What is a Passion Project?

Key Points

• A passion project is a self-directed, student-initiated pursuit in which a high school student explores an interest or curiosity outside of school or work.

• Starting one begins with identifying something you genuinely care about and then designing an independent project around that interest, which can take many forms (e.g., creative, research-based, entrepreneurial).

• Passion projects can be simple or multifaceted, and combining different activities can showcase a broader range of skills and initiative.

• These projects help students develop skills, explore their identity, and demonstrate ambition — qualities that resonate with college admissions officers.

• Passion projects provide compelling material for college essays and make applications stand out by showing leadership, creativity, and sustained commitment.

The concept is simple, the purpose is deeply personal, and the execution is whatever you want it to be. When a high school student decides to take the initiative and pursue a genuine interest via an independent endeavor outside of work or school, they’re developing a passion project. This self-directed, extracurricular pursuit is characterized by authenticity; therefore, no passion project is the same, and therein lies the value of them. Not only do these initiatives allow students to develop important skills, but passion projects also invite young leaders to explore their emerging identities and enhance their college applications in the process. 

How Do I Start a Passion Project?

The first step to getting started is very straightforward: identify your passion or interest.[1] Don’t worry, there’s no way to get this wrong. Maybe you’re a writer who’s interested in creative storytelling. You could be a teacher at heart whose passion leads you to early childhood education. Or perhaps you’re a future journalist dedicated to revealing truths and asking all the right questions. Even if you aren’t passionate about anything in particular, you can still let your curiosity guide you on an exploration of a topic or question you’ve always wanted to know more about. Once you’ve narrowed down your focus, you can brainstorm creative ways to structure your project, which can take on many different forms.

Some students compose musical scores, design and create clothing, or write books, while others start businesses or test scientific hypotheses. While your passion project is allowed to be singular in focus–starting a blog, learning a new language–you should also consider crafting a multifaceted initiative that combines various extracurricular activities into one. The resulting project could ultimately demonstrate your ambition, creativity, and flexibility by synthesizing a range of skills and knowledge into a cohesive project. 

For example, if you’re passionate about photography, why stop at just taking nice photos and posting them on Instagram? Sure, building a portfolio is a worthy endeavor, especially for graduating seniors. However, you could also commit to your craft by enrolling in a photography course, such as our advanced research program, Language of the Lens: Photography and Visual Storytelling, to sharpen your skill set and learn valuable university-level research methodology. Then you could leverage your newfound knowledge and research findings to inform a special documentary project, which you would then promote on your newly developed photography website. That’s three self-directed, extracurricular activities–advanced research, photography, and website development–to note on your college application, all of which are focused on photography.

If the multifaceted approach doesn’t resonate with you, think about an interdisciplinary passion project that pulls on two or more distinct subject areas to create a fascinating and unique initiative. If you’re passionate about cooking, for instance, but plan to pursue a pre-med track in college, you could make a health-conscious cookbook filled with recipes that taste delicious but incorporate thoughtful ingredients that tackle inflammation, aid weight loss, prevent heart disease, and more.

How Do Passion Projects Enhance College Applications?

Students who pursue extracurricular passion projects routinely differentiate themselves from other college applicants by showcasing their personalities and taking the initiative to make unique contributions to their communities or engage in standout experiences that foster self-growth.[2] This not only demonstrates leadership and intellectual curiosity but also denotes a willingness and ability to develop new skills and commit to something over an extended period of time, all of which are essential characteristics that admissions officers look for in potential students. Colleges and universities may vary in culture, reputation, areas of focus, and more, but there are a few universal traits that top schools consistently seek in applicants.

It’s also worth noting that passion projects provide applicants with the perfect material for compelling college essays. Whether you pursue a singular focus, take a multipronged approach, or intertwine all the disciplines that interest you into a single concept, crafting a passion project is an excellent way to learn about yourself, enhance your college applications, and, most importantly, have some fun.

Sources

[1] Cohen, S. (2025). How to find your passion project. Shondaland. https://www.shondaland.com/shonda/year-of-yes/how-to-find-your-passion-project/

[2] Mendi. (2025, June 3). 18 personal development activities to boost your success. Mendi.io. https://www.mendi.io/blogs/brain-health/18-personal-development-activities-to-boost-your-success?srsltid=AfmBOopZVPAJ7IuPqUqCBFu50oetCnqC81F_lkpPtdAclw-9UVxIi2Kd