Time management is something that every college student is going to struggle with. For most, it is difficult enough to find a balance between pursuing their studies and having a social life. With extracurricular activities in the mix, it can be even more difficult to juggle a schedule. There are great rewards that can be had from extracurricular activities, if you have the discipline to manage your time properly. If you don't, and too much time is given to your sport, club or association, then there is a very good chance that grades will suffer.
If you want to participate in extracurricular activities in college, you may quickly find out that an even greater commitment to your grades may be required than you originally anticipated. The NCAA has completion rate and GPA requirements that must be met for student athletes to participate in their programs. The exact numbers differ depending on which division the school is placed in. Schools may have their own guidelines that are even higher than the NCAA requirements. At Montana State, students in their second year must have a 2.0 GPA to participate on a team, while the NCAA guidelines would only require a 1.8 for that particular year.
There is a link between students that are actively involved in their collegiate communities and how well they do in school. The goal of colleges has always been to produce well-rounded individuals, and extracurricular activities are viewed by many as an important piece of the overall student experience. Those that participate in extracurricular activities are often more engaged in their entire collegiate experience. The result is an interesting correlation between participation in these activities and academic achievement. It appears that those that participate in extracurricular activities actually do better academically.
There are some extracurricular activities that can directly boost student's grades because they require them to think or work on material that is directly related to her education. For example, student government participants often have a degree of engagement and interest in the material that can lead to increased success in political studies classes. There are also many clubs and associations that are specific to the discipline that a student might be studying, such as an education student's association. Collaboration, discussion and socializing with students with similar interests and studies can lead to increased academic performance.