Mapping Extracurricular Time Use among High-Achieving College Students: A Cluster-Based Typology

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Abstract

This study investigates how high-achieving university students allocate extracurricular time and how distinct time-use patterns relate to academic, cognitive, and social outcomes. Using K-means clustering, five profiles were identified: Academically-focused, Campus-engaged, Practice-oriented, Self-balanced, and Quiet-introverted. MANOVA results reveal that time allocation is significantly associated with developmental outcomes, with the Academically-focused group achieving the highest academic performance and the Campus-engaged group excelling in social development. Nearly half of the high-achieving students belonged to the Quiet-introverted group, showing consistently lower outcomes. These findings underscore the need for universities to support diverse student engagement and promote balanced development beyond academic metrics, especially under the pressures of China's competitive higher education landscape.

Author

• Yi Wang, Xiamen University