Passion Projects: Essential, Optional, or Silly?
Photo by Marvin Meyer at Unsplash
Passion projects are all the rage. Parents, wondering if your student should be pursuing one? Students, curious about what it should look like?
These are questions we get asked all the time, and here is our annoying answer: it depends on the student and what project they have in mind.
Let’s start with the basics. What is a passion project, or what we call in our practice a Personal Enrichment Project (PEP)?
Typically, it is a self-directed pursuit whereby the student engages independently in building or creating something (digital or physical) or researching a topic of interest. Examples might include designing and coding an app, launching a nonprofit, or researching a topic outside the scope of what one might learn in the classroom (for example, nutrition or product design). A PEP can last for 2–3 months or 2–3 years, depending on its scope (and the student’s efficiency and productivity!).
Why, seemingly all of a sudden, is everyone talking about the passion project? For one, the landscape at the most selective schools is so competitive that perfect grades, scores, and rigor are no longer enough. Students targeting these schools are frequently looking for a “hook” to differentiate themselves and to demonstrate qualities that colleges may be seeking, such as intellectual curiosity, creative thinking, and initiative. While summer programs and internships are important, a unique project, designed and carried out by the student, may have a greater impact.
Secondly, “specialists” frequently outperform “generalists” in the admissions process. Well-rounded kids who play a couple sports, engage in service, hold a leadership role or two, and aren’t quite sure what they want to study are often equipped to excel at life but may sadly be forgettable in admissions, particularly at larger schools with high applicant volume and a commitment to holistic review. By contrast, students who have “gone deep” in an area of interest and produced something that is theirs alone might stand out more on paper. In short, a memorable applicant with excellent numbers is a great thing to be in a competitive landscape.
Another reason that people are talking about this is because of the exponential growth of this corner of the admissions industry. Several companies provide passion project support services, not dissimilar to our in-house PEP offering, which makes it easier for students to access structure, accountability, and mentorship. This makes the passion project more viable for students who may not naturally be entirely self-motivated self-starters with well-formed ideas of what they want to pursue (i.e. most of them!).
Nevertheless, a passion project is not right for everyone. Some students do better in team-based settings so may instead thrive in an existing collaboration-based extracurricular outlet, whether in school or outside. Some require more structure than what a project mentor may be able to provide, while others simply need more time to dabble in a few different areas of interest before committing to something. Others may have interests that they simply cannot pursue independently or need established resources to support (such as a life sciences research lab). And, many students may have extracurricular, family, and academic commitments that preclude their full engagement in the level of project needed to truly make an impact.
But, for those that are excited to pursue a PEP, here is what we recommend:
1) Have a concrete deliverable in mind. There needs to be something to show for what you have done that an admissions reader can (easily and quickly) assess to understand substance, knowledge gained, and impact. Writing a paper for Google Drive posterity is not sufficient. The final product needs to be shareable or documentable in some capacity. Think published research, a podcast series, or a downloadable app.
2) Avoid (or go beyond) pay-to-play deliverables. There are plenty of high school journals out there that are non-selective, and it’s pretty easy to pay to self-publish a book. But there should be some way to assess substance and impact beyond ability to pay. If a peer-reviewed academic journal is not feasible, and you opt for a high school journal, how can you go further? Maybe you can host a panel of speakers on the topic at your school, presenting your own findings as well. If a graphic novel is the goal, and realistically, self-publication is the only option, how to think beyond that? Maybe you use this as a model for the graphic novel class you are going to teach at the local elementary school.
3) Pursue your actual interests. We are big believers in trying to gain value from the admissions process in the form of self-discovery, personal growth, and skill development. A student who is truly invested and interested in what they are doing is also just more excited, authentic, and likeable. A passion project should ideally allow you to home in on your interests, define some goals for colleges, and develop skills that you will be able to leverage for success down the line.
4) Make a lasting impact. We urge students to think beyond the single iteration of their project. Can you make that panel an annual event? Can you bring that graphic novel class to the elementary school as an annual offering? The Girl Scout Gold Award requires that the final project be sustaining in this way, and we think this is a great model for thinking beyond the short term.
Regardless of whether it results in a PEP, a passion project, or just a fun thing you’re doing on the side, we urge all students to get a little creative, think critically about their interests and skills, and take some risks. Who knows where it will lead, but it definitely won’t hurt to try.
