College applications are a well-known stressful process for high school seniors. The few months consisting of writing a multitude of essays, filling out scholarships, applying for financial aid, and deciding on the best college that suits their needs are stressful times for these young adults. However, many question which is more important—a high grade point average (GPA) or strong extracurricular activities—for the consideration of college admissions. A high GPA indicates that the individual does well in their schoolwork and is able to set themselves apart from their peers academically. Similarly, strong extracurricular activities such as sports, performing arts, and other activities show time management skills and the ability to juggle multiple things at once. Because of these factors, it is impossible to determine whether one aspect is more important than the other for college admissions; both are important for providing insight into the character of the applicant.
Maintaining a high GPA throughout high school is a difficult endeavor; too hard for the majority of high schoolers today. Taking multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes, honors or accelerated classes, college courses, and having a high grade in those classes is no easy task. But those who can achieve this are set apart from their peers, and college admissions counselors know this. They are, generally speaking, looking for the best and the brightest applicants to admit into their institution. One way to differentiate the best and the brightest is through their GPA and coursework. Overlooking GPA in favor of strong academics would be a disservice to individuals who put all of their heart and soul into their schoolwork.
High school students who participate in sports, performing arts, etc. should also be recognized for going above and beyond their peers. The ability to excel in these extra curricular activities requires a level of dedication and passion that most students nowadays do not have. Many extracurricular activities require tens of hours of hard work throughout the week, and sometimes even more time on weekends for games, tournaments, and competitions. Students who participate in these grueling, physically or mentally challenging activities should be commended for their hard work. Overlooking extracurriculars in favor of GPA would not be beneficial for college admissions counselors looking for well-rounded students.
The hard work, dedication, time management, and passion of students should never be overlooked during the college admissions process. It would be a disservice to all students to look at just GPA or just extracurricular activities. It is important to recognize those students who have put in the work to maintain a high GPA while participating in extracurricular activities. The student who has both exhibits traits of good time management, dedication, endurance, and perseverance that would be entirely overlooked if admissions officers only looked at one or the other. Because of all of this, neither factor is more important than the other, they work as a team to create a character profile of a well-rounded, academically motivated student that would be perfect for any institution.