Have you ever found yourself joining nearly all clubs at your school, taking every volunteering opportunity, or participating in competitions just for another certificate? Just because it will eventually look good on a resume?
Let me break it to you. This doesn't guarantee you a spot at any university or at any future job. What it does guarantee, though, is exhaustion, anxiety, and burnout at an early age.
The numbers tell the story. A 2023 survey by the career development platform Indeed found that 50% of students preparing for college applications describe the process as overwhelming, and 65% say stress is the dominant emotion they feel throughout the season. Perhaps most striking: research published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology estimates that academic burnout affects 30–50% of high-achieving students, with application season being a significant trigger (Bouchrika et al.). When stress becomes constant, burnout follows. It's not rare.
Admission officers are not impressed by a huge list of your life-long achievements. They do, however, care about your genuine interests, the way these interests form you as a person, and the impact you have on your community.
What Actually Works
1. Depth over breadth
Three activities you care deeply about beat fifteen you tolerate. A university wants to see someone who'll contribute meaningfully to their community, not someone collecting trophies.
2. The "so what?" test
For every activity on your list, ask: "So what? What did I actually learn or contribute?" If the answer is vague, the activity probably isn't worth your time.
3. Alignment matters
Your activities, essay, and interview should tell a coherent story. Scattered achievements make you look like you're checking boxes, not pursuing something that matters to you.
How to Find Genuine Interests
Ask yourself these questions:
- What would you do even if you weren't applying to university?
- What problems in your community make you want to fix them?
- What are those things that make you lose track of time?
Your genuine interests aren't a strategy. They're already there. You just have to stop performing long enough to notice them.
Stop building a resume. Start building a life.
Sources
Indeed. "College Application Stress Survey." Indeed Workplace Trends, 2023. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice
Bouchrika, I., et al. "Academic Burnout: A Systematic Review." Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, 2021. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.744532