A successful College Application has many elements needed to be effective, many we are aware of, including but not limited to:
- Official Transcript/Class Rank. …
- Writing Sample/Statement of Purpose. …
- Letters of Recommendation. …
- List of Extracurricular Activities. …
- Community Service/Outside Learning Opportunities. …
- Awards and Recognition. …
- Prepare for an Interview…
- Community Service Hours…
This is of course a partial list above, with more elements required depending on the College.

However, the List of Extracurricular Activities can often be an element that gets overlooked when planning during the formattable years of a student’s schooling. The elements of Awards and Recognition, letters of recommendation, diversity, interviews, and outside learning opportunities go hand in hand with extracurricular activities. While it is important to include extracurricular activities related to your chosen degree or area of academic interest, colleges also want to see you have a wide range of interests and versatility. Putting sports and creative-related activities on your application is an effective way to show this.
Dance is a strong choice for offering the future College student, an activity that is a sport and an art form. Competitive dance offers a program with awards and recognition and trains students in teamwork abilities, and leadership. Dance and the arts bring communities together and introduce college students to a diversity of backgrounds and lifestyles, which is also an element important to college applications.
A Dance Instructor is a great choice for a letter of recommendation, as they work hand in hand with students for years, helping to mold them and give them the life skills and emotional and physical strength needed to be successful. This developmental relationship between the student and the instructor gives the teacher a first-hand view and makes them a great choice for a recommendation.
Preparing for an interview becomes an easy challenge for a dancer who is comfortable in front of large audiences and being judged on a competitive level while giving them an edge in handling the new experiences once at college.
We at FOCUS Dance Center are proud of the many competitive dancers who have been a part of our Dance and Fitness program and used our program as a stepping stone (in their college applications) once they graduate with us at the end of their Senior year in High School.
Listing volunteer work on your college application provides an opportunity to demonstrate that you are community-minded, have skills that will be valuable throughout your time at college and are likely to be actively involved in campus activities.
Community Service hours are yet another often-overlooked element of a successful application. For dancers at FOCUS Dance Center who already spend so much time at their studio, The Building Youth Charitable Foundation is related to something they are passionate about and related to extracurricular activities. This helps connect their passion for dance with their passion for helping others, and being a charitable volunteer will help them stand out from other students who are also applying for college.
So, when creating your game plan to set your child up for success in college, don’t forget about Dance, Fitness, and competitive dance as an avenue toward that achievement!