Which Extracurriculars Actually Matter for Admission to College Arts Programs?

Whether you’re interested in painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, music, dance, or filmmaking, the arts are—and always have been— a crucial way for humans to capture and express experiences, emotions, ideas, and concepts. In college, you’ll take a progression of advanced classes in your specialty and plenty of studio/workshop courses, which will help you hone your craft and prepare for life after you graduate. Moreover, an art degree will open the door to a variety of creative careers, including those in graphic design, commercial art, advertising, entertainment, publishing, teaching, art therapy, the nonprofit or museum sector, and arts administration.

If you’re an aspiring artist, you may have to undergo a more extensive admissions process that requires an audition or portfolio. Let’s dive into how you can prepare and set yourself apart.

How Can I Set Myself Up for Admissions Success During High School?

While maintaining a strong academic record is most important, your extracurricular involvement can help signal your seriousness about a fine arts major. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to sign up for anything and everything arts-related!

Instead, you should aim for deep involvement—or involvement that showcases long-term commitment, growth, and impact—in 2-4 activities total, including 1-2 pursuits directly related to your interests in art, dance, or music.

Ideally, these artistic pursuits will:

1. Help you build a portfolio or performance repertoire.
2. Nurture and develop your technical skills.
3. Teach you how to receive feedback from mentors and collaborate with other artists.

Where Should I Begin? Choosing Activities Across Key Tiers

1st Tier: Competitive activities that result in a tangible award, publication, public accolade, or other special distinction in your area(s) of interest. Attempt to engage in at least one 1st tier activity if possible.

2nd Tier: Activities that allow you to earn college credit, demonstrate mastery of relevant skills, accrue relevant job experience, build your portfolio, and/or assume a leadership role or significant responsibilities over tasks that are directly related to your area(s) of interest.

3rd Tier: Activities that ultimately do not result in an award or leadership position, but that still allow you to accrue knowledge, skills, and/or experiences that have some connection to the field(s) you are considering. Though not as impactful as first or second-tier activities, these pursuits can still yield admission-related benefits.

1ST TIER ACTIVITIES:

• Enter into at least one regional, national, or international high school contest/competition, such as: All-American High School Film Festival or the Congressional Art Competition.
• Audition for a dance team or musical group that competes regularly and at a high level.
• Try to get published at a regional or national level by submitting your artistic work to magazines, newspapers, or other media outlets

2ND TIER ACTIVITIES:

• Build a small business and sell your work through Etsy, Instagram, or at local craft fairs.
• Take a college-level art class.
• Join a well-established club at your high school such as band, orchestra, theatre, theatre tech, yearbook, or your school’s newspaper, with intentions to pursue a leadership role and significant responsibilities over time.
• Volunteer at an art camp or local/community class, teaching/mentoring younger
  students in art.
• Find an internship or volunteer position where you can develop relevant skills while building relationships within your industry of choice. Examples include publishing houses, magazines, local newspapers, film festivals, theaters, performance companies, public libraries, media companies, private art galleries and studios, art museums, and marketing/advertising agencies. Don’t be afraid to get creative—many businesses and organizations, regardless of sector, may employ artists, designers, or content creators who you could assist and learn from.
• Participate in a summer program or other extracurricular opportunity that is specifically devoted to helping you build/prepare a portfolio of work that you will be able to submit to your prospective colleges, such as: Moore College Summer Art and Design Institute or New York Art Studio.

3RD TIER ACTIVITIES:

• Contribute illustrations/drawings/photography to your school’s newspaper and/or
  literary magazine.
• Join the yearbook staff as a photographer or layout designer.
• Join your school’s set design or theatre tech crew.
• Join your school’s orchestra, marching band, or chorus/a capella group.
• Start a band or performance quartet with several friends.
• Audition for community theater productions or your school’s drama productions.
• Take regular classes or lessons in your interest area, such as dance classes,
  photography classes, improv classes, art classes (check offerings at nearby
  museums), or private instrument/vocal lessons.
• Offer to design social media content, posters, clothing, or other materials for clubs
  at school.
• Participate in a reputable summer program, such as: Northwestern National High School Institute, Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard, or Tisch Summer High School Program.

Final Thoughts 

Gaining admission to an arts program is about showing sustained commitment, growth, and purpose, not just raw talent. By pairing strong academics with a focused set of meaningful artistic pursuits, students can build compelling portfolios or performance records that clearly communicate their passion and readiness for advanced study. Thoughtful preparation, depth over breadth, and intentional choices are what ultimately help aspiring artists stand out in a competitive admissions process.