From IIM to Ivy League to Russell Group Schools: The One Lesson That Stayed Constant — Why Extracurriculars Matter More Than You Think

The classrooms changed. The continents changed. What got me to IIM-C, LSE, and Yale was beyond the transcripts.

It was a Friday afternoon. The final bell had rung, and the air buzzed with the half-relief, half-restlessness that always came after school ended.

I stood at the gate, waiting for my ride home, watching a line of parents arrive, bags in hand, the cacophony of cars honking in the background.

A mother standing nearby turned to her daughter and said,

“No need to participate in that fest at all, prelims are three months away.”

My mother did not share that line of thinking.

She had immense faith in the power of extracurriculars, and believed in the importance of showing up for both the stage and the syllabus.

She would smile and say,

“Go ahead and participate, just make sure to manage your time well. Both matter, Vanshu.”

While many parents saw extracurriculars as distractions, my mother didn’t see extracurriculars as something that competed with academics, but as something that completed it.

And I owe everything to that belief.

🎓 Marks Do Matter

As someone who has had to sit for competitive exams for admission at every stage, I could never discount the value of academics.

Marks are important. Grades matter.

But while they might bring you to the water, extracurriculars teach you how to fish.

🌍 The Secret Sauce (Is That There Is No Secret Sauce)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from interacting with the incredible students I’ve met across institutions — Mumbai University, IIM Calcutta, the London School of Economics, and Yale School of Management — it’s this: there is no definite formula, no ideal profile or magic number, no cut-off test score or grade above which admission is guaranteed.

Every student I’ve met brings a wealth of experiences; founding ventures, performing on stage, working on social impact projects, overcoming setbacks, or learning through travel, service, and leadership.

It’s what they’ve done outside the classroom, above and beyond the curriculum or KRA, that often shapes them most.

Because at any good university, everyone is intelligent. Everyone is hardworking. Everyone is studying from the same books and will graduate with similar degrees.

What truly sets people apart are their experiences, the moments that challenged them, the lessons they learned in practice, and the stories showing that failures are not preclusions but prerequisites for success.

It’s those stories, the lived experiences, the late nights spent creating, leading, failing, and trying again, that teach what no curriculum ever can.

💼 How Extracurriculars Helped Me Get There

When I reflect on my journey, I realize there hasn’t been a single interview, whether for university admissions or jobs, where the conversation has revolved solely around my grades.

In fact, the question about grades is often the one topic that never comes up.

Yet, we spend almost all our time and energy decorating the transcript, polishing the very thing that makes us identical to everyone else, instead of developing the experiences that distinguish us.

Because while grades might get you noticed, it’s your extracurriculars-your stories, skills, and struggles-that make you remembered.

Moment of Truth:

*When I was speaking to a friend who serves as a student interviewer on the admissions committee, she told me that she used one simple metric to decide who advanced to the next round : the ones who were *memorable, not comparable.

By the time you’re in the room, your transcript has already been read.

What people want to understand is who you are beyond the marksheet.

Almost every one of those stories , the ones that shaped my interview conversations and ultimately shaped the outcome, came from my extracurricular experiences.

Gone are the days when you can say your weakness is “working too hard” or “being too much of a perfectionist.”

Admissions officers look for authentic stories, not rehearsed lines, the kind that can only come from lived experiences.

And almost always, those stories are found outside the classroom.

Extracurriculars teach you how to think, not just what to think.

🧭 What Extracurriculars Have Taught Me

My takeaways from my own experiences participating in extracurriculars and from the people I’ve met through them, are as follows:

1. The Power of ‘Just Ask’

The truth is, the worst that can happen when you ask is no, and it’s already a no if you don’t ask.

We miss 100% of the opportunities we don’t reach for, because closed mouths don’t get fed.

One of the most unforgettable lessons came from the Paperclip Challenge during Yale’s Mastering Influence and Persuasion class.

The task was simple in theory, start with a paperclip and trade it up, item by item, until you end up with something valuable. The catch? No money could be exchanged.

So I walked through the streets of New Haven, approaching strangers, explaining the challenge, and bartering with nothing but conviction and curiosity.

My journey went like this:

📎 Paperclip → 🍺 Beer Can → 🫗 Antique Silver Shaker → 💍 Diamond Ring set with two Amethyst stones.

By the end, I held not just a diamond ring by trading a paperclip, but a powerful reminder that you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you ask for.

Extracurriculars have taught me that the gap between a dream and a deal is simply the courage to ask.

2. Time Management

Every challenge is actually a time-management challenge.

We often find ourselves saying we’re busy, but how much of that busy time is actually productive?

We are often in motion, but not taking action. It’s easy to mistake activity for progress, but they aren’t the same.

Every minute spent is a trade we cannot undo.

Extracurriculars teach you to be intentional with your time and to learn the art of balance.

3. Confidence Is Built, Not Born

I have been passionate about public speaking for over 15 years now. From theatre to debates to stand-up and improv comedy to speaking at the UN, the stage is where I feel most alive.

But it wasn’t always this way.

If you were to read the remarks on my early report cards, you would find the words “shy” and “quiet”.

People sometimes ask if I don’t have stage fright. The truth is, I don’t think anyone ever completely eliminates it.

I still feel almost the same nerves backstage as my fifth-grade self — the racing heart, the inability to eat — it’s just your performance on stage that gets better the more you show up.

The best speakers, the ones you admire, once stood where you are, anxious, trembling, with a lump in their throat and a knot in their stomach, but they did it anyway.

Do it anyway.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s acting despite it.

4. The Power of Showing Up

Some of the most meaningful connections and opportunities in my life began at events I almost didn’t attend.

Just showing up or participating can open doors you would never imagine and lead to the most wonderful outcomes.

I met some of the best people I know in the most unexpected ways — through a playful Instagram pun thread, at the Public Speaking and Debating Society and TEDx Club of my college, and during faculty dinners and community events at my residential college.

I got the opportunity to speak at Yale’s prestigious event Voices simply because I attended a social gathering and ended up chatting with a student who happened to be one of the club leads.

Some of the best opportunities and friendships start in rooms you almost didn’t walk into.

5. Done Is Better Than Perfect Because Perfect Never Gets Done

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll be waiting the rest of your life. A year from now, you may wish you had started today. Perfection is a moving target.

The ideal time to start was yesterday, the next best is now.

‼️Call to Action

So yes, study hard. Chase those grades, because they matter.

But don’t let them be the only thing that defines you, it all comes down to balance.

Go for that event. Audition for that play. Volunteer for that cause. You’ll learn more about yourself there than any syllabus could ever teach you. Because education doesn’t just happen when you open a book, it happens when you open yourself to experience.

The extra in extracurriculars is what makes you extraordinary :)

The classroom may teach you how to make a living, but the world outside it gives you life.

Advice I was given that helped me:

• Pursue academic rigor: challenge yourself with advanced courses and research projects.
• Gain professional experience: take up internships, part-time roles, or shadow professionals.
• Show leadership: lead a club, event, or initiative — even something small that makes an impact.
• Engage globally: study abroad, attend international programs, or collaborate across cultures.
• Start something of your own: launch a project, startup, or community initiative.
• Volunteer meaningfully: contribute to social causes, NGOs, or sustainability projects.
• Develop soft skills: master public speaking, teamwork, and communication.
• Learn a new language: it reflects curiosity and adaptability.
• Pursue creative passions: music, art, writing, or sports — show who you are beyond grades.
• Network and seek mentorship: learn from people who inspire you.
• Keep learning: take online courses, certifications, or workshops to stay curious and current.

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