15 High School Extracurriculars for Future Business Majors
Getting involved in leadership extracurriculars in high school isn’t just about building a strong resume; it’s about learning how to think, act, and lead like a future entrepreneur.
What do extracurriculars for future business look like?
If you have ever imagined starting your own business, managing a team, or making a real difference in your community, these activities give you the chance to start now. Along the way, you'll build essential skills such as decision-making, communication, problem-solving, and resilience.
Why pursue extracurriculars as a high schooler interested in business?
If you're interested in business, entrepreneurship, or leadership, these extracurriculars can also make a real impact on your college applications. Admissions officers don’t just look for good grades; they look for students who take charge, create impact, and demonstrate real-world leadership experience. Whether it's launching your own venture, leading a club, or organizing a community event, the right extracurricular can help you stand out while growing into a confident and capable leader.
For related options, check out business extracurriculars for high schoolers and entrepreneurship extracurriculars for high schoolers.
15 High School Extracurriculars for Future Business Majors
1. Join a Leadership Club
Joining an established leadership club is one of the easiest ways to start building your leadership skills. These clubs provide structured opportunities to develop leadership skills through meetings, events, and collaborative projects. You could join your student council, debate club, Model UN, or leadership-focused organizations such as Junior Achievement. As a member, you might help organize events, lead discussions, mentor classmates, or take charge of small initiatives. Over time, you can take on executive roles such as president or team lead. This experience builds confidence, teamwork, and organizational skills - essential traits for future business leaders.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: School-based
Resources/Experience Required: Minimal; interest and participation
2. Join an Incubator Program
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: Fully online!
Resources/Experience Required: Interest in business
3. Launch a Small Business
Running a small business, whether it’s selling handmade products, offering tutoring, or managing an online store, is one of the most practical ways to build leadership skills. You’ll take charge of everything from budgeting and marketing to customer service and operations. This teaches you accountability and strategic thinking while giving you firsthand exposure to entrepreneurship. Such hands-on experience would be especially valuable if you're interested in business programs.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Location: Online or local community
Resources/Experience Required: Basic financial literacy, creativity
4. Join a Structured Internship Program
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries from tech/deep tech, and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook.
As an intern, you'll work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present your work to the company. You'll also receive one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other such valuable skills, and you will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in your cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: Fully online!
Resources/Experience Required: Dedication and an interest in business/related fields
5. Volunteer and Lead Community Projects
Community service becomes a true leadership experience when you take initiatives such as organizing drives, fundraisers, or awareness campaigns. Instead of just participating, you’ll coordinate teams, you'll step up to manage logistics, and ensure everything runs smoothly. This level of involvement builds empathy, responsibility, and project management skills. Over time, these experiences also strengthen your communication and problem-solving abilities, while showing that you can lead with purpose and create meaningful impact in your community.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: Local community
Resources/Experience Required: Initiative, time commitment
6. Organize Events or Workshops
Planning events such as seminars, competitions, or cultural programs is a great way to build real leadership experience. You’ll handle everything from logistics and budgeting to team management and ensuring smooth execution. Along the way, you'll develop strong organizational and problem-solving skills, which are essential for business leadership. You'll also learn to work under pressure and adapt quickly to unexpected challenges. Over time, you’ll gain confidence in decision-making and leading teams toward a common goal.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Location: School or community
Resources/Experience Required: Planning and teamwork
7. Join Debate or Public Speaking Teams
Leadership is built on clear and confident communication. Debate and public speaking clubs help you build confidence, critical thinking, and persuasion skills. By taking part in competitions, leading discussions, or mentoring junior members, you'll sharpen your ability to think critically and express your ideas with impact. These skills are incredibly invaluable for business pitches, negotiations, and leadership roles. You'll also learn how to think on your feet and stay composed in high-pressure situations. Over time, you will develop a strong personal voice and the ability to influence and inspire others.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: School-based
Resources/Experience Required: Willingness to practice speaking
8. Participate in Model United Nations (MUN)
Model United Nations (MUN) brings global diplomacy to life by putting you in the role of a country representative debating real-world issues. You’ll research topics, negotiate with other delegates, and present solutions, often taking on leadership roles as committee chair or lead delegate. Through this experience, you'll build strategic thinking and develop a deeper understanding of global awareness, both of which are essential for future leaders. You'll also learn to analyze complex problems from different perspectives and build consensus among diverse groups. Along the way, you'll develop your public speaking and diplomacy skills while learning to defend your ideas with confidence. These experiences prepare you to navigate real-world leadership challenges in an increasingly interconnected world.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Location: School and conferences
Resources/Experience Required: Research and communication skills
9. Become a Team Captain (Sports or Activities)
Being a captain in sports or other team-based activities is leadership in action. You’ll motivate teammates, manage conflicts, and lead by example, both on and off the field. This experience builds discipline, teamwork, and resilience, qualities every leader needs. You’ll also learn to make quick decisions under pressure and take responsibility for both wins and losses. Leading a team helps you understand how to work with different personalities and bring out the best in each team member.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Location: School or clubs
Resources/Experience Required: Skill in the activity
10. Intern with a Startup or Organization
Internships give you a real-world look at leadership in action. Even as a high school student, you can assist in projects, observe leadership styles, and share your own ideas. Working in a startup environment can be especially exciting because you’ll see how leaders make decisions in fast-paced situations. Along the way, you'll acquire practical skills such as time management, communication, and problem-solving in a professional setting. Interacting with mentors and teams also helps you understand workplace dynamics and what leadership really looks like. These experiences give you clarity on your interests and help in building your confidence to take initiative in future roles.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Location: Online or local companies
Resources/Experience Required: Basic skills, networking
11. Mentor Younger Students
Mentorship is one of the most meaningful ways to practice leadership. You can tutor peers, guide juniors or help new students settle in, thereby making a real difference in someone else's journey. Through this experience, you'll develop patience, strengthen your communication skills, and take on responsibility, while reinforcing your own understanding. You'll also learn to appreciate different learning styles and perspectives, which helps you connect better with others. Over time, you’ll develop confidence in guiding and inspiring others to reach their potential.
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Location: School or community
Resources/Experience Required: Subject knowledge, empathy
12. Create a Social Initiative or Nonprofit
Starting a social initiative, such as a sustainability campaign or an education project, is a powerful way to lead with purpose. You’ll identify a problem, design solutions, and mobilize resources to make an impact. Along the way, you'll gain hands-on experience in planning, fundraising, and tracking results over time. Leading such initiatives helps you develop resilience as you navigate challenges and adapt your approach. It also highlights your ability to turn ideas into action and create meaningful change in your community.
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Location: Community or online
Resources/Experience Required: Planning, commitment
13. Participate in Business Competitions
Competitions such as pitch contests or case challenges are a great way to test your leadership skills in high-pressure scenarios. You’ll work in teams, develop strategies, and present solutions to judges, just like in real-world business settings. In the process, you'll build strong analytical thinking and confidence in presenting your ideas. You’ll also learn to manage your time effectively, divide responsibilities, and collaborate under tight deadlines. Feedback from judges helps you refine your ideas and improve your presentation skills. Over time, these experiences strengthen your ability to think strategically and perform at your best in competitive environments.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Location: School, national, or online
Resources/Experience Required: Business knowledge, teamwork
14. Start a Blog, Podcast, or YouTube Channel
Content creation is a modern form of leadership where you influence and educate an audience. You’ll plan content, manage production, and build a community around your ideas. Along the way, you'll develop creativity, consistency, and strong digital leadership skills. You’ll also learn how to understand your audience, track engagement, adapt your strategy, and communicate ideas effectively across platforms. Building a loyal audience requires authenticity and persistence, helping you grow both personally and professionally. Over time, this experience strengthens your personal brand and ability to lead through influence.
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Location: Online
Resources/Experience Required: Creativity, basic tech skills
15. Join Entrepreneurship Programs
Specialized programs in leadership and entrepreneurship are structured pathways to learn while building real-world experience. You might work on startup ideas, collaborate with peers, and engage with industry experts, gaining practical insights into how businesses are built and scaled. These programs are especially valuable if you're considering a career in business. Along the way, you'll connect with like-minded peers and gain a clearer understanding of how to turn your ideas into meaningful action.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Location: Online or in-person
Resources/Experience Required: Application-based, interest in business
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
If you want mentorship from successful entrepreneurs in building your business, the Young Founders Lab is one of the strongest programs you can join in high school. It’s a 100% virtual start-up boot camp run by Harvard entrepreneurs, designed specifically for students who want to launch a company or non-profit.
In this program, you’ll get hands-on mentorship from founders and professionals from Google, Microsoft, McKinsey, and YC-backed companies, while building a venture that solves a real-world problem. You’ll attend live workshops, explore business fundamentals, refine your idea, and work toward a fully developed MVP and pitch.
Multiple cohorts run throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring, so you can join whenever it fits your schedule. Financial aid is available, and the program is open to all high school students, with no prior experience required.