Having excellent grades isn’t enough to get into an elite schools as a STEM major. Majors in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields are often among the most competitive. If you dream of attending a top college, great grades and scores are just the first steps. You also need to have amazing extracurriculars. It’s never too early to start building a stand-out extracurricular resume. But how? Don’t worry; we are here to break it down for you.
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Join a Club
You should check if your school offers any clubs related to what you hope to major in. For example, if you are interested in math, you should join the Mathletes. If you are interested in engineering, see if your school has a robotics or solar car team. If you are more of a science person, see if there is a chemistry club. Likely, they will have something that connects to your interests. If there really is nothing, ask your school about starting your own club.
Joining a club is just the first step. Over the next four years, it is your job to take on more responsibility in the club to show a history of commitment and leadership. Today, you might just be the newest member of the coding club, but hopefully, by the time you graduate, you’ll be the president.
Build Something Cool
This is also our advice for freshmen interested in STEM over the summer. However, you can also do it during the school year, and it is actually a good idea to get a jump start. Many STEM majors require hard skills, and now is the perfect time to learn some and show what you can make. Computer engineers can build their apps, while electrical engineers can take a stab at solar panels. See what it takes to create something awesome and learn the skills to do it correctly.
In the past, our students have built drones, computers, robotic legs, and so much more. Think about what would excite you most and start there.
Do a Competition
Many STEM students participate in competitions like the Hack-A-Ton, Science Olympiad, Science Fairs, or robotics competitions. While as a freshman, you might not be a winner or even a team leader, these can be a great way to connect with other STEM-minded students and start to learn about research in the sciences.
If you’re not going to enter a competition freshman year, we recommend getting acquainted with competitions within your area of interest for sophomore and junior year. Freshman year is an excellent time to start planning.
Volunteer
There are many ways to volunteer in the math and science space. Many STEM students volunteer as tutors at their schools or at local middle schools. However, you can also look for related positions at science museums, repair cafes, ecology centers and more.
Just like with clubs, the act of volunteering isn’t impressive on its own. A lot of students volunteer at a soup kitchen once, but colleges don’t care about that. When it comes to volunteering, you want to show passion, commitment, and drive. Double points if you can connect your volunteering to what you hope to study!
Starting your extracurricular journey early gives you more time to strengthen your resume and find impressive opportunities. Making the right choices this year can start you on your path to success. If you are still worried about building a great resume, we can help!
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