Unlock college admissions with authentic passion projects

How to secure extracurriculars and internships that help you stand out in college admissions

High school students often hear that impressive titles, competitive internships, or launching a nonprofit are the keys to getting into top colleges.

But here’s what many families misunderstand:

Selective colleges are no longer rewarding polished résumés. They’re rewarding authentic engagement, initiative, and growth.

When everyone chases the same leadership positions and prestigious summer programs, applications start to look identical. What stands out today isn’t prestige: it’s depth, originality, and evidence of real curiosity.

If you're wondering how to choose extracurriculars for college admissions, or how to find meaningful internships as a high school student, this guide will walk you through what actually matters.

What colleges really look for in extracurricular activities

Admissions priorities have shifted toward holistic review. Colleges increasingly evaluate:

• Sustained commitment over time
• Intellectual curiosity
• Initiative and independence
• Resilience and risk-taking
• Personal growth and reflection

Perfect grades and test scores alone no longer guarantee admission to selective schools. Admissions officers consistently emphasize that they are building communities, not just assembling transcripts.

That means your extracurricular activities for college admissions should answer one question clearly:

Who are you becoming through this work?

Activities chosen solely to “boost” an application rarely leave a lasting impression. Depth, growth, and authenticity do.

Why “passion projects” don’t always impress admissions officers

In recent years, “passion projects” have become increasingly common. Students launch nonprofits, publish books, or create startups in hopes of standing out.

While these efforts can be meaningful, admissions officers are increasingly wary of projects that appear staged, consultant-driven, or heavily resourced.

As several admissions leaders have publicly noted, committees can often distinguish between:

• Projects that are genuinely student-driven
• Projects that were significantly guided or orchestrated by adults

A professional-looking initiative that lacks clear personal investment can actually hurt an application. When a project seems overly polished but disconnected from authentic curiosity, it raises questions.

Research from admissions surveys consistently shows that colleges value genuine intellectual engagement far more than flashy outcomes.

What stands out instead?

• Self-studying a niche subject and tutoring peers
• Building a simple app to solve a school-specific problem
• Starting a small discussion group around an emerging issue
• Turning a part-time job into a leadership responsibility

Substance matters more than spectacle.

How to choose extracurriculars that stand out in college applications

If you’re deciding which activities to pursue, use this framework:

Step 1: Identify your natural curiosity

Ask yourself:

• What topics do I research without being told to?
• What problems frustrate me enough to want to fix them?
• What conversations energize me?

Authentic extracurriculars often begin with personal curiosity, not strategy.

Step 2: Look for “white space”

Instead of competing for crowded leadership roles, identify unmet needs:

• Is there a club your school doesn’t have?
• Is there a local issue that lacks youth involvement?
• Is there a way to combine two interests in a new way?

Students who stand out often create opportunities rather than wait for them.

Step 3: Start small and build depth

Colleges value sustained effort. A small initiative developed over two years often carries more weight than a large project completed in two months.

Growth over time signals commitment.

Step 4: Reflect continuously

Ask:

• What did I learn?
• What challenges did I face?
• How did this change me?

Reflection turns experience into a compelling application narrative.

How to find internships for high school students (even if none are posted)

Many of the most meaningful internships aren’t publicly advertised.

Here’s how to find them:

Reach out directly

Thoughtful, personalized outreach can open doors. When contacting a professional, organization, or professor:

• Reference their specific work
• Explain why it interests you
• Suggest a small, concrete way you could help
• Keep your message concise and respectful

Specific, genuine cold emails are far more likely to elicit responses than generic requests.

Leverage existing environments

Internships don’t have to happen at major companies.

Consider:

• Local businesses
• Community nonprofits
• Research labs at nearby colleges
• Family workplaces
• School district offices

Sometimes, transforming an existing connection into a structured role demonstrates more initiative than applying through formal channels.

Create your own internship

If no opportunity exists, propose one.

For example:

• Offer to analyze social media engagement for a local nonprofit.
• Propose assisting a researcher with literature reviews.
• Develop a small project aligned with a company’s needs.

Designing your own role demonstrates independence and problem-solving skills, traits that colleges deeply value.

Examples of authentic extracurricular paths

To illustrate what stands out, consider these examples:

• A student working at a family restaurant who gradually took over scheduling and trained new staff, demonstrating leadership and responsibility.
• A student passionate about environmental science who started a composting initiative at school and tracked measurable waste reduction.
• A student interested in computer science who built a simple scheduling app used by classmates.

All of these experiences show:

• Initiative
• Growth over time
• Real-world impact

That combination is powerful in college admissions.

Why genuine engagement matters in holistic admissions

Holistic admissions processes increasingly emphasize character, resilience, and community impact.

Colleges are looking for students who:

• Take intellectual risks
• Learn from setbacks
• Show ethical awareness
• Contribute meaningfully to their environments

Even so-called “low-prestige” experiences can be incredibly compelling when framed thoughtfully:

• Working part-time to support the family
• Caring for siblings
• Helping manage household responsibilities
• Overcoming academic or personal challenges

When described with reflection and insight, these experiences reveal maturity, empathy, and leadership.

Admissions officers are not just asking, “What did you do?”
They are asking, “How did this shape you?”

Common mistakes students make with extracurriculars

To avoid weakening your application, be cautious of:

• Joining too many clubs without depth
• Chasing titles over meaningful contribution
• Starting large projects late in junior year for appearances
• Participating in expensive programs without clear personal engagement

Colleges are skilled at recognizing résumé padding. Authentic commitment is much harder to manufacture (and much more memorable).

Frequently asked questions about extracurriculars and college admissions

Do passion projects help with college admissions?

They can, but only if they reflect genuine initiative and sustained engagement. Admissions officers prioritize authenticity over polish.

Are internships required to get into top colleges?

No. Meaningful involvement, growth, and contribution matter more than formal titles.

How many extracurriculars should I have?

Quality matters more than quantity. Depth in 2-4 areas is often stronger than shallow involvement in 10.

Do part-time jobs count as extracurricular activities?

Absolutely. Jobs often demonstrate responsibility, leadership, and resilience, qualities colleges value highly.

Authenticity, curiosity, and initiative: your route to a standout application

The most distinctive college applicants are not those with the most impressive résumés.

They are the ones who:

• Pursue interests deeply
• Create opportunities where none exist
• Reflect on growth
• Take meaningful risks

Rather than orchestrating an elaborate, externally impressive project, students are better served by pursuing work that reflects authentic interests, engagement, and growth.

When you focus on substance instead of spectacle, something powerful happens:

You stop building an application and start building yourself.

And ultimately, that’s what colleges are hoping to admit.