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MBAGuide
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Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Last visit: 11 Nov 2025
Posts: 2,282
Own Kudos:
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Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Schools: Insead Sept'18 (A$$) ISB '19 (A)
Posts: 2,282
Kudos: 942
How to Approach Extracurricular Essays for B-School Applications 26 Feb 2025, 23:20
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You spent years excelling in academics and building a stellar career, only to come across an application question that asks about your extracurricular involvement. Panic sets in—Do I even have ECs worth mentioning?

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many applicants, especially those from demanding professional fields, struggle with extracurricular essays because they’ve prioritized work and studies over hobbies or community activities. However, these essays are an important opportunity to showcase your passions, leadership skills, and the impact you have made outside of your work and studies. If your target school has a dedicated EC essay, learn how to write a compelling response here.


Step 1: Take Inventory of Your Activities

Before writing your essay, you should make a list of all the activities you have pursued outside of your professional and academic life. Many people instinctively think of traditional hobbies such as music, dancing or sports, but what really matters is how intensely you have pursued these activities and whether you have contributed to a larger cause or community through them.

For example, suppose you have a passion for dance. In that case, you should not just be learning or performing— have you organized dance classes, created choreography for cultural events or developed online tutorials to share your knowledge? Have you won any awards to prove your commitment? Schools want to see real passion combined with initiative and leadership skills.


Step 2: Make an Effort to Recall Less Obvious Contributions

Not all ECs need to be formal or structured. Sometimes, the most impactful actions are subtle and personal. Reflect on moments where you took initiative, advocated for change, or helped others in meaningful ways.

Here are some subtle examples to spark ideas:
  • Advocating for gender diversity at work by highlighting the low female-to-male ratio to HR.
  • Being actively involved in diversity-focused clubs at work such as African American Society, Working Mothers Club, or LGBT+ support groups. Many MNCs will have DEI initiatives that you can actively contribute to.
  • Supporting your family financially in difficult times by taking up tutoring, organizing dance classes, or running small businesses.
  • Helping underprivileged communities, such as teaching children of support staff or organizing donation drives in your apartment complex.
  • Creating awareness about social issues by leading workshops, participating in theatre during college, or organizing mental health discussions at work or school.
By incorporating such examples, you highlight empathy and initiative, making your essay more impactful.


Step 3: Put Together a Strong Narrative

A good EC essay should not just list a bunch of activities, but rather put together a compelling story about your journey and your various impact initiatives. Below are different thematic approaches you can incorporate into your essay effectively:

Example 1. Reflecting on Formative Years
Information about your background helps the admissions committee understand your journey. A successful applicant once recounted how frequent school changes due to family circumstances forced her to overcome her shyness by participating in debates and public speaking. This showed adaptability and perseverance — qualities that later stood her in good stead in management positions.


Example 2. Small Actions, Big Impact
One candidate described how she helped her family during a financial crisis by taking on entrepreneurial ventures such as taking tuitions for neighborhood children, marketing her mother’s homemade snacks through social media, and opening a clothing boutique based on a profit-sharing model with local artisans to solve the problem of attrition. These early experiences proved her business acumen and problem-solving mentality and reinforced her MBA ambitions.


Example 3. Taking a Stand on Social Issues
Another candidate spoke about growing up in a conservative society where topics such as domestic violence and AIDS were taboo. She used her passion for theatre to write and direct street plays to raise awareness of these critical issues in rural areas. Her ability to use storytelling for social change greatly impressed the admissions committee.


Example4. Show Inclusive Leadership at Work
Those who struggle to pinpoint ECs outside of work should consider how they have promoted inclusion and engagement in their workplace. One candidate described how they initiated a training program to support women in a male-dominated sales team, while another launched a book club featuring literature from emerging markets to promote cross-cultural discussions.

The key to an outstanding EC essay is thoughtful reflection. Schools are not looking for a bulleted list of volunteer efforts — they want to see your unique perspective and the deeper impact of your actions. Even if your involvement hasn’t been continuous, a single strong initiative or well-articulated stance on an important issue can make a lasting impression.

Take the time to analyze your journey, identify moments when you were particularly engaged, and create a narrative that highlights your values and leadership.

Reach out for personalized advice

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aanchal-sahni-83b00819/ |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­