Extracurriculars…. are they necessary?
Abstract
The participation in extracurricular activities for students represents more than their interests; it indicates the quality of the scholastic program, the sense of community and wellbeing within the student body. These activities offer the opportunity to develop one’s holistic identity, allowing students to differentiate themselves. Studies show that participation in extracurricular decrease as a whole from high school to college. This includes sports, interest clubs and student organizations. This essay will highlight the ramifications of this pattern by analyzing factors that may affect the likeliness of a student to participate in an extracurricular as well as the effect said activities have on a student. This piece takes a analytical approach based off of interviews with UNC students who offer a unique perspective, differentiating this essay from scholarly articles. To offer a balanced argument, a study that tested 477 students from Turkey indicating how extracurricular participation does not significantly affect perceived stress and life satisfaction will be explored as well. The fall in participation between college and high school might be indicative of the pressure placed upon high school students to portray themselves as an all-rounded student, revealing a deeper problem within the educational system.
Article
As soon as students enter high school, they receive pressure from both parents and peers to take their academics more seriously. Part of this concern comes from colleges as they take GPA into consideration when accepting students. To supplement this, they are also reminded about the need to have a well-rounded resume that would appeal college admission counselors. For the few that are genuinely interested in a variety of extra-curricular activities, this does not pose a challenge but for those who like to focus on a single interest, they are reminded often to participate in other clubs and sports just for the sake of it. Sadly, there is no way for a college to distinguish these two types on individuals when looking at applications. This begs the question of how necessary and important extra-curricular activities are in the realm of education.
This sentiment echoes well with UNC freshman Thomas Mahler. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) offers over 800 student organizations and 50 intramural sports for its undergraduate and graduate students. Coming from a small high school with a tight-knit community in the Outer Banks, Thomas remarks on Fallfest, an event showcasing the organizations on campus, “ It was really cool to see all the opportunities that UNC has to offer and all the resources I have to pursue my interests outside of my major. But when I first went into the event, the number of people trying to get my attention overwhelmed me. To make things more hectic, I had no idea where some booths were so I had to make my way through the crowd and at times it was not a fun experience. I ended up signing up for only a few of the clubs I had in mind but looking ahead, I am not sure I even want to be a part of them anymore.” (Mahler) Perhaps an exclusive event for freshmen is needed so they can browse through the clubs without being overwhelmed. This would allow them to have a better chance of finding and participating in the activities that they truly want to pursue.
When asked about his extra-curricular involvement in high school, he revealed that he “ had been on the soccer team and was involved with the student government, model UN, Phytoplankton, DECA and a community service club.” (Mahler) Upon further questioning, Thomas indicated that he only participated in activities that he was truly passionate about and that he didn’t care about having a well-rounded resume. In college, Thomas’ extracurricular involvement consists of an internship with ACCN and the intramural soccer league. Though he’s considerably less involved in college, he says, ” I focus a lot on my internship so I’m pretty satisfied.” (Mahler)
Thomas’ experience in transitioning from high school to college follows a trend exemplified by a majority of students. According to a study conducted by Laura E. Berk and Barbara L. Goebel, “participation declined from high school to college, especially for females, with greater decline related to smaller school size.” Their study explored the possible indicators of this decline, investigating the high school size and its impact on participation. Interestingly, it was noted that students in smaller high schools participated more in high school but “were not more involved college participants.” (Berk) Granted, the students that were examined for this study were all attending a “large, multipurpose university” which may play to the disadvantage of students used to smaller academic settings. Thomas comments on this study, revealing that he “graduated from a tiny high school, with around 100 students.” (Berk) The study at hand concludes by saying that “personal attributes predisposing students to participate and developmental tasks of late adolescence” (Berk) may serve as a better indicator of participation. The startling results of this study shed light on a fundamental fault of high schools: they fail to prepare students for a larger environment. It is inevitable that young adults feel overwhelmed when they first step on campus but it is imperative that they have the skills to seek out the resources they need. Colleges can also lend a hand in this issue by providing more liaisons between the student body and the various organizations, which would make it easier for students to get in touch with administration.
Noah Friedman, another freshman attending UNC, shares his experience with his extra-curricular activities during high school. “ Throughout high school I really focused more on hockey than anything else. Everyday, I would make the hour-long transit to Raleigh where I would practice with my Junior League team. Within my school, I was involved with my business club and a service club but I wasn’t too invested in these.” (Friedman) Many student-athletes can relate to this experience as training and away games take a large portion of their free time. Unless these students go on to pursue college athletics, it is hard to show the extent of their involvement in a single extracurricular in a college application. A more unrestrained application template would allow students to dictate how they portray themselves to colleges.
There are benefits to participating in an extracurricular that impact the academic success of a student. When asked whether the students who participated in extra-curricular programs were more successful, Noah remarked, “ I’m pretty sure that most of the student government body in my class went to UNC or Duke so I guess it’s a pretty good indicator. But to contrast that, I mainly focused on hockey and still got accepted to UNC as well. I think it’s important to have something you are passionate about so that you are able to instill discipline into your routine and set you up for success.” (Friedman) There is some truth to Noah’s opinion. An examination in 1995 found out that “participation in extracurricular activities may increase students’ sense of engagement or attachment to their school, and thereby decrease the likelihood of school failure and dropping out.” Furthermore “ better attendance, higher levels of achievement, and aspirations to higher levels of education”(NCES) were also noted benefits of participation in the school’s extra-curricular resources. Extracurricular programs often offer insight into the profession a student chooses as they develop vital skills and interests by participating in extracurricular organizations. More importantly, it gives students a purpose to go to school and be active aside from academics, increasing retention rate.
As students transition into college, they are thrown into a new environment and often feel lost amongst the endless opportunities available to them. One way to cope with this overwhelming emotion is to connect with others through their passions. Noah is able to sympathize with this statement, saying, “ I really enjoy being a part of the UNC Ice Hockey Team. I’m the only freshman on the team but I don’t feel out of place as the older players go out of their way to make sure that I am enjoying my time at UNC. They take turns driving me to practice and they offer advice with academics and other things.” (Friedman) Interestingly, a study that followed “477 undergraduate students at a public university in Turkey” (Civitci) suggests otherwise. The study mainly looked at perceived stress levels and life satisfaction through college and major belonging. The correlation found indicated a lower stress level and higher satisfaction if the student had a high college belonging. The key discovery was that participation in extracurricular activities did not significantly change perceived stress and life satisfaction. (Civitci)This opposes Noah’s belief on the importance of extracurricular interests but it is important to remember that each individual is unique and behaves independently in different situations. Furthermore, different extracurricular activities require different levels of participation and commitments from individuals, prohibiting any general conclusion to be drawn.
An urgent secondary effect of extracurricular involvement falls upon the success students enjoy in college. A study conducted by Melanie Lewis indicate that “Student involvement in extracurricular activities has been linked to decreased […] increased college satisfaction, retention, and positive academic performance” (Lewis) Currently, colleges around the nation are trying to increase the retention rate of their students especially among certain demographic minorities. By using the results of these studies, programs and plans should be put in place to help students engage with organizations on and around campus.
As indicated by the interviews, students tend to focus more on the areas that they are truly passionate about in college whereas they may try to portray a more holistic personality in high school. This results in students spending more time on fewer organizations in college, whether in service or in sports. Though these organizations can help a student find their sense of belonging in a large and confusing college setting, other individuals may find satisfaction by working with themselves.
Works Cited
Mahler, T. (2019). Extracurriculars in College.
Berk, L., & Goebel, B. (1987). Patterns of Extracurricular Participation from High School to College. American Journal of Education, 95(3), 468–485. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1209240
Crispin, L. M. (2017). Extracurricular Participation, “At-Risk” Status, and the High School Dropout Decision. Education Finance and Policy, 12(2), 166–196. doi: 10.1162/edfp_a_00212
Student Organizations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://admissions.unc.edu/explore/campus-life/student-organizations/.
Civitci, A. (2015). Perceived Stress and Life Satisfaction in College Students: Belonging and Extracurricular Participation as Moderators. Procedia — Social and Behavioral Sciences, 205, 271–281. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.09.077
Extracurricular Participation and Student Engagement. (1995, June). Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs95/web/95741.asp.
