YCBK 68: The Biggest Mistakes with Extracurricular Activities

In this episode you will hear: (4:43)  In this week’s news, a Wall Street Journal article “Oberlin, University of Chicago and Other Elite Colleges Extend Application Deadlines”, by Melissa Korn. Schools are claiming to extend their application deadlines to ensure that all students have an opportunity to apply, however Korn suggests that this is a clear sign of the pressure that schools are feeling to fill their incoming classes. Mark and Anika discuss why colleges are extending their deadlines. They discuss whether this is being done for students or for the colleges themselves. (15:47)  We are in Chapter 68 of 171 Answers and it’s all about the mistakes that students make with their extracurricular activities in the admissions process. Mark and Anika discuss five very common mistakes that students make when listing or describing their extracurricular activities. (33:05) It’s time again for our bonus content this week: what your student can do to best utilize the upcoming summer. Mark mentions seven things that can make a lot of sense for students to be involved in over the summer and Anika chimes in and adds and eighth option that Mark forgot to mention. The focus of the conversation is that this is highly personalized approach, so there is no “one size fits all”. The one thing Mark mentions is that regardless of what you so, you need to keep your mind sharp with plenty of reading. (48:35)  Mark interviews Mr. Yancie Davis, Admissions Officer at Macalester College in Part I of Using Non-Cognitive variables to help with admission decisions. (59:53)  Mark’s recommended resource of the week is The Freshman Survival Guide: Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing, and Everything In Between Paperback – The book is written by Nora Bradbury-Haehl (Author), Bill McGarvey (Author). I recommend that you get the 2016 updated edition. The book helps the new college student to navigate the first year of college. The book speaks to college students in their own language and offers practical tools that readers need to keep from drinking, sleeping, or skipping their way out of college.   Don’t forget to send your questions related to any and every facet of the college process to   Every episode of Your College-Bound Kid will align with a chapter from the book 171 Answers to the Most-Asked College Admission Questions. To get a copy visit  and if you want to see what future episodes will cover just click the red button “See exactly what 171 Answers covers.