Part B: Information Matching (2024)
High school students eager to stand out in the college application process often participate in a litany of extracurricular activities hoping to bolster their chances of admission to a selective undergraduate institution.
However, college admissions experts say that the quality of a college hopeful’s extracurricular activities matters more than the number of activities he or she participates in.
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Sue Rexford, the director of college guidance at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, says it is not necessary for a student filling out the Common Application to list 10 activities in the application. “No college will expect that a student has a huge laundry list of extracurriculars that they have been passionately involved in each for an extended period of time,” Rexford wrote in an email.
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Experts say it is tougher to distinguish oneself in a school-affiliated extracurricular activity that is common among high school students than it is to stand out while doing an uncommon activity. “The competition to stand out and make an impact is going to be much stiffer, and so if they’re going to do a popular activity, I’d say, be the best at it,” says Sara Harberson, a college admissions consultant.
High school students who have an impressive personal project they are working on independently often impress colleges, experts say. “For example, a student with an interest in entrepreneurship could demonstrate skill and potential by starting a profitable small business,” Olivia Valdes, the founder of Zen Admissions consulting firm, wrote in an email.
Joseph Adegboyega-Edun, a Maryland high school guidance counselor, says unconventional extracurricular activities can help students impress college admissions offices, assuming they demonstrated serious commitment. “Again, since one of the big questions high school seniors must consider is ‘What makes you unique?,’ having an uncommon extracurricular activity vs. a conventional one is an advantage,” he wrote in an email.
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Experts say demonstrating talent in at least one extracurricular activity can help in the college admissions process, especially at top-tier undergraduate institutions. “Distinguishing yourself in one focused type of extracurricular activity can be a positive in the admissions process, especially for highly selective institutions, where having top grades and test scores is not enough,” Katie Kelley, admissions counselor at IvyWise admissions consultancy, wrote in an email. “Students need to have that quality or hook that will appeal to admissions officers and allow them to visualize how the student might come and enrich their campus community.”
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Extracurricular activities related to the college major declared on a college application are beneficial, experts suggest. “If you already know your major, having an extracurricular that fits into that major can be a big plus,” says Mayghin Levine, the manager of educational opportunities with The Cabbage Patch Settlement House, a Louisville, Kentucky, nonprofit community center.
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High school students who have had a strong positive influence on their community through an extracurricular activity may impress a college and win a scholarship, says Erica Gwyn, a former math and science magnet program assistant at a public high school who is now executive director of the Kaleidoscope Careers Academy in Atlanta, a nonprofit organization.
Questions & Options
41. Sue Rexford
42. Sara Harberson
43. Katie Kelley
44. Mayghin Levine
45. Erica Gwyn
全文翻译
渴望在大学申请过程中脱颖而出的高中生经常参加一系列课外活动，希望提高他们被顶尖本科院校录取的机会。然而，大学招生专家表示，大学申请者的课外活动的质量比其参加的活动数量更重要。
查尔斯·E·史密斯犹太日间学校的大学指导主任苏·雷克斯福德说，填写通用申请的学生没有必要在申请中列出10项活动。"没有大学会期望一个学生有一长串课外活动清单，而且他们长期对每一项都充满热情，"雷克斯福德在一封电子邮件中写道。
专家表示，在一个在高中生中普遍存在的学校附属课外活动中让自己脱颖而出，比在一项不常见的活动中脱颖而出更难。"脱颖而出并产生影响竞争将激烈得多，所以如果他们要做一项流行的活动，我说，在这方面做最好的，"大学招生顾问萨拉·哈伯森说。
专家说，那些有一个令人印象深刻的个人项目并在独立进行的高中生经常给大学留下深刻印象。"例如，一个对创业感兴趣的学生可以通过创办一个盈利的小企业来展示技能和潜力，"Zen Admissions咨询公司创始人奥利维亚·瓦尔德斯在一封电子邮件中写道。
马里兰州高中升学顾问约瑟夫·阿德博耶加-埃登说，非传统的课外活动可以帮助学生给大学招生办公室留下深刻印象，前提是他们表现出认真的投入。"再次，既然高中生必须考虑的重大问题之一是'什么让你独一无二？'，有一项不常见的课外活动与一项常规的相比是一种优势，"他在一封电子邮件中写道。
专家表示，至少在一项课外活动中展现才能可以在大学录取过程中有所帮助，尤其是在顶尖本科院校中。"在一项聚焦的课外活动类型中脱颖而出可以成为录取过程中的一个积极因素，尤其是对于高度选拔性的院校，在那里拥有顶尖的成绩和考试分数是不够的，"IvyWise招生咨询公司的招生顾问凯蒂·凯利在一封电子邮件中写道。"学生需要拥有那种品质或亮点，能够吸引招生官，并让他们能够想象该学生将如何来到并丰富他们的校园社区。"
专家建议，与大学申请中申明的大学专业相关的课外活动是有益的。"如果你已经知道你的专业，有一项与该专业契合的课外活动可能是一个很大的加分，"肯塔基州路易斯维尔非营利社区中心Cabbage Patch Settlement House的教育机会经理梅金·莱文说。
曾任公立高中数理磁石项目助理、现为亚特兰大非营利组织Kaleidoscope Careers Academy执行董事的埃里卡·格温说，通过课外活动对社区产生了强烈积极影响的高中生可能给大学留下深刻印象，并赢得奖学金。
答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)
41. [C] Undertaking too many extracurricular activities...
解析：定位 Sue Rexford。她提到不一定要填满10个活动（not necessary... to list 10 activities），且没有大学期望学生有一大串清单（No college will expect... huge laundry list）。这对应 [C] 选项“承担太多课外活动很难被大学看作是加分项”。
42. [E] High school students participating in a popular activity should excel in it.
解析：定位 Sara Harberson。她提到如果要参加流行活动（popular activity），就得做最好的那个（be the best at it）。对应 [E] 选项“参加流行活动的学生应该在其中表现优异”。
43. [A] Students who stand out in a specific extracurricular activity...
解析：定位 Katie Kelley。她提到在一种专注的活动中脱颖而出（Distinguishing yourself in one focused type...）对于顶尖院校（highly selective institutions / top-tier）是一个加分项。对应 [A] 选项。
44. [G] It is advisable... related to their future study at college.
解析：定位 Mayghin Levine。她提到如果已经知道专业（know your major），拥有一个契合该专业的课外活动（fits into that major）是大加分项。对应 [G] 选项“建议选择与未来大学学习相关的课外活动”。
45. [B] Students whose extracurricular activity has benefited their community...
解析：定位 Erica Gwyn。她提到对社区有强烈积极影响（strong positive influence on their community）的学生可能赢得奖学金（win a scholarship）。对应 [B] 选项。