help to develop the whole student

I conducted an interview with Dr. Martinez, the current principal of Early College High School explained that many of clubs that the school creates have become co-curricular activities or “classes” for two reasons: it easier to fund and to find a coordinator. Up until our interview, I was not aware of this process. However, I have witnessed this first hand as soccer was once an actual school sport, but it eventually became a class. Furthermore, Dr. Martinez noted that it is easier to get an extracurricular activity approved through either CCC or OCC than the school’s own district. Although the students do get to take part in an activity they have some interest in, it is rather considered a class rather than an extracurricular rather than an actual class. This becomes problematic because when students begin to apply for colleges, they are unable to consider as extracurricular because they are taking part in the extracurricular during the school schedule and not outside the classroom. Jeff Brenzel, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale University, explains in an interview posted by CollegeBoard, he explains that many colleges prefer students that are well rounded such that they are doing well in academics and involved in an organization. However, he explains that they prefer students that are involved in a organization that they are interested regardless of how popular or how bizarre the organization. This then

However, extracurricular activities can also be a strain on your life. Getting into college is so competitive recently, leading to high schoolers will doing everything they can to better their chances of being accepted including more and more extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities are anything outside of mandatory schooling, this includes clubs, sports, and religious life. Even though extracurricular activities are almost required to be viewed as a well rounded student, the time and requirements of college applications and scholarships can be hard to manage. Adolescents who do extracurricular activities tend to never be fully committed to their school work. Let's take Patricia for example, Patricia is an AP student, HOSA member, Beta member, and student-athlete. Patricia will not be fully committed to her studies, her clubs, or her sport because she does not have enough time to excel in everything. All of these extracurricular activities that Patricia is involved in are stressing her out. This stress can allow Patricia to engage in negligent decisions that will result in her not being able to participate in any of these

Holland, A., & Andre, T. (1987). Participation in extracurricular activities in secondary school: What is known, what needs to be know? Review of Educational Research, 57(4), 437-466. Holloway, J. H. (1999/2000). Extracurricular activities: The path to academic success? Educational Leadership, 57(4).

Throughout my time in high school, I have been involved in numerous extracurricular activities. I have been involved in band, choir, golf, speech, theater, Student Council, quiz bowl, and National Honor Society. Though my participation in all of these, I have learned where my skills and interests are strongest.

When most people get to the “extracurricular activities” section of a college application, they just list all the things that they were able to do and don’t put any thought in it. It looks great, because it shows that you can not only do your school work, but balance other activities as well. But what we don’t understand is that many kids never get that chance to participate in these activities, and therefore they don’t get to fill out that section and they get left behind.

Almost every high school in the United States offers some type of extracurricular activity, such as music, academic clubs, and sports. Roosevelt High School offers the opportunity for its 2,300-student population to participate in eighteen SDHSAA sanctioned sports programs, eight SDHSAA performing arts programs, thirty-four school sponsored clubs and thirty-six non-school sponsored clubs. Extracurricular activities provide an avenue for secondary schools to reinforce the lessons learned in the classroom, offering students the opportunity to apply academic skills in a real-world context, for this

Extracurricular activities may include sports, student council, student newspaper, music, art, theater, and other miscellaneous clubs. According to Lunnenburg “Extracurricular activities serve the same goals and functions as the required and elective courses in the curriculum”(Massoni). Such after school activities allow students to utilize the knowledge and experiences that they have gained inside the classroom. Students who join extracurricular activities, for example, basketball or the high school musical are not expected to be the next LeBron James or Ronald Reagan, but being a part of those activities will benefit them in the long run. Students who partake in extracurricular activities have reduced behavioral problems (Owings). When playing sports, such as, soccer, tennis, golf, basketball they will show discipline and commitment in the drills, practices, and routines. They have a responsibility to show up, put forth there best effort, and work in harmony with their teammates. It’s the best time to do so given between the ages of nine and seventeen are when adolescents begin to make their own decisions and control their behavior (). Lastly, partaking in extracurricular activities provides students the ability to make inroads with their academic work. Research provided through the United States Department of Education (USDE), showed that students who are involved in extracurricular activities are three times more likely to have a grade point average of a 3.0 or higher (Owings). Higher than students who chose not to partake in extracurricular

In addition to being unrelated to the academic curriculum of school, extracurriculars are a privilege and not a right. Extracurriculars are of a voluntary nature, as they carry no credit and are conducted before or after school hours. Since extracurriculars are optional, students who elect to participate should be held to high standards of academic performance; those with substandard grades should not be eligible for extracurriculars when they are undeserving of such entitlements. Courses take priority in school, which students attend to receive an education, so individuals with a subpar performance in their classes should not be allowed to participate in extracurricular programs since these privileges are unbefitting

How Important Are Extracurricular Activities for your college application? Do schools really care what clubs you joined, what sports you played, what charity you may have volunteered for, or what musical instrument you possibly tried to master?

Although extracurricular activities can help improve students’ academics, they can also have a bad effect on how grades turn out. Extracurricular activities take time, and this can affect on how much time the student has to complete home work or study (Wells). This can lead to a student doing poorly on tests and in the big run, failing the class which will hurt the student college applications. If a student that is involved in a sport is badly injured, this can affect the student because he or she is missing school, and then all the work that is missed will have to be made up. Stress is also a big factor that is put together with extracurricular activities. Stress can affect how the child does in school; if a student is stressed out, they can get sick. Being sick requires the child to stay home and then they will