Admissions officers for graduate management programs are interested in more than just how smart you are. Your ability to lead and work with others and your interest in life outside professional pursuits provide valuable insights into who you are. Extracurricular and community activities can be great places to showcase yourself. Here are some things to keep in mind if you do decide to spotlight these areas in your application.

Emphasize activities that show multitasking, well-roundedness, and leadership. A person with a reasonable academic performance or grade point average (GPA) who accomplished a lot outside of class may be viewed as well as (or more favorably than) someone with a perfect GPA and nothing else to show for his or her time. This is also a great way for a candidate with less work experience to demonstrate skills that were developed in a university but have not been fully utilized in the workplace yet. Schools want to know not only how well you do in school but also how successful you are in the “real world.”

Before you write about your extracurricular or community activities, think about the following:

• Be prepared to talk about your personal contributions. There will be a lot of interest in what you did, personally, to make a difference or contribution. If all you did was attend meetings, you might be better off not listing the activity or organization.
• Be selective in what you share. Provide only pertinent information. Highly personal information may not be relevant or useful.
• Be particularly mindful of religious or political affiliations. Determine whether potential gains, such as demonstrating leadership, outweigh the potential for negative perceptions or biases.