A reader sent a question that all parents ask at some point:

“My son loves coding but I'm not sure if he should focus solely on that or try to diversify his extracurriculars. What do you recommend?”

Here’s my answer:

Not all extracurriculars are created equal.

In fact, strategically selecting the right activity can be the difference between a mediocre application and a standout one.

Let me illustrate with a quick story about two students, Asha and Rohan.

Asha decided to pursue three different activities:

1. Volunteering at a local clinic

2. Playing the sitar in a music group

3. Joining the student council

She dedicated 10 hours per week to each activity for a total of 30 hours.

Now let's look at Rohan.

He decided to focus on just one thing: coding.

Rohan spent 15 hours per week on coding—half the time Asha spent on her activities.

But here’s where things get interesting:

With those 15 hours per week, Rohan:

• Contributed to an open-source coding project.

• Developed his own mobile app.

• Landed a summer internship at a tech company.

• Got sponsored to compete in a prestigious programming competition.

• And aced in his computer science courses.

Let’s compare their accomplishments.

Asha spread her time thin across three areas yet didn't truly excel in any of them.

Rohan, on the other hand, focused his time on one passion. This led to a cascade of achievements that required less effort as time passed.

By the time he graduated, Rohan's résumé was far more impressive than Asha's—with half the effort.

The result?

A stronger college application with less stress.

He could spend those 15 hours a week with friends, enjoy high school, and get closer to his goals.

And isn’t that what every parent wants for their child?

Here’s my advice:

1. Encourage your child to strategically select extracurriculars that align with their passions and long-term goals.

2. Help them dive deep into one or two activities they love and can easily commit to.

That's what will truly impress admissions officers.

Unfortunately, most students don't understand which activities they should focus on or how to create the accomplishment cascade that Rohan did.

That's why a key part of the curriculum inside my College Admissions Academy is the Breakthrough Achievement Masterclass.

This training module will help your child turn a simple project into an impressive accomplishment that wows admissions officers.

Your child will also get access to four more of my essential admissions training:

• The Student Brand Masterclass

• The Finding Your Passion Masterclass

• The Strategic Edge Masterclass™

• The CommonApp Crash-Course

PLUS

• Twice-monthly group coaching to get all your questions answered.

• A community of ambitious, high-achieving students with whom to connect and grow.

It's all happening inside my College Admissions Academy, for just $97 a month.

If your child is going to go all-in on high school anyway…

Why not maximize their admissions odds while doing so?

One last thing—we're kicking off our first group coaching session on August 18th.

Don't miss this chance to give your child the competitive edge they need.

Click the link below and join us:

https://collegeadmissionssecrets.com/academy

Dr. Agnia Grigas
Founder - College Admissions Secrets
Author - ‘‘How to Win the Million Dollar College Admissions Game’’

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