The Long Term Impact of Participation in Middle and High School Extracurricular Activities

Abstract

Participation in Extracurricular activities (ECs) has been rising and is becoming an ever more important component of a child’s education. Unfortunately, the benefit of ECs is disproportionately experienced by high SES students. This study expands on previous literature linking participation in ECs on academic and behavioural outcomes to link participation in ECs with later life outcomes that are relevant beyond the high school and college years studied thus far. This study finds that participation in certain ECs will have a small but statistical effect on some future life outcomes, such as civic mindedness and employment quality. Furthermore, this study shows that the differential experience of ECs of low and high SES students persists beyond academic situations and into the ‘real world’. In order to mitigate a potentially increasing social mobility gap, as a result of EC participation, policy that would facilitate the use of ECs as an equaliser is recommended.