Good extracurricular activities for high school students

For example, Model UN and debate team both demonstrate the ability to think critically, work as a team, and follow through over time. These two activities also offer the opportunity for quantifiable achievement in the form of conference wins and awards. Volunteering at the animal shelter is valuable because it demonstrates a sense of care for the community and where a student volunteers can give insight into what the student finds meaningful. Therefore, instead of thinking about finding the right activities, think about finding activities with these attributes. 

Prestigious Universities are looking for students who are excellent academically combined with meaningful uniqueness that can have high potential of impact in the future. Because the place at Universities are limited, they opt for the best students.