These days, before deeming them worthy of an acceptance letter, colleges take many aspects of a students life, into consideration. Many think colleges only look at grades and test scores, when that is not the case.

Although, grades and test scores are crucial to admission, they aren't the only thing colleges look at. Extracurricular activities are a great way to stand out to colleges. Many students shy away from participating in extracurricular activities because they aren't aware of the benefits. Requiring students to participate in them would eliminate future grievances.

Leadership skills, passion, and being well-rounded are all things colleges look for in students.

Colleges absolutely love having notable alumni; which is why, they look for pupils with many examples of leadership.

Schools offer various opportunities to show off those skills.

One popular example is sports.

What says leadership better than being team captain?

Sports are also a common way to receive scholarships.

Last year, someone on the Riverside Baseball Team got into Princeton. It is very likely they got in because of their performance on the baseball team. He probably wouldn't have gotten into Princeton if he hadn't played baseball. The Riverside Baseball player is a key example of how extracurricular activities are beneficial to students. If one isn't athletic, sports are not the only option.

Being the president, treasurer, or even secretary, of a club are wonderful positions to show leadership.

My older sister was the treasurer of Humanity First in her junior year and the president in her senior year; she was accepted into Duke.

It is highly likely that if she wasn't president, or treasurer, she wouldn't have been admitted. Leadership skills are vital for college acceptance, and requiring extracurricular activities would help students showcase them.

Passionate people are sought out by colleges, and extracurricular activities are a great way to show passion. Passionate people are often very committed.

Colleges want active members of society in their schools, not people who sign up for activities to be able to say they were apart of them.

Colleges know when someone signs up for a club just because they think it'll look good for college. They want people to sign up for a club because they genuinely enjoy its purpose, and not because of what it'll look like on an application. Colleges want active club members; not club members who barely go to meetings. Participating in marching band for all four years shows commitment, passion, and loyalty. Colleges want those attributes, so they are assured their students won't leave them for another college, and if they decided their major, they will stick with it. Required extracurricular activities would help students find their passions, and they would no longer wander aimlessly in life. Extracurricular activities show colleges passion, and passion is rare among teenagers. Often, passionate people go on to do great things in the world, and colleges want to have notable alumni.

Contrary to popular belief, GPA and test scores aren't everything.

Sure, they are very helpful and important on transcripts, but there are other factors colleges look at as well.

Colleges like well-rounded people.

This could be linked to the fact that American colleges allow their students to change their majors. If a person is well-rounded, then it is more likely that if they change their major to something completely different, they will not fail.

Being an active member in extracurricular activities shows that the person is not just good at memorizing notes, but that they are also able to partake in deeper thinking. Colleges want people that can use all of their brain, and not just one side of it. If someone had a perfect SAT/ACT score, a 5.0 GPA, and no extracurricular activities, they would probably not be chosen over someone with an SAT score of 1539, a 4.35 GPA and multiple extracurricular activities.

Required extracurricular activities would stop the person with a perfect SAT/ACT score and a 5.0 GPA from losing their spot to someone academically inferior who had more extracurricular activities. In terms of roundness, colleges want circles, not triangles.

Required extracurricular activities would benefit everyone. Leadership skills, passion, and appearing well rounded would enhance anyone's chances of getting into college and receiving scholarships.

Scholarships mean spending less money on college, which helps those who are paying for college. In the end, the principle's decision to require extracurricular activity participation, was a good one.