Interested in studying the arts but not sure how to demonstrate your commitment in your college applications?
Preparing an art portfolio or practicing for a college music audition may seem straightforward if you’re attending a high school for art and design or a high school for the performing arts. It’s important to remember, however, that regardless of the opportunities readily available to you, there are countless ways to get involved in the arts.
In this article, we discuss why extracurricular activities are essential for aspiring artists and music majors. We also provide you with several extracurricular activity lists and highlight the importance of self-directed projects. After all, if you’re interested in applying to colleges with good art programs, you’ll want to have a robust list of extracurricular activities to help recommend you!
While your art portfolio or musical audition will be a key application factor, participating in national and state-wide art and music competitions can help you stand out from your peers by showcasing your devotion and skill. Here is a list of notable competitions to check out:
According to its website: “Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.”
The National YoungArts Foundation accepts entries in 10 categories: classical music, dance, design arts, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual Arts, voice, and writing. According to its website, winners “receive cash prizes between $100 and $10,000,” in addition to “mentorship opportunities with accomplished artists to help award winners prepare for and navigate a career in the arts.”
According to its website, “The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. In 2022, students across the United States and Canada entered more than 260,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing.”
Many states recognize exceptional high school artists through an “Art All-State” program. Students apply to this program for the opportunity to win a spot in their state’s cohort of top artists and to participate in specific programming meant to challenge high school artists.
Similarly to “Art All-State,” high school musicians may audition for “Music All-State” for the chance to win a spot in their state’s cohort of top musicians and perform alongside other distinguished musicians.
High schools with art programs may have chapters to national honor societies for the arts. Check-in with your art, music, and theater teachers for opportunities to get involved. And remember, joining an art-related honor society is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to the arts. It also looks great on college applications! Here are three honor societies you may want to consider applying to:
According to its website, members of the National Art Society “gain peer recognition, leadership growth opportunities, college and career preparation, and an unmatched sense of camaraderie,” in addition to becoming eligible for several scholarships.
The Tri-M Music Honor Society, also known as “Modern Music Masters,” “opens up a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.”
The International Thespian Society is an honor society for theater students who’ve demonstrated excellence. According to its website, the society “awards, grants, and scholarship opportunities honor the achievements of individuals and theater programs, providing award-winners with the financial support to attend Association events or further educational endeavors.”
Interested in visual arts? Maybe you’ve already found your perfect medium and want to devote all of your time to perfecting your technique. But maybe you want to experiment a bit more or explore multi-media art. Take a look at the list of different visual art mediums below and see if anything strikes your interest! This list may be of particular interest to students wondering what art majors are there.
If you are serious about studying visual art in college, you’ll want to include a bit of variety in your art portfolio. Do your best to showcase your abilities, as well as highlight your sense of creativity!
Depending on the specific college and program you are applying to, you may need to fulfill certain requirements for your art portfolio. If possible, make a list of these requirements at the beginning of your junior year. This will give you plenty of time to complete enough art pieces you are genuinely proud of that also fulfill the college’s portfolio requirements.
If you’re a musician, chances are that there are lots of opportunities to become involved in your high school. Consider the list below of high school performance groups you could join.
Looking for even more examples of extracurricular activities? If you’re interested in music, you might want to start your own band or maybe even a music-related podcast. After all, there are countless genres of music, and high school performance groups only account for a small fraction of these genres.
Be creative and explore your options! Write your own songs. Perform at open mic nights or the high school talent show. Another great way to be involved in music is to take music lessons. Depending on your abilities, you may even want to teach music lessons!
What are some good extracurricular activities to include on your college applications when you are interested in the arts? Here’s an extracurricular activities list for you to consider if you’re still looking for ways to get involved in the arts!
You might also want to consider attending a pre-college summer program focused on the arts. Or seek out an art-related internship. Remember, it’s important to know how to use your summers in high school in ways that are meaningful and productive.
Pursuing a passion project can be a great way to stand out to the best colleges for the performing or visual arts. A passion project is another way of saying “self-directed study,” and the possibilities really are endless! Here’s a quick list of some possible passion project ideas for you to consider:
If you’re interested in applying to colleges for art education, you might want to volunteer to teach art classes over the summer. If you’re interested in applying to the best colleges for art therapy, you may want to look into job shadowing opportunities.
Students interested in the arts need to communicate their passion and commitment within their college applications. Oftentimes the best way to accomplish this is through extracurricular activities. This is why we’ve outlined which extracurricular activities look best on your college applications when you are interested in studying the arts.
Wondering how many extracurricular activities you should pursue? In general, it’s best to focus on a few and to really commit to them rather than be peripherally involved in lots of activities. There are lots of extracurricular activities benefits to consider, but these benefits become more prominent the more deeply involved you are in an activity.
Regardless of whether you are interested in attending one of the best music colleges or one of the best art colleges, your level of engagement with the arts can be best captured by your extracurricular involvement. So choose your extracurricular activities with thought and care!
Discover top extracurricular activities for aspiring arts students to strengthen college applications. Explore art and music competitions, honor societies, various visual art mediums, and musical opportunities. Learn how passion projects can showcase your dedication to the arts and find the best ways to get involved in your community.
Discover if colleges consider freshman year grades and why it's crucial for college admissions. Learn how academic trends, overall GPA, and course rigor impact your application, and find ways to bounce back from low grades. Gain insights on balancing extracurriculars and preparing for your dream school.
From the writing process to how to address the recruiter. We break down everything that goes into how to cold email for a job.
Looking for ways to create the perfect cold email? There are five ways to ensure that your cold email lands you your dream job. Even if you are looking to expand your network, sending cold emails is the way to go. In this guide you’ll learn what a cold email is, how to write one, and the benefits of sending them.
When someone is cold emailing for jobs they are sending someone an email that they do not know. The goal of this email is to expand on networking opportunities. There can be a variety of different reasons that someone sends out a cold email. Some of those reasons could be if you are trying to get a dream job, expand your network, or simply send a thank you email following up an interview.
You also have the option of cold emailing recruiters to let them know that you are interested in what they are advertising. Sending out cold emails can be extremely beneficial to you, so let’s take a look at some of those benefits.
As stated before, sending a cold email can be very beneficial for you. This is your opportunity to open doors for yourself. If you are interested in a particular job you might send a cold email to a potential employer, or even just to someone you want in your close-knit network.
One of the top benefits that come with sending a cold email is that it will be in your potential employer’s face. A business owner is more likely to see your email than return your phone call. Since business people are always on the go, they are constantly checking their email. They will be less likely to return your phone call. Stay persistent and give a good first impression.
When you are trying to make personal connections with people who don’t know you, it is important to highlight the job opportunity. Consider comparing calling your potential new job and sending an effective cold email to them. They won’t feel as pressured to respond to you right away. When they are on the phone with you, they might feel as if they have to make a quick decision then and there. However, if you are providing them with a cold email, they have the time to think everything through and respond to you in a professional manner.
After you have sent your job application, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter over to the employer of your dreams, you should follow up with a cold email. This outreach is something that they could admire. Not only will they have an idea of your persistence, but they will be able to respond to your cold email in a quick and timely manner.
Now we are going to demonstrate how to cold email a recruiter. There are a few tips that we can provide to you job seekers. Make sure to do your research and be ready for an informational interview when it comes your way. Do you know how to construct a cold email to a hiring manager? It’s important to have all your information ready, including the company name and the company’s website. Now let’s dive into how to send cold emails for jobs.
The whole purpose of sending a cold email is to expand your networking, so you want to make sure that you are contacting the right person. This means you are going to need to do some research. Typically you can find the hiring manager or high-level employee that you need to contact on their website. You can also retrieve the correct email addresses from their LinkedIn accounts.
The company that you are contacting is going to wonder why you are reaching out to them so it is important that you state your business right away. Explain who you are, your career goals, how you got their information, and why you are interested in their company. You can even write a resume and attach it to the email. Once you state the important information right off the bat, they may be more inclined to continue reading your email. Don’t forget to include your full name and any other contact information.
If you are planning on requesting something, like a job, from this company, you are going to want to ask in follow-up emails. You could start off by asking them for career advice or job openings. The original email is the one where you need to make a good first impression, so asking for a job right off the bat may come off as too ambitious. Start slow and build a relationship with this company.
Additionally, you are more likely to receive a positive response from the company you are reaching out to if you add some personalization. Think about a shared interest you and this potential employer might have. If you identify them and show interest in their work and the work that they put into their company, you are more likely to receive a positive and quick response. This shows that you are taking an interest in their company and not just asking for favors right away.
Lastly, emails are coming in left and right, especially for reputable business professionals. Your email could likely have been lost in the sea of emails flowing their way. It is acceptable to send a follow-up email to them if they have not responded to you within a week. Just remember that they are people too and can become very busy.
The template above is a rough layout of how your cold email should look when sending it to companies of your interest. Simply fill in the blanks with information that applies to you and the company that you are contacting.
Below we have provided you with a sample cold email for a job. Now you can use this example as a guide for when you are constructing your own cold emails.
If you are looking for the perfect way to expand your network or get your dream job, then sending cold emails is the way to go. Writing cold emails gives you the chance to connect with business professionals and get a job that you are passionate about. Reach out to the hiring managers of said dream companies and make sure to make a good first impression.
