Extracurricular activities are a wonderful way of demonstrating the uniqueness of who you are and your interests and/or talents. Don’t worry if they are “right” or “appropriate.” College admissions people are thrilled with applicants who are passionate about just about anything.

ENDNOTE
The real question is not, “Will an activity get me into college,” but, “Which activities engage me, teach me something, take advantage of my talents or help me to contribute to society?” Just so you know, extracurricular activities often become what (or part of what) we do for a career.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Websites
Here are some websites to use when you want to explore extracurricular activities:

SUMMER EXPERIENCES
Allen’s Guide, Summer Camps and Travel Programs
A very useful website that leads you to a wide variety of resources including Summer Camps, Arts Summer Camps, Summer Camps in Europe, Religious Camps, Competitive Sports camps, Special Needs Programs, Summer Jobs, etc.
www.allensguide.com

KidsCamps.com
Another guide that lists Sports Camps, Adventure Campus, Art Camps, Teen Programs and Tours, Special Interest Camps (e.g., chess, circus, Farm, Magic, etc.), Religious Campus, Special Needs Camps, Military Camps, etc.
www.kidscamps.com

Peterson’s Summer Programs
An online service that allows you to search for specific kinds of characteristics, including length of time, geographic area, specific interests, etc.
www.petersons.com/summerop/code/ssector.asp?sponsor=1

TRAVEL ABROAD AND EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET)
CSIET is a well-recognized organization devoted to identifying reputable international youth exchange programs at the high school level. Every organization listed by CSIET meets the highest of standards.
www.csiet.org

Here are some other activities/programs about which students give rave reviews:

Amigos de las Americas
www.amigoslink.org

ASSE International Student Exchange Programs
www.asse.com/United_States/about_asse.htm

Spanish Language Schools Directory
www.123teachme.com/language_schools

The Experiment In International Living
www.experiment.org