In college admissions discussions, one element that always comes up when deciding a student's qualifications is her "evidence of leadership." Always keep an eye out for leadership roles and opportunities in the organizations you join. A leadership role can be obvious, like class officer or captain of a sports team. You can also achieve it through planning events, leading small teams in contests or starting a new regular activity in the organization.
As admissions officers look through hundreds of applications per day, a student who was engaged in a unique activity will often catch the officers' eye. If you engage in entrepreneurship, write a popular blog, or show a high aptitude for singing and dancing, you gain a significant edge over other applicants. Colleges want students with truly interesting backgrounds on their campuses to enrich the student community.
Helping out in the community has always been a cornerstone in a student's career. Admissions officers almost consider this a requirement, as many high schools are starting to integrate community service into their mandatory programs. Take community service a step further by actively volunteering hours during both school and vacation periods. Staying to help longer not only shows a strong passion to help the community, but it also shows your commitment to a charitable goal.
Getting a head start on gaining work experience in high school indicates career interest and a high level of professionalism for an applicant. The ability to translate classroom learning to the real world has always been a desirable quality in a student. This quality is only magnified for admissions officers when they see it demonstrated as early as high school. Gaining internship experience in interesting companies or shadowing professionals in your desired job position shows you are forward thinking and goal-oriented.
College admissions officers have said that what they often look for in a student's extracurricular activities is depth, not breadth. Being deeply involved in two interesting activities and going beyond the status quo in each of them is usually better than being lightly involved in five. Think beyond just becoming a member of an organization to making a difference in that organization.