Many people believe that consulting firms only care about grades or the school you attended.

Sure, those help a little, but they don’t make someone say, “We need this person.”

What really makes them look twice are the things you do outside class, like leading a club, starting a small project, or pulling off an event. 

Those show you can solve problems, work with others, and get things done.

Your extracurriculars aren’t just extra. 

They show who you are when no one is telling you what to do. 

In this blog, you’ll learn:

• What your activities outside school tell consulting firms about you.
• The types of extracurricular activities that stand out.
• How to present those activities so that firms see your potential.

Let’s get started. 

What Your Extracurriculars (Really) Tell Consulting Firms

When a recruiter scans your profile, they’re not just asking what did you join?
They’re asking:

• Did you lead?
• Did you make something better?
• Did you create impact beyond yourself?

Your grades show them you can learn. Your extracurriculars show them you can do.

Top consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain say they look for “well‑rounded problem solvers with a proven record of impact”. 

And many times, that record is built outside the classroom.

Here’s a quick look at how firms see different kinds of activities:

If you’ve done this…	Here’s what it signals to them…	Why it matters in consulting…
Led a student org or team	You can inspire, organize, and deliver	Projects need people who can own outcomes, not just tasks
Competed in case comps or strategy clubs	You thrive on problem‑solving under pressure	Mirrors the exact thinking they use with clients
Launched a side hustle	You take initiative and manage resources	Shows business sense and drive beyond schoolwork
Ran a community project	You create change and rally others	Firms want people who care about impact, not just titles

See the pattern? 

They want proof that you actually made things happen.

When you look at your activities through that lens, you start sounding like someone they’d want on their team.

Now, let’s look at the kinds of extracurriculars that really show that off.

4 Extracurriculars That Stand Out to Consulting Firms

Not every activity catches recruiters’ attention. 

They’re looking for signs that you step up, solve problems, and actually make things better.

These next four? They do exactly that. 

And if you’ve done even one of them, you’ve already got a story worth sharing.

1. Leadership Roles That Drive Results

Having “President” or “Team Lead” on your resume looks nice, but what matters is the story behind it. 

Firms want to see proof that you didn’t just wear the title, you made things better.

Reflect on the times when you stepped in and something actually changed because of your actions.

Maybe you took a club that was barely active and turned it into one of the busiest groups on campus.

That kind of action tells them you can lead people, handle pressure, and drive real results.

McKinsey points out that they look for “people who lead in any setting, formal or informal,” because those are the people who can own outcomes and not just follow instructions

Leadership is always about what you made possible while you were there.

Here’s how you can frame it:

Instead of simply writing, “Vice President, Marketing Club,” show what happened under your watch:

“Led a team of 12 to launch three campus campaigns, increasing event sign‑ups by 40% in one semester.”

See how that line instantly shows action and impact? 

When you talk about these roles in your resume or in an interview, focus less on the title and more on the movement you created. 

2. Joining Case Competitions or Strategy Clubs

Case competitions and strategy clubs are a great starting point for consulting.

You’re presented with a tough business problem and a team that needs answers quickly, just like real client work.

From my own experience mentoring students, I can tell you this: the ones who join competitions learn how to think in structures and how to speak with confidence in front of a panel. 

Those are the same skills firms test in interviews.

Bain even says they look for candidates with “proven experience solving complex problems”.

A case comp win, or even a strong placement, is proof you can handle that.

If you’ve been part of a strategy club or competed in a case challenge, don’t just list it. 

Share what you did. 

Did you build the financial model? Handle market research? Present the final pitch? 

Those details show you’ve already practiced the work they do every day.

That’s the kind of signal that makes a recruiter think, “This one gets it.”

3. Community Service With Real Initiatives

Community service shows impact, not just hours or certificates. 

Did you step in and make things better? Did you start something new or improve what was already there?

I’ve seen candidates share simple outreach work, but when they explain how they doubled volunteers or made donations easier, it becomes a strong story. 

If you can drive change in a community, firms know you can do it for a client too.

Here’s how you can look at it:

What you did	What it shows firms	How to frame it
Organized a fundraising event	You can plan, lead, and rally people	“Launched a fundraiser that hit 120% of target in 2 weeks.”
Improved a process in a volunteer group	You solve problems and think ahead	“Streamlined donation tracking, cutting errors by 30%.”
Built a new initiative from scratch	You take initiative and create impact	“Started a weekend reading program that reached 80 kids in 3 months.”

When you talk about community work, go beyond what you joined. 

Show what changed because of you. 

That’s the kind of detail that makes firms see you as someone who makes things happen.

 4. Entrepreneurial Projects That Show Initiative

Starting something on your own says a lot.

It shows you don’t wait around. You see a need, build something, and make it work.

Maybe you ran a small online shop, set up a tutoring group, or launched a campus project that earned its own funds.

Those stories show you can think like a problem‑solver and handle things end-to-end.

In our Immersive Case Interview Course at High Bridge Academy, we’ve seen students turn small side hustles into strong interview stories. Initiative like this makes firms see you as someone who creates.

How to Frame Your Extracurriculars on Your Resume

Listing activities is easy. Making them count on your resume is a different story.

Recruiters only spend a few seconds scanning, so every line must demonstrate action and impact.

Instead of simply naming your role, explain what changed because of you. Use strong action verbs and add numbers when you can. Those two things alone make a huge difference.

Here’s what I mean:

Weak line	Strong line
Member, Marketing Club	Led a team of 12 to launch 3 campaigns, growing event sign‑ups by 40%
Volunteer, Outreach Program	Organized donation drive that raised ₱50,000 in two weeks
Participant, Case Competition	Built market model that helped team place 2nd out of 50

These are how strong lines feel alive.

They convey a story in a single sentence. You’re showing what you did, how you did it, and the result.

Resumes with quantifiable achievements saw a 40% jump in interview requests.

So, when you write your resume, start with an action verb: led, built, launched, organized, created, improved. 

Then add what you achieved and, if possible, the metric behind it.

For example, instead of writing:

Treasurer, Finance Club

You could write:

Managed ₱200,000 club budget and reduced event costs by 15% through new vendor contracts.

Small details like this show that firms think about results, not just activities. 

That’s exactly what they want in a consultant.

Someone who doesn’t just join, but actually makes things better.

3 Stories That Interviewers Want to Hear

Interviewers don’t want a list of clubs or titles.

They want stories with clear moments where you made something happen and can explain it step by step.

Here are three kinds of stories that always stand out:

1. Growth Stories That Show You Can Lead

Think of a time you joined something small and helped it grow.

You might have also added new activities, spoken with people to gauge their interests, or shared updates online to encourage more participation. 

Small steps like these show you can lead and make change happen.

👉 Example:

“When I joined, our club had 10 active members. I started weekly skill sessions, asked alumni to give short talks, and shared updates online. By the end of the semester, we grew to 80 members and ran three big events with record turnout.”

2. Collaboration Stories Showing You Work Well With Others

Consulting isn’t a solo job.

Firms want people who can work effectively with a diverse range of teammates, even when they hold differing views.

A good story here shows how you helped a group function better.

👉 Example:

“In our debate team, two new members were falling behind on research. Instead of letting them struggle, I set up short practice sessions and built a shared research folder everyone could use. Within a month, their points improved, and we won back‑to‑back rounds.”

It’s a small moment, but it tells recruiters you know how to support others and make the team stronger.

That’s the kind of person clients want to work with, too.

3. Impact Stories That Show You Create Change

Some of the best stories aren’t just about results today. 

They show that what you built lasted even after you left. This proves you think long‑term, not just about finishing your own task.

👉 Example:

“I suggested a mentorship system in our student org so new members had someone to guide them. I paired first-time users with experienced members, shared a quick guide, and tracked their progress. A year later, that system was still in place, and new recruits were staying twice as long.”

Stories like that show you don’t just fix a problem once. 

You create something that continues to help others, and companies love seeing that kind of lasting impact.

How to Talk About Your Extracurriculars Like a Consultant

When sharing your activities in an interview, don’t just list the organizations you joined. 

Talk about what was really happening, what you did about it, and what changed because of you. That’s what makes them lean in.

Keep it simple. Imagine you’re telling a friend a quick story you’re proud of. 

No big words. No rushing. 

Just walk them through it step by step so they see how you think and how you get things done.

Here’s something for you to keep in mind:

What to do	Why it helps	Example
Start with what was going on	Gives them a clear picture	“Our club had low attendance and no clear plan…”
Share what you actually did	Shows how you work and solve things	“I set up weekly sessions and promoted them online…”
End with what happened after	Proves you made a difference	“…and attendance grew from 10 to 80 in one semester.”

Before your interview, practice saying your stories out loud. Keep them short and natural.

If it sounds like you’re talking to someone you trust, you’re on the right track.

If you’d like more tips, we have another blog that walks you through preparing for consulting interviews. You might enjoy that too.

Your Activities Can Set You Apart

The activities you choose outside class can shape the story you tell when you apply. They show how you lead, solve problems, and make things happen. All the things firms look for beyond grades or school names. If you want help turning those experiences, the Immersive Case Interview Course of High Bridge Academy’s Consulting Bootcamp can guide you. Schedule your discovery call today!