Coding / Computer Science Club
Learn and build together after school
Why It Matters
A foundational EC for any CS or engineering applicant. Multi-year involvement - especially in a leadership role - shows sustained passion beyond just taking the course.
How to Start
Join your school's existing CS club or start one with a teacher sponsor. Use free curriculum from Code.org or Harvard's CS50. Host mini-hackathons or coding challenges for your school.
Commitment
- Medium commitment: a few hours most weeks during the school year.
- Best starting grade: G7
- G7 - the earlier you start, the more leadership opportunities you'll have by G11 and G12.
Programs It Supports
- Computer Science
- Software Engineering
- Data Science
Majors it supports
- Computer Science – high 80s to high 90s depending on school
- Software Engineering – high 90s at Waterloo; high 80s to low 90s elsewhere
- Data Science – mid 80s to low 90s depending on school and entry route
Universities where it fits
Our profiles for these schools suggest Coding / Computer Science Club as a good fit for their applicants.
- University of Waterloo – Waterloo, ON
- Ontario Tech University – Oshawa, ON
Similar extracurriculars
- Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) – Waterloo's premier programming contest
- Hackathon Participation – Build real projects under pressure in 24-48 hours
- Build a Real Website or App – Create something people actually use
- Game Development Club – Design and ship video games as a team
- Canada Learning Code – Teach coding to others in your community
- University Youth Tech Programs – University-run summer tech programs for high schoolers
- School IT Help Desk / Tech Squad – Assist teachers and students with tech issues
- Hackathon Organizer (In-School) – Host a 12-hour coding competition in your cafeteria
- School Website / App Developer – Modernize your school's digital presence or create an announcements app