Best Extracurriculars for Future Engineering Majors
Author: Extracurricular Hub
Article Summary
Best extracurriculars for aspiring engineering majors. Robotics, math competitions, maker projects, summer programs, and a 4-year roadmap to stand out for top engineering schools.
Full Article
Engineering is one of the most popular — and competitive — undergraduate majors. Schools like MIT, Stanford, Georgia Tech, and Purdue receive thousands of applications from students with perfect test scores and straight-A transcripts. What separates admitted students? Their extracurricular profiles. Engineering admissions committees want to see that you've already started thinking and building like an engineer. This means hands-on projects, quantitative competitions, and evidence that you can apply technical skills to solve real problems. What Engineering Admissions Officers Want Based on public guidance from top engineering programs, here's what stands out: Building things — Projects, prototypes, apps, robots, or devices you've designed and built Quantitative rigor — Strong performance in math and science competitions Technical leadership — Leading a robotics team, running a makerspace, or organizing a hackathon Real-world problem solving — Using engineering skills to address community or environmental challenges Collaboration — Engineering is a team sport; show you can work with others Explore engineering-related programs in our full directory — filter by STEM to find the best matches. Top Robotics Programs and Competitions Robotics is the single most relevant extracurricular for engineering applicants. It combines design, programming, mechanical skills, and teamwork. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) The premier high school robotics competition. Teams of 25+ students design and build a 120-pound robot in six weeks, then compete at regional and national events. FRC alumni earn significant scholarships and have strong placement at top engineering schools. VEX Robotics More accessible than FRC with smaller team sizes and lower costs. VEX competitions are available worldwide and teach core engineering design principles. Science Olympiad — Engineering Events Events like "Helicopter," "Mousetrap Vehicle," and "Bridge Building" test hands-on engineering skills. Join through your school's Science Olympiad team. Find competitions in our Competitions section. BEST Robotics A free, no-cost-to-enter robotics competition where teams are given identical kits. Perfect for students without access to expensive equipment. Math Competitions That Matter Math competitions demonstrate the quantitative thinking that engineering programs value: AMC 10/12 → AIME → USAMO — The American Mathematics Competition pathway. Qualifying for AIME is impressive; reaching USAMO is exceptional. MATHCOUNTS — For middle schoolers, but strong performance signals early aptitude Mu Alpha Theta — National math honor society with regional and national competitions Math Modeling (HiMCM, M3 Challenge) — Team-based competitions where you build mathematical models to solve real-world problems. Especially relevant for engineering. Physics competitions (F=ma, USAPhO) — Physics is the foundation of many engineering disciplines Summer Engineering Programs MIT Launch (Entrepreneurship) Four-week program where students learn to launch real businesses — combining engineering, product design, and business acumen. Women in Engineering at Notre Dame (WIE) Free program introducing young women to various engineering disciplines through hands-on projects and lab visits. Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP) Three-week intensive program at UPenn covering biotechnology, computer science, nanotechnology, and robotics. COSMOS — University of California Four-week residential program at UC campuses with clusters in mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and computer science. Browse all summer options in our Summer Programs directory. Building Projects That Stand Out Nothing impresses engineering admissions like a portfolio of things you've actually built. Here are project ideas by engineering discipline: Mechanical Engineering Design and 3D-print a functional mechanical device Build a go-kart, drone, or RC vehicle from scratch Create an automated system for a real-world problem (irrigation, sorting, etc.) Electrical/Computer Engineering Build IoT devices with Arduino or Raspberry Pi Design a PCB (printed circuit board) for a custom application Create a home automation system Software Engineering Build and deploy a web or mobile app that solves a real problem Contribute to open-source projects on GitHub Develop an AI/ML project with real-world data Civil/Environmental Engineering Design a bridge or structure using CAD software Conduct a local environmental impact study Build a water filtration or purification system Your 4-Year Engineering Roadmap Freshman Year Join your school's robotics team or start one Begin AMC preparation and take AMC 10 Learn a programming language (Python is a great start) Start a maker project at home or at a local makerspace Track everything in the Activities Tracker Sophomore Year Take a leadership role on your robotics or engineering team Compete in AMC 12, physics competitions, or math modeling Apply to engineering summer programs Build your first substantial personal project Junior Year Attend a selective summer engineering program Captain or lead your robotics team Start a STEM outreach initiative (teach younger students, run workshops) Aim for AIME qualification or national robotics competition Senior Year Polish your project portfolio Write application essays that connect your engineering projects to real-world impact Continue leading and mentoring STEM Outreach and Teaching Engineering admissions committees love seeing students who share their technical knowledge with others. Teaching and outreach activities demonstrate communication skills, leadership, and community impact — all qualities that top engineering programs value. Start a STEM tutoring program — Organize weekly sessions teaching math or science to middle school or elementary students. This doesn't require formal structure — even tutoring at your local library counts. Run coding workshops — Teach basic programming to younger students through organizations like Code.org or independently at your school or community center. Document how many students you teach and track their progress. Create educational content — Start a YouTube channel, blog, or social media account explaining engineering concepts. Building an audience demonstrates communication skills and genuine passion for the field. Volunteer at science museums — Many science and technology museums have teen volunteer programs where you explain exhibits and run demonstrations for visitors. Organize a hackathon — Planning and executing a hackathon at your school or in your community shows event management, technical leadership, and the ability to create opportunities for others. Engineering Internships for High School Students While most formal engineering internships require college enrollment, there are pathways for high school students to gain professional experience: Local engineering firms — Small and mid-size engineering companies are often more flexible about hiring high school interns than large corporations. Send personalized emails to firms in your area explaining your interests and what you can contribute. University research labs — Many professors will take motivated high school students as unpaid research assistants, especially during the summer. Focus on labs doing work that genuinely interests you and send specific, knowledgeable emails about their research. Startups — Technology startups often need help with coding, prototyping, or testing. They're also more likely to give you real responsibilities than larger companies. Government agencies — Organizations like NASA, NOAA, and the Department of Energy offer high school programs that provide real engineering experience. Makerspaces and fab labs — Community makerspaces often need help running workshops, maintaining equipment, and mentoring new members. This provides both technical experience and community leadership. Search for internships and research positions in our Internships directory. How to Document Your Engineering Projects A portfolio of well-documented engineering projects can be more impressive than any single program or competition. Here's how to present your work effectively: Create a personal website or portfolio — Use GitHub Pages, a personal domain, or a portfolio platform to showcase your projects with photos, videos, and technical descriptions. Write clear project descriptions — For each project, explain the problem you were solving, your design process, the tools and technologies you used, challenges you overcame, and the results achieved. Include process documentation — Admissions committees want to see how you think, not just what you built. Include sketches, failed prototypes, and iterations that show your engineering design process. Record demonstration videos — A 2-3 minute video showing your project in action is more compelling than any written description. Include footage of the building process if possible. Track everything in one place — Use our Activities Tracker to maintain a running log of projects, competitions, and technical skills you've developed throughout high school. Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to know what type of engineering I want to study? No. Most schools admit students to a general engineering program and let you specialize later. However, having a direction (even if it changes) helps you build a focused extracurricular profile. Showing depth in one area of engineering is better than dabbling in all of them. Is robotics required for engineering school? Robotics is not required, but it's the single most relevant extracurricular because it combines design, programming, and teamwork. If you're not into robotics, focus on other hands-on projects that demonstrate engineering thinking. How important are math competitions for engineering admissions? Math competitions are valuable but not essential. They demonstrate quantitative ability, which engineering programs care about. However, a strong math competition record alone won't compensate for a lack of hands-on building experience. What if my school doesn't have a robotics team? Start one. Founding a robotics team is itself a powerful demonstration of engineering leadership. You can also join community-based teams, participate in online robotics challenges, or focus on independent maker projects. Do engineering schools care about non-STEM activities? Yes. A well-rounded profile with some non-STEM activities (music, athletics, community service) can actually strengthen your application by showing you're a multidimensional person. Just make sure your core profile clearly demonstrates engineering aptitude and passion.Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know what type of engineering I want to study?
No. Most schools admit students to a general engineering program and let you specialize later. However, having a direction helps you build a focused extracurricular profile. Showing depth in one area is better than dabbling in all of them.
Is robotics required for engineering school?
Robotics is not required, but it's the single most relevant extracurricular because it combines design, programming, and teamwork. If you're not into robotics, focus on other hands-on projects that demonstrate engineering thinking.
How important are math competitions for engineering admissions?
Math competitions are valuable but not essential. They demonstrate quantitative ability, which engineering programs care about. However, a strong record alone won't compensate for a lack of hands-on building experience.
What if my school doesn't have a robotics team?
Start one. Founding a robotics team is itself a powerful demonstration of engineering leadership. You can also join community-based teams, participate in online robotics challenges, or focus on independent maker projects.
Do engineering schools care about non-STEM activities?
Yes. A well-rounded profile with some non-STEM activities can strengthen your application by showing you're multidimensional. Just make sure your core profile clearly demonstrates engineering aptitude and passion.