How to Write Extracurricular Essays for College Without Sounding Like a Robot

When it comes to writing about extracurriculars, many students fall into the trap of sounding like robots. They’ll write something like, “I was president of my school’s debate club. I organized events. I attended competitions. I led meetings.” Technically true? Sure. Memorable? Not even a little.

Here’s the thing: colleges don’t just want to know what you did. They want to understand who you are within those activities. A robot can list accomplishments. You’re not a robot. Your extracurricular essay is your chance to show that you’re a multidimensional human being with thoughts, feelings, and a story to tell.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be the star athlete or the president of five clubs to write a great extracurricular essay. Whether your activity is running a family business, hosting parking lot poetry slams, or singing Elvis at a nursing home, it’s about showing how that experience shaped your character and what makes your contributions unique. Let’s dive into how to do this effectively.

Tell a Story, Not a Resume

If you turn your essay into a to-do list, it’s game over. Imagine Josh wrote, “Every Tuesday, I volunteered at the food pantry. I helped with groceries. I organized the shelves.” Snooze. That’s the essay equivalent of beige wallpaper. Instead, Josh leaned into storytelling.

Meet Josh: Every Tuesday, Josh volunteers at a food pantry. In his essay, he doesn’t just list the tasks he does. He introduces us to the vibrant personalities he’s met there: “The Racer” who races him to her minivan, “The Giver” who insists on sharing candy, and “The Hecklers” who trade jokes for pancake mix. Through these small, meaningful moments, Josh shows us how volunteering has taught him the importance of treating people with dignity and how it’s reshaped his understanding of charity. His essay is vivid, memorable, and full of heart.

Don’t settle for listing tasks; show us the humans, the humor, and the moments that matter.

Focus on How It Changed You

If your essay sounds like, “I did X, and then I did Y,” you’re missing the point. Admissions officers don’t care about how busy you were; they care about how your activities shaped you. Growth is the magic word here.

Meet Sofia: Sofia grew up working in her family’s restaurant. At first, she loved the way it brought her closer to her dad, but she also saw the toll it took on him. When the restaurant closed, Sofia reflected on how her dad’s sacrifices fueled her determination as a first-generation college student. Her essay worked because it wasn’t just about the restaurant; it was about family, resilience, and carrying her parents’ dreams forward.

Your essay should answer: What did this activity teach you? How did it shape your values or change your perspective? The best essays don’t just document what happened. TAhey dive into why it mattered.

Show Who You Are in That Environment

If your essay could have been written by someone else, it’s time to rethink. What makes you the key ingredient in this activity? What do you uniquely bring to the table?

Meet Mia: Mia performed music at a nursing home. At first, she focused on showcasing her talent, choosing Gen-Z pop songs that played to her strengths. But when she noticed the residents weren’t connecting, she adapted her set list to include classics like Can’t Help Falling in Love. The change sparked a room-wide singalong. Mia’s essay showed her ability to listen, adapt, and use her art to build community, qualities that made her story stand out.

Contrast this with, “I performed at a nursing home to help the elderly.” One line is robotic. The other is personal. Admissions officers want to see you in the environment, not a generic placeholder.

Be Specific About Your Setting and Impact

Details make the difference between a lifeless essay and one that leaps off the page. If you’re vague, your essay will feel like it’s on autopilot.

Meet Grace: Grace is obsessed with bullet journaling, a creative and meticulous practice she turned into an art form. In her essay, she described designing intricate spreads with calligraphy and illustrations while reflecting on how this practice taught her the value of slowing down in a fast-paced world. Grace didn’t stop there. She coded a digital version of her designs, making her hobby accessible to others. Her essay was powerful because it combined creativity, attention to detail, and a desire to share her passion with others.

Instead of saying, “I worked hard on my bullet journal designs,” Grace gave us a window into her process, her impact, and her philosophy. Specificity is what makes your story memorable.

Highlight Unconventional Activities

If your extracurricular isn’t on a resume template, that’s a good thing. The unique, the weird, the hyper-specific; those are the essays that stand out.

Meet Alex: Alex discovered poetry through TikTok and turned a casual interest into a full-fledged passion. In their essay, Alex described hosting parking lot poetry slams with friends, where they read aloud their work under the stars. They didn’t focus on awards or formal recognition. Instead, they highlighted how poetry became a way to process emotions, build connections, and inspire others to find their voices. This unconventional activity stood out because it revealed Alex’s creativity and emotional depth.

Compare this to a robotic, “I enjoy writing poetry in my free time.” Yawn. Alex’s essay paints a picture of passion and community. Don’t be afraid to lean into the activities that make you uniquely you.

Talk About You, Not An Activity

Writing about extracurriculars isn’t about proving you were the busiest person in high school. It’s about showing how your activities reflect your character, values, and unique contributions. Whether you’re stocking shelves at a food pantry or coding a bullet journal website, focus on the story behind the activity and what it reveals about you.

This is where we come in. If you’re unsure how to transform your extracurricular experiences into a standout story, we’re here to help. Our team works with students to uncover the unique angles in their experiences, helping them craft essays that feel personal and impactful, without sounding like every other application.

Let us help you find and tell the story that only you can share. It’s about showing how your activities reflect your character, values, and unique contributions. Whether you’re stocking shelves at a food pantry or coding a bullet journal website, focus on the story behind the activity and what it reveals about you.

Remember, admissions officers want to know who you are, not just what you did. So, ditch the robotic list and tell a story that only you can tell.