Crafting Your Common App Activities List
What is an Activities List?
The Common App Activities List is a section dedicated to describing your extracurricular activities and leadership achievements (ECL). More importantly, it’s your opportunity to showcase to admissions officers who you are beyond the classroom. This includes sports, music and art, clubs, jobs or internships, personal responsibilities, and other activities. With just ten slots and strict character limits, a strategic approach is essential. The challenge lies in condensing all your experiences into a concise, attention-grabbing list. It’s not just about detailing how you spent your time—it’s about leaving a strong impression.
What Will You Fill in The Activities List?
In every activity, you will fill out:
Activity Type
You will choose one from a dropdown list of categories. If an activity falls into two categories, select the one that’s most relevant. Don’t stress if it’s not a perfect fit—you can elaborate on it in the description.
Position/Leadership Description
If your role doesn’t have a name, you can give one. It’s better than just being a member of the organization. If you've held multiple roles within the organization, prioritize them by listing the most important ones first. You can only fill this section with 50 characters max.
Organization Name
When mentioning the name of an organization in your application, ensure clarity by describing what it is, especially if the name is unclear or not widely recognized (e.g., Bright Minds). If the organization is known by an acronym, always spell out the full name. Keep in mind that the admissions officer reviewing your application may not be familiar with organizations from your region, so provide sufficient context.
Activity Description
Distill your experience into 150 characters, highlighting leadership, impact, and personal qualities—requiring a strategic approach. Regarding this, you need to brainstorm and then combine the information into your activity description. You can use active verbs such as led, organized, assisted, and don’t forget to quantify the result of your contribution.
Participation Grade Levels and Timing of Participation
You need to check the boxes for your grades and the timing of your participation in the activity. Choose the year and length of each activity. If the activity was during the summer, select the grade you were entering. For example, pick "11th grade" for activities done in the summer between 10th and 11th grade.
Hours Spent per Week and Weeks Spent per Year
In this section, estimate the time you spent on each activity. If you're unsure of the exact time, make a reasonable guess that fits within realistic limits. Admissions officers understand that you'll devote more time to certain activities than others. They just want to see how you manage your time, so don't stress about evenly distributing your time across all activities. You only need to enter the numbers.
I Intend to Participate in a Similar Activity in College
Don’t overthink it—just be honest. Your application is about much more than a simple "yes" or "no" to this question. Ideally, you've pursued activities because you enjoy them, not just to get into a top university, so you’ll likely say yes to some. Answering “yes†doesn’t mean you must continue them in college; it simply shows your current interest.
That’s how you should craft your common app activities list! We hope you find this article helpful and good luck on your application!
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