Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits and Why?

This article analyzed data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) to test the effect of participation in extracurricular activities on high school achievement. It also explored potential connections that linked such participation to academic success. Survey data was analyzed through social capital (i.e. the ability to accrue benefits through membership in social networks) and developmental models and demonstrated that participation in some extracurricular activities improved achievement, while participation in others did not affect achievement.