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J. Andrew Shepardson, BA, MEd, PhD 

As parents of new college students check off items on the never-ending back-to-school shopping list, one of the last important items just may be some well-meaning advice such as, “Stay focused on your classes and get good grades.” As everybody knows, that’s what matters most.

Or is it? 

Although most colleges don’t assign a grade for them, we have new proof that a student’s experiences outside the classroom can matter just as much as inside. They affect both personal and professional happiness long after they graduate.

At my university where I oversee Student Affairs, we’ve taken a closer look at “outside the classroom” experiences -- known as co-curricular -- and the impact they have on student development. What we found is telling: students absolutely need to be engaged both inside and outside the classroom to reap the full benefits of a college education.

Those of us who have influence on a college student (or so we think!), whether you are a family member, mentor, guidance counselor or college faculty and staff, should encourage students to take full advantage of the entire college experience while they’re on campus.

Advice worth sharing with new college students:

  1. Attend and participate in as much as you can.  The first six weeks will have an abundance of programs geared towards connecting you with faculty, staff and students.
     
  2. Seek out professors who are committed to engaging with students, as well as staff members who work closely with students.
     
  3. Join one club that is familiar to you (maybe something you did in high school) and look for another that stretches you out of your comfort zone.
     
  4. Explore leadership opportunities that include a significant commitment beyond your first semester or first year such as an orientation leader, a resident assistant, organization leader or a service learning engagement.


How do we know this works? We asked.  A team from Bentley University worked with market research firm Gallup on The Gallup-Purdue Index, a national study of alumni from dozens of institutions that focuses on career and life satisfaction.  We used the survey to examine whether five specific co-curricular activities had any bearing on how well college graduates thrive after they leave campus. We asked our alums if they had ever: 1) served as a resident assistant, 2) participated in a service learning project, 3) played a varsity or 4) intramural sport, or 5) belonged to a student organization.

When we referenced those activities against alumni feelings about engagement in their jobs -- an indicator of overall happiness, according to Gallup -- it was clear that participation in co-curricular activities is a strong predictor for professional and personal satisfaction in the post-college years.

To be clear, it is not the specific activities themselves that are necessarily the key. While the five activities we tested did, in fact, correlate with post-graduation satisfaction, what matters are the benefits that students accumulate -- what they learn, how they grow, and how well they integrate their experiences inside and outside the classroom. 

Those benefits include:

  • Feeling supported by the institution
  • Learning perseverance by engaging in an activity for an extended period
  • Developing leadership skills
  • Learning by being mentored and by mentoring someone else


The lesson here is that carving out time for co-curricular activities actually helps students perform better academically.  Numerous studies have proven that the busier students are outside class, the better they do inside class.

These co-curricular activities can also be academic in nature.  For example, students can provide research support to a professor or take classes where they interact with outside experts.  Or they can engage in cross-cultural programming or structured discussions about social justice, race, gender, and other issues that continue to roil the country. The more diverse the activities, the better, allowing students to test their interests and competencies.

Some may mistake this for resume building. While there may be some benefits in that regard, the real purpose is to help students gain insight into who they are. They can discover just how well they deal with conflict, interact with others outside of their culture, or hold a peer accountable. These challenges are critically important for personal growth and they are precisely the kind of challenges that co-curricular programs, at their best, can address.

Students who take this advice to heart will not only make the most of their college years, but they will improve their chances for real engagement in their careers and overall happiness long into their post-college lives. After all, it’s not just about grades, if it ever was. The report card that really matters is one focused on self-discovery and personal growth. 

J. Andrew Shepardson, BA, MEd, PhD, is Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students at Bentley University.