Best High School Clubs for Ivy League Admissions

Students often wonder what high school clubs will impress admissions officers especially if they’re targeting Ivy Leagues. In other cases, students just seem to follow suit—doing what everybody else is doing and getting involved in just about every activity under the sun thinking that will make all the difference in highly selective college admissions. Truth is, it’s not about getting involved in numerous activities but meaningful ones that showcase the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and character. 

According to U.S. News and World Report, colleges appreciate applicants with meaningful extracurricular achievements, not just mere club memberships. When it comes to Ivy admissions, your high school clubs can set you apart.

In this blog, we’ll share every after school club information you need to know for a successful Ivy League application. We’ll provide insights on questions such as how many clubs you should join in high school, which are the best clubs to start in high school, and how to maximize your high school clubs to your advantage. 

• What are the Best High School Clubs for Ivy League Admissions?
• A Quick Overview of the Ivy League
• Why are High School Clubs Important for Students?
• Why are High School Clubs Important in Ivy League Admissions?
• Do You Need to Start a High School Club to Get Accepted into Ivies?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What are the Best High School Clubs for Ivy League Admissions?

1. Academic clubs

If you’re aiming to showcase an exceptional knack for a specific subject, then pursuing those interests in an academic high school club could be a good choice.

Pros of academic clubs:

• You show an in-depth motivation for self-directed learning in a field you’re passionate about.
• It involves creative activities, like those that will allow you to gain new insights, perspectives, or passions about the subject you’re fascinated with.
• It provides an opportunity for participation in enriching academic competitions or project fairs.

Popular academic clubs:

• Math Club — From study groups, to research projects, to discovering new math concepts and theories, math clubs are a great way to explore math with creativity.
• Science Club — Science clubs offer you an opportunity to explore the topics you’re most passionate about, conduct experiments, organize projects addressing real-life problems and solutions, or attend or promote a science fair.
• History Club — Gives you a deeper look into historical events and periods, organizes museum visits, and pursues a creative project, like creating a digital humanities project for an important historical event.

2. Culture and the arts club

High school clubs under this one include visual arts, music, theater, literature, and more. Culture and the arts club are suitable for any student who would like to take advantage of extracurricular activities. They offer enrichment and an avenue for self-expression, creativity, and personal growth.

These clubs enable you to make friends while engaging in activities characterized by respect for individual self-expression and differing views, talents, and interests.

Pros of culture and the arts club:

• You cultivate self-awareness and cultural awareness.
• You explore creative activities you don’t experience in regular classes.
• You discover and develop innate creative talents.
• You build confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline from completing artistic projects or putting on various shows.

Popular culture and the arts club:

• Drama Club — Here you can develop acting skills, create fictional settings and events, try acting on stage, write scripts, and explore your creative skills by helping backstage.
• Art Club — Art clubs let you explore various art forms, try new art styles, learn various perspectives from other peer artists, organize exhibits, visit museums, and volunteer in art camps.
• Literature Club — Literature clubs host book discussions, explore an author or literary genre, write book reviews, promote library usage, and invite budding and established authors for a meet-and-greet.

3. Sports and physical activities club

These types of high school clubs are advisable if you are trying to get in shape, remain in shape, or engage in an extracurricular activity that allows for some movement after a full day of classes.

You can join or start a club focused on a niche activity that interests you; for example, basketball, soccer, track and field, and more niche activities like yoga, bouldering, or ice skating. Who knows, your passion and commitment can also pave your way to a rewarding sports scholarship in college!

Pros of sports and physical activities club: 

• You live a more healthy and balanced lifestyle.
• You learn the value of teamwork.
• You build self-esteem by joining competitions.

Popular sports and physical activities club:

Basketball Team — Here you can learn teamwork, participate in tournaments, and hone your understanding of basketball techniques, rules, and strategy.

Yoga Club — Yoga clubs focus on mental and physical well-being, de-stress from school work, and explore the benefits of a healthy mind-body connection.

Running Club — Running clubs help you build stamina and perseverance, push your limits, and develop resilience and discipline.

4. Community clubs

Community clubs offer you a chance to make a positive change in your local environment and the world at large. Social and community clubs include a myriad of activities such as debates, community service projects, donation drives, educational forums, or even roundtable discussions about pressing issues. Some advocacies you may take up include homelessness, climate change, public health, education, poverty, and other similar deep-seated issues that impact the community.

Through these activities, you will become empowered, and compassionate, and have a deeper sense of social responsibility. The time you put in about teamwork and collaboration when organizing events, fundraisers, and initiatives will further develop leadership skills, tactical communication, and problem-solving abilities, setting you up for success in many different future endeavors.

Pros of community clubs:

• You improve coordination, communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• You make your community a better place through initiatives, drives, and forums.
• You develop empathy and a deep sense of social justice through social action.

Popular community clubs:

• Community Service Club — Here you organize charity events, volunteer at local nonprofits, and find fun and creative ways to raise money for worthy causes.
• Environmental Club — Environmental clubs promote sustainable practices, organize clean-up drives, and conduct community outreach to promote an event for community awareness.

Why are High School Clubs Important for Students?

High school is the time when you can expand your horizons, explore your interests, and share a world beyond the classroom with your peers.

1. Exploring interests

Joining a club or starting one yourself, allows you to step out of your comfort zone, learn new skills, and meet people who share your interests.

2. Developing skills

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students who are involved in high school clubs normally have better time management skills and higher self-esteem. If you’re part of a club, you are basically improving your social, leadership, and communication skills even without knowing it.

3. Applying for college

The most highly selective colleges are competitive and are equally as interested in well-rounded people who can contribute well to the school. 

In an interview with Vancouver Courier, school counselor Amy Thompson shares that, “Admission officers can see through the applicant who joins a million different clubs in their junior or senior year” so it’s important to “use your [extracurricular] activities to show colleges who you are.”

It’s important to choose carefully the high school clubs you want to engage in because this sincere interest will show in your application.

A Quick Overview of the Ivy League

The Ivy League is a group of eight of the most prestigious schools in the United States. Its eight members are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University. Back in the 1930s, one would associate Ivy League sporting teams with fierce competition. It was then that the term “Ivy League” began to refer to this intense rivalry.

Today, the Ivy League is well-known not only in sports but for the academic excellence of its member schools. These Ivy League universities are renowned worldwide. They are known to have set high academic standards, innovative research, and well-rounded activities. Each school in the Ivy League also excels in different fields. Yale, for instance, is known for its arts and literature programs, while Harvard is sought after by those planning to enter politics or the government.

It’s no secret that Ivy League admissions are highly competitive. Their acceptance rates range from 9% to as low as 4%. Aspiring students generally need to achieve high scores on the SAT or ACT for admission, with average SAT scores between 1440-1580 and ACT scores between 33-36. The Ivy League is renowned for its strong academic programs, distinguished professors, and exceptional facilities, making it the gold standard of higher education.

These schools are also big on sports. They form the Ivy League Athletic Conference and compete in contests like the Harvard-Yale football game which is famous and a huge draw with many fans. They are a part of what makes these Ivy League universities apart from the rest of the colleges in the US.

Average GPA for Ivy League schools

To get into an Ivy, having outstanding grades is almost a prerequisite for admissions. Ivy League schools expect you to have a good GPA — typically around 4.0, with many applicants sure to have weighted GPAs exceeding 4.0. But while grades are important, they don’t tell everything about you. This is where extracurriculars like high school clubs come in. 

Why are High School Clubs Important in Ivy League Admissions?

Ivy League admissions officers are looking for applicants who show academic promise and well-roundedness. They want aspiring students who have the potential to make a lasting impact, even long after they graduate. This is why they’re not just after those who are academically gifted, but rather students who have hobbies and passions beyond the classroom. This may include an affinity for sports, leadership, or skills in debate, dance, and music.

Standout high school club membership and leadership can signal to Ivy League admissions officers that you can walk the walk. That’s a big plus for your application. It’s also essential to keep in mind that your college application should clearly show magnitude, reach, and impact. A successful application should be able to demonstrate the scale of your high school club participation, the number of people you reached, and the overall impact of the activities you joined or spearheaded. 

Do You Need to Start a High School Club to Get Accepted into Ivies?

Generally speaking, no. Some students believe that it is important to start your own high school club if you want to shine among others while applying to college. But maybe your decision should look through the perspective of the greater good. It makes more sense if your interest is targeted at your genuine passion and peer interest as well as real community interests and needs.

Before landing on a decision, it’s important to ask yourself:

• Do I have enough time, energy, and resources to commit to this?
• Will this club have a meaningful impact on others?
• Will it be sustainable?
• Do the teachers and school staff support this initiative?
• What are the possible risks involved?

Let’s take a look at Harvard. Harvard grades applicants across four key metrics: Athletics, Academics, Extracurriculars, and Personal Qualities. Theoretically, starting a club will impact around 25% of your overall application score.

But practically, you don’t need to start a club to get into the Ivy League schools. It’s impossible to predict whether it could help you—and bear in mind that a million students have also started high school clubs annually worldwide.

What will get you accepted, though, is a clear and comprehensive explanation of how the act of founding a club revealed some unique combination of leadership, intellectual curiosity, risk-taking, and personal qualities from you. It’s not just what you did; it’s also how and why you did it. That is what is going to make your application unique—not just starting a high school club.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many clubs should I join in high school?

The adage “don’t bite off more than you can chew” certainly applies to this. In this situation, it’s not a numbers game–what matters is depth. Go beyond just membership, hold leadership positions if you can, and contribute your knowledge and skills to worthy activities.

Remember, what admissions officers look for is not how many high school clubs you’ve joined, but rather how this membership honed your knowledge, skills, and character. 

2. What are some clubs to start in high school?

When it comes to school club ideas, the sky’s the limit! You can create a club that aligns with your interests, passions, and hobbies, allowing you to connect with like-minded peers. Of course, you must still adhere to school policies. 

For example, if your school doesn’t have a film club yet, and you’re passionate about everything cinema, then you may start one. Together with your friends and classmates, you can explore the world of filmmaking, video production, or even film reviewing. You may also create short films, and documentaries, or even discuss and critique films to deepen your understanding of visual storytelling.

3. How to start a club in high school?

To start a new club at school, begin by identifying a niche or interest that you and a group of like-minded students are passionate about. Gather a small group of fellow students who might also be interested. Seek approval from the school administration and find a supportive club advisor. Organize initial meetings to plan and set goals that will make the club fun, beneficial, supportive, and rewarding for everyone. Develop a club mission statement and establish a meeting schedule. Publicize the club by sharing its name, mission, goals, how to join, and meeting times and locations. Most importantly, have fun!

Takeaways

• High school clubs offer a diverse range of activities that cater to different interests and provide students with opportunities to expand their horizons, challenge themselves, and positively impact their school and community.
• It’s highly recommended that students consider joining one or more high school clubs, as it can greatly enhance their overall school experience.
• You don’t need to start a club to get into the Ivy League schools. What will get you accepted is a clear and comprehensive explanation of how the act of founding a club revealed some unique combination of leadership, intellectual curiosity, risk-taking, and personal qualities.
• Contact AdmissionSight to help you decide which high school clubs to join to better enhance your college application. Expert guidance and support will give you a competitive edge and increase your chances of getting into your dream school.