686. BEST & WORST EXTRACURRICULARS FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS

686. BEST & WORST EXTRACURRICULARS FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS

Author: Amy Seeley & Mike Bergin November 18, 2025 Duration: 27:13

The choices a high schooler makes about how to spend their time outside of classes tell prospective schools a lot about what kind of college student they'll be. However, in terms of admissions, not all activities are created equal.  Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Marlena Corcoran to review the best & worst extracurriculars for high schoolers.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

  1. What are the worst extracurricular activities for college-bound students?

  2. What are the runners-up for the prize?

  3. Are there any harmless extracurricular activities?

  4. opportunity cost

  5. What are the best extracurriculars--the supercurriculars?

  6. What about the importance of timing? Which activities should you do when?

MEET OUR GUEST

Dr. Marlena Corcoran is the founder of Athena Mentor: International University Admissions Counseling (Munich and New York). Before starting Athena Mentor, Marlena held visiting research appointments at Brown, Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, and the CNRS in Paris. For almost 20 years, she has helped young people discover who they are and what they really care about—and present themselves with confidence, enthusiasm, and success to the most selective colleges and MBA programs in the world. Marlena is the author of Year by Year to College: For IB and International Students.

Marlena previously appeared on the podcast in episode 386 to discuss How To Tell the Ivies Apart.

Marlena can be reached at athenamentor.com.

LINKS

Extracurriculars Matter To You and To Colleges

RELATED EPISODES

Building an A+ Extracurricular Resume

Intentionality On The Road To College

Crafting a College Resume

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.

 


Navigating the complex world of college admissions can feel like a maze with ever-shifting walls. Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast, hosted by Amy Seeley and Mike Bergin, serves as a reliable guide through that maze. Instead of generic advice, their conversations delve into the nuanced realities of testing, admissions strategies, learning differences, and broader educational trends. They bring in leading experts to provide depth and clarity on the issues that matter most right now. Whether you're a parent trying to support your student, a counselor shaping guidance, or an educator within the system, this podcast offers substantive discussion that goes beyond the surface. Each episode aims to demystify the process, offering practical insights and thoughtful analysis. You'll hear honest talk about standardized tests, application essays, financial aid, and the many factors that shape decisions on both sides of the admissions desk. For anyone invested in understanding the journey to higher education-from students to consultants-this is a vital resource. Tune in for a consistently informative and straightforward take on an industry that affects so many futures.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Podcast
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