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The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal Advising the Involved Student: When Extracurricular Involvement Compromises Academic Achievement Heather Andring, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Involvement in extracurricular activities provides college students with opportunities to meet and connect with other students, explore areas of interest, and contribute to the campus and community. The number of programs available is staggering, with some campuses boasting over 1,000 student organizations from which to choose. With so many choices available and the pressure to succeed seemingly increasing, students can easily become overwhelmed with their involvement outside of the classroom to the extent that it compromises their academic success. With Collison (1990) reporting that students spend only 30 percent of their waking hours inside of the college classroom, students have a number of options for spending their out-of-classroom time. Institutionally sponsored student activities can serve to enhance students' experiences in the classroom. Astin (1984), as reported by Evans, Forney, & DiBrito (1998), argued that “for student learning and growth to take place, students need to actively engage in their environment” (p. 27). Student activities do indeed provide opportunities for students to become more engaged in their college environment. Students involved in extracurricular activities report developing higher confidence, intimacy, mature interpersonal relationships, and purpose (Hood et al., 1986; Hunt & Rentz, 1994; Williams & Winston, 1985; as reported by Evans, Forney, & DiBrito, 1998). Pascarella & Terenzini (1991) report that many studies have shown the correlation between involvement and its positive relationship to persistence, educational attainment, subsequent earnings, social self-concept, and women's choice of sex-atypical careers. Developing skills such as budgeting, planning, setting timelines, and developing communities and interpersonal communication can all be positive outcomes for students engaged in activities. Schein and Laff (1997) argued that extracurricular involvement can also serve as one tool in helping undecided students narrow their choice of major. Students may become overextended in their extracurricular endeavors for a number of reasons. Choices are plentiful for the student looking for an opportunity to get involved. One current trend within student activities is the growth in the number of student organizations available to students, many of which are smaller groups that are splintering from larger, broader organizations as students try to find their niche (Reisberg, 2000). Many students feel pressure to become extensively involved in activities in order to demonstrate leadership experience to potential employers or to build their résumé for further academic applications, as some graduate and professional programs require a set number of hours or experiences for admission. Additionally, some universities are requiring service involvement for graduation. Other students may ascertain more enjoyment from their out-of-classroom experiences than from those inside, suggesting a curriculum or career path mismatch. Finally, some students look to student organizations to develop social and emotional connections and can easily decide to devote more time to these relationships, and thus to the student organization, by neglecting academic work. So what is an adviser to do when a disproportionate involvement in extracurricular activities impedes a student's ability to do well in academic work? As a student organization adviser who has seen students struggle with the balance of academics and extracurricular activities, I offer the following suggested advising practices, which may be helpful in dealing with students in this predicament:
References Collison, M. N. K. (1990, March 28). Colleges pay attention to time students spend outside the classroom. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved July 21, 2002, from http://www.chronicle.com. Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & DiBrito, F. G. (1998). Student development in college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How college affects students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Reisberg, L. (2000, September 29). Proliferation of campus clubs: Too much of a good thing? The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved July 21, 2002, from http://www.chronicle.com. Schein, H. K., & Laff, N. S. (1997). Working with undecided students: A hands-on strategy. NACADA Journal, 17(1), 42–48. Other Resources Association of College Unions International Dunkel, N. W., & Schuh, J. H. (1998). Advising student groups and organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. National Association of Campus Activities National Society for Experiential Education About the Author Heather Andring is Illini Union Program Adviser, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She can be reached at andring@staff.uiuc.edu. Published in The Mentor on September 9, 2002, by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved | |