Stand Out As A Boarding School Applicant
When you picture a team reviewing your application, what do you hope they’ll see? Maybe a committed athlete training late into the evening, a talented violinist practicing a difficult piece, or an artist covered in charcoal from finishing a sketch. Your extracurricular involvement can help tell your story, and the right approach can help that story shine through clearly in your application.
Whether you’re a creative thinker, a dedicated teammate, or someone who loves trying new things, your activities are a powerful way to show boarding schools who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Here’s how to present your passions in their best light.
Build a Strong and Authentic Activity List
Most boarding school applications offer a space to list your activities and roles. This is your chance to highlight what you do outside of the classroom, and why it matters to you.
Here are a few tips to help this list shine:
- Focus on depth over quantity. You don’t need to fill every single line. Admissions teams care much more about the activities where you’ve committed time, energy, and heart. Two or three meaningful pursuits that you truly care about speak much louder than ten that you tried for a month.
- Show growth. Did you move from participant to leader? Did you take on new responsibilities after a successful season? These details show maturity and initiative.
- Explain your involvement clearly. Instead of just writing “Art Club,” add details like: Art Club — Created mixed-media pieces for two school exhibits; led a community workshop for younger students. These short explanations can help admissions officers get a better picture of activities that can sometimes have a wide-ranging title.
Create a Strong Portfolio or Video
If you’re applying as an artist, musician, dancer, or athlete, many schools welcome (or even require) supplements such as portfolios, recordings, or highlight videos. Think of these as the highlight reel of your passion.
Here’s how to put together something that works:
- For Artists: Choose your best and most recent work. Include a range of skills—different media, styles, or creative approaches—to show your versatility. Add brief notes that explain your inspiration, technique, or the story behind a piece.
- For Musicians or Performers: Record different types of repertoire to show your range. Make sure the sound is clear and your camera angle captures proper posture and form. A short introduction (your name, instrument, and piece) helps personalize it.
- For Athletes: A great highlight video focuses on quality and consistency, not necessarily just flashy moments. Pick moments that show your skill level, sportsmanship, teamwork, and decision-making, not just big goals or dramatic wins (though you should definitely include those as well!). If possible, moments of yourself training (think: pitching in a cage or practicing free throws in the gym) are great to include as well. Coaches appreciate clarity and high quality video.
- For everyone: Always follow the school’s submission instructions. If they want files uploaded rather than linked, do that. If they ask for three samples, don’t send ten. Thoughtfulness and following directions show your attention to detail.
Let Your Passion Speak in Your Writing and Interview
Your essays and interviews are also a great place share what drives you and what you’re most interested in. Why does this passion matter? How has it shaped you? What do you hope to do with it at the school you’re applying to?
Try reflecting on a few questions:
- What moments make me feel most proud of my involvement?
- What challenges have I faced, and how did I grow through them?
- Who do I become when I’m painting, practicing, or competing?
These stories help admissions officers visualize you as a member of their community.
In the interview, stay relaxed and speak naturally, don’t just say what you think an admission officer would want to hear (they’ll know!). If you’re shy or nervous or want to take a moment to reflect before answering a question, that’s totally okay. Schools care more about honest personality, not perfect answers. Bring up the activities that mean the most to you and what you’re excited to pursue next.
Show How You'll Contribute to the Community
Boarding schools are not only evaluating who you are now, but how you would fit in as a potential community member as well. If you’re an athlete, will you cheer on and mentor new teammates as you get older? If you’re a digital artist, will you help design posters for a school event? A school wants to know how you’ll contribute to the community with your extracurriculars.
If you’ve already volunteered, mentored younger peers, or helped nurture a club or team, be sure to highlight that. It shows leadership, kindness, and a willingness to engage.
Above all, remember that there’s no “right” passion to have. Schools aren’t scouting for the next professional athlete or Broadway star at all times, they are often just looking for students who care deeply about something and are excited to grow. Tell your story honestly. Give admissions teams a glimpse into the late-night practices, the messy sketchbooks, the rehearsals, and the victories—big or small—that have shaped your journey so far.
When you share your passions confidently and clearly, you’re not just listing achievements. You’re showing boarding schools exactly why you’ll be a vibrant, valued part of their community.
For additional guidance on the boarding school admission process, contact Sesameed’s team of experts anytime for a free consultation!