How can I apply College Essay Guy's advice to write a strong extracurricular essay?

You can absolutely use College Essay Guy’s techniques to make your extracurricular essay shine—even if your activities aren’t rare. The key is to delve into the details and personal significance of your involvement, rather than aiming for the most impressive or uncommon activity on your list.

For the extracurricular essay, focusing deeply on one activity tends to create a stronger narrative, unless there’s a natural way to tie two or three together with a theme (which is where the "montage" technique comes in). The montage method works by linking moments from different activities with a single thread—like a value, a motif, or a lesson. For example, if you want to connect debate and volunteering, maybe both have taught you about advocacy, empathy, or finding your voice for those who don’t have one. You can alternate scenes: a dramatic round at a debate tournament, then a moment comforting a stressed dog at the shelter, showing how you approach both with the same compassion or determination.

Dialogue-as-action is another great approach. Instead of listing what you do, jump into moments with vivid dialogue, showing how you interact with others or solve problems. For instance, you might open with a heated exchange during a debate round—“Isn’t it our responsibility to speak for those who can’t?”—and then parallel it with a conversation at the animal shelter—“If he won’t eat, maybe he misses his owner. Let me try sitting with him.” Dialogue draws the reader into your world and illustrates the skills you’re building without having to state them outright.

Even if your experiences seem typical, your personal perspective isn’t. Reflect on *why* those activities matter to you. Has debate made you more confident speaking up for what’s right? Did volunteering teach you patience or reveal a new career interest? Instead of saying, "I learned leadership," show a pivotal moment: the time you advocated for a change in shelter procedure, or the niche topic you researched until 3 a.m. for debate. The more specific you are, the more memorable your essay becomes.

An example structure: start with a brief, engaging scene (dialogue or sensory details), zoom out with background or emotion, then describe a challenge, turning point, or insight. End with a moment of growth—how you’ll apply these lessons beyond high school.

The focus should be less on what you do and more on who you are becoming through these activities. That personal touch, combined with narrative techniques like montage or dialogue, can make even the most familiar extracurriculars pop.