Some employers consider it extremely important that students are “well rounded,” including involvement in activities outside of class. For example, participation in student government, on athletic teams, and in Greek organizations all provide opportunities for students to work in teams and on projects that develop skills different from those used in the classroom.

If students spread themselves too thin, and are involved in so many organizations that their academics suffer, they may be encouraged to narrow down their activities to one or two that they find particularly rewarding, and focus on improving their academic work. However, if the difference in academic performance is insignificant (for example, the difference between a 3.56 and a 3.68), then participation in extra-curricular activity can be beneficial to the student.

Finally, where extra-curricular activities are concerned, in general employers prefer depth to breadth. Substantial involvement in one or two activities in which a student has achieved a leadership role is far preferable to superficial involvement in a multitude of different activities.