Inequality Beyond Standardized Tests: Trends in Extracurricular Activity Reporting in College Applications Across Race and Class
Julie J. Park, Brian Kim, Nancy Wong, Jia Zheng, Stephanie Breen, Pearl Lo, Dominique Baker, Kelly Rosinger, Mike Hoa Nguyen, & OiYan Poon
Inequality in extracurricular activities is pervasive.
We analyzed extracurricular activity descriptions in nearly 6 million college applications. White, Asian American, high-SES, and private school students reported more activities, more activities with top-level leadership roles, and more activities with honors/awards. Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and low-income students reported top leadership positions at a similar rate as other students, although the absolute number was lower. Findings do not support a return to required standardized testing, nor do they necessarily support ending consideration of activities in admissions. We discuss implications for holistic review.