{"id":10115,"date":"2025-08-05T12:41:51","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T16:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scholarshipowl.com\/blog\/?p=10115"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:19:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T00:19:35","slug":"survey-reveals-what-drives-gen-z-extracurricular-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scholarshipowl.com\/blog\/gen-z-research\/survey-reveals-what-drives-gen-z-extracurricular-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Survey Reveals What Drives Gen Z Extracurricular Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The college application process<\/a> has long emphasized the importance of a well-rounded extracurricular profile<\/a>. Students know that showcasing commitment to sports, clubs, and volunteer work can be a key to standing out. But have you ever wondered if these activities are truly a labor of love, or if they’re a strategic part of the college admissions game<\/a>? Do students participate in extracurricular activities because they feel they have<\/i> to, or because they genuinely want to? What drives their extracurricular engagement?<\/p>\n

\"Pretty<\/p>\n

ScholarshipOwl<\/a> wanted to get to the heart of this question. We recently surveyed thousands of high school and college students to gain a deeper understanding of what motivates them, what they enjoy doing in their free time, and what kind of scholarships they truly desire. The insights are powerful and confirm that students’ extracurricular involvement is driven by a mix of strategy, passion, and personal values.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Who Participated in the Survey?<\/b><\/h2>\n

In July 2025, ScholarshipOwl surveyed 12,611 high school and college students on the ScholarshipOwl scholarship platform to learn more about what kinds of extracurriculars Gen Z students are involved in, and what they enjoy doing in their spare time.<\/p>\n

Among the respondents, 66% were female, 33% were male, and 1% identified themselves as a different gender identity or preferred not to respond to the question. Nearly half (46%) were Caucasian, 24% were Black, 17% were Hispanic\/Latino, 6% were Asian\/Pacific Islander, 2% were American Indian\/Native American and 5% selected \u201cother\u201d or preferred not to respond to the question.<\/p>\n

One-third (33%) of the respondents were high school students, with the overwhelming majority high school seniors; more than half (56%) were college undergraduate students, primarily college freshmen and college sophomores; 9% were graduate students and 3% identified themselves as adult\/non-traditional students.<\/p>\n

Question 1: What extracurricular activities have you been involved in during high school or college?<\/h2>\n

With the first question, ScholarshipOwl\u2019s goal was to better understand which extracurricular activities Gen Z students participate in. The overwhelming majority selected more than one activity from the list.<\/p>\n

\"Chart<\/p>\n