Admissions to many highly rated universities are as competitive as ever, and that remains true even at a point in time when many people are beginning to question the value of a college education.

An October 2025 study from the Pew Research Center found that nearly seven in 10 individuals felt that higher education was not preparing students for the modern job market and that schools were not making a committed effort to keep college-related costs and tuition affordable.

Despite that, many high school students are still working hard in the hopes of gaining entry to highly rated universities. In an effort to bolster their college applications, high school students have long looked to extracurricular activities to set them apart. While extracurricular activities offer students much more than a means to bolster a college application, the admissions and aid professionals at Bucknell University note that grade point average remains the most important variable when assessing an applicant's candidacy for admission.

Participation in extracurriculars can tip the scales when admissions officers compare similar applicants, but the experts at Bucknell also note that one or two anchor activities that students have participated in for multiple years and care deeply about are likely to strengthen an applicant's candidacy more than a longer list of short-lived activities.