How to Arrange Common App Activities List
The activities list on the Common App is your chance to paint a vivid portrait of yourself beyond the statistics of grades and test scores. It鈥檚 a space to show your passions, leadership qualities, and the experiences that have molded you into the person you are today. But with limited space and a desire to tell your whole story, how do you make sure your most impactful experiences shine through?
This blog will help you arrange your activities list strategically, grabbing the admissions committee鈥檚 attention and painting a well-rounded picture of who you are. We鈥檒l also discuss prioritizing your activities, highlighting leadership roles, and crafting a narrative that shows your journey.
Importance of the Common App Activities Section
Highly selective colleges rely heavily on grades and test scores for initial applicant screening. However, once you pass that stage, your extracurricular activities take center stage. It accounts for roughly 30% of the final admissions decision. This makes them almost as important as your academic achievements. With many applicants having similar academic backgrounds, extracurriculars become the crucial factor that sets you apart and helps colleges choose.
While extracurriculars might seem like a subjective area, colleges actually have a systematic evaluation process. They categorize activities into four tiers, as follows:
- Tier 1: This tier includes activities that show your truly outstanding accomplishments or leadership, like national awards or prestigious recognitions.
- Tier 2: These activities show significant achievement and leadership potential. Examples include holding top leadership positions in prominent clubs or organizations, winning regional competitions, or achieving state-level distinctions in sports or music.
- Tier 3: Activities in this tier, while not as exceptional as Tiers 1 and 2, still effectively highlight your interests. This might include holding minor leadership positions in established clubs, participating in smaller competitions, or earning local recognition in athletics or music.
- Tier 4: This tier includes the most frequent activities encountered by admissions committees, such as general club membership, sports participation without significant achievements, or volunteering experiences.聽
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How to Arrange Your Activity List on the Common App?
The Common App Activities List is your chance to transform a list of experiences into a compelling narrative. Grab the reader鈥檚 attention from the get-go by leading with your most impactful activities. These could be where you held leadership positions, achieved significant milestones, or were deeply connected to your academic and future goals. This impactful opening sets the tone for your overall engagement and commitment.
While strict chronological order might seem sensible, consider a more dynamic approach. Create a semi-chronological flow throughout your list. This can demonstrate growth and dedication over time, especially if you鈥檝e held leadership positions in different activities. Alternatively, thematic groupings can be effective. Grouping similar activities, like volunteer experiences under 鈥淐ommunity Service,鈥� creates a clear picture of your interests and passions.
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Types of Extracurricular Activities and Positions Held
The Common Application allows you to categorize your extracurricular activities using a drop-down menu with the following options:
- Academic
- Art
- Athletics: Club
- Athletics: JV/Varsity
- Career-Oriented
- Community Service (Volunteer)
- Computer/Technology
- Cultural
- Dance
- Debate/Speech
- Environmental
- Family Responsibilities
- Foreign Exchange
- Journalism/Publication
- Junior R.O.T.C.
- LGBT
- Music: Instrumental
- Music: Vocal
- Religious
- Research
- Robotics
- School Spirit
- Science/Math
- Student Gov.t./Politics
- Theater/Drama
- Work (paid)
- Other Club/Activity
The above-provided category list might be broad, but chances are your activities will find a suitable home within it. If not, there鈥檚 always the 鈥淥ther Club/Activity鈥� option. However, in that case, be sure to clearly identify the activity in the 鈥淧osition/Leadership鈥� and 鈥淥rganization Name鈥� sections. If the chosen name isn鈥檛 widely recognized or self-explanatory, provide additional details in the description to avoid confusion.
When selecting categories for your extracurricular activities in the college application process, choosing the most specific one is important. If an activity fits into multiple categories, prioritize the more specific one. For instance, 鈥淢ath Club鈥� belongs under 鈥淪cience/Math鈥� rather than the broader 鈥淎cademic鈥� category. If two specific categories seem equally relevant, choose the one that best reflects the activity鈥檚 essence. The description section allows you to elaborate further if needed.
Colleges appreciate well-rounded applicants who are interested in activities. While it鈥檚 good to show leadership skills, avoid using the same category for everything. If you were the president of the debate team and also volunteered at a local animal shelter, categorize them differently. 鈥淒ebate Club鈥� shows your communication and critical thinking skills, while 鈥淐ommunity Service鈥� highlights your compassion and commitment to animal welfare. Both categories represent different strengths and contribute to your well-rounded profile.
Note: Only list activities you genuinely participated in, and ensure the name accurately reflects your involvement.
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How to Choose Extracurricular Activities to Include in the Common App
When filling out the activities section of your college application, keep in mind that space is limited. The College App restricts you to ten entries, so prioritize the activities that are most important and meaningful to you. Don鈥檛 feel pressured to fill all ten slots with generic activities. If you have five experiences that demanded significant time and dedication, highlight those! The application form often asks about participation details like grade levels involved, seasonal timing (school year vs. breaks), and weekly/yearly time commitment. This information can help you select the most impactful activities.
If there are additional activities that provide crucial context to your extracurricular involvement, consider mentioning them in the additional information section or your essays. However, focus on the experiences that truly shaped you and show your well-roundedness and long-term commitment. For instance, playing baseball for four years and becoming team captain is a strong example. Briefly trying basketball in ninth grade might be best left off unless your list is particularly sparse.
Some schools allow you to submit a college application resume along with your application. This is a great way to expand on your extracurricular involvement beyond the character limit of the application form. You can include a wider range of activities and provide more details about each one.
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Add Position/Leadership Description and Organization Name
After selecting the activity type, the application will likely ask for details about your involvement. This section is usually limited in character (often around 50), so it鈥檚 important to be concise yet informative.
Instead of simply listing 鈥渕ember,鈥� try to define your exact role within the organization. For example, 鈥淧resident,鈥� 鈥淭reasurer,鈥� or 鈥淲ebmaster鈥� are much more impactful. If you held multiple positions within the same activity over time, prioritize them based on their importance. For instance, 鈥淰ice President (1 year), Class Representative (3 years)鈥� effectively shows your increasing responsibility.
If the organization has a name, include it. If the name isn鈥檛 readily understood, provide a brief explanation. For example, 鈥淭heater Club鈥� is clear, while 鈥淣HS (National Honor Society)鈥� might need clarification. Additionally, many activities are referred to by acronyms, but admissions officers might not be familiar with all of them. To avoid confusion, write out the full name alongside the acronym. For example, 鈥淢odel UN (Model United Nations)鈥� ensures clarity.
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How to Write the Description?
The College App provides limited space for describing your activities outside of academics (usually under 150 characters). This section aims to inform admissions officers succinctly, not show writing skills. Make the most of it by focusing on clear, concise, and impactful details.
- Use active verbs and specific numbers. For instance, instead of 鈥減articipated in debate club,鈥� say 鈥淐ompeted in debate team (20 members); reached regional finals (top 10).鈥� Numbers quantify your achievements and show your level of engagement.
- Actively highlight leadership roles. If you held a leadership position, emphasize your responsibilities. For example, instead of 鈥淧resident of the tutoring club,鈥� describe how you managed the group: 鈥淟ed a tutoring club (50 members), matching tutors with students and overseeing the development of learning materials.鈥�
- Focus on results, not just tasks. Don鈥檛 simply list duties like 鈥渢utored students.鈥� Mention the impact: 鈥淧rovided one-on-one tutoring, creating personalized study plans that improved student grades by an average of 10%.鈥�
- Reserve additional details for essays or 鈥渁dditional information鈥� sections. If a specific activity is crucial to your story, consider elaborating in your essay or using the 鈥渁dditional information鈥� section to provide more depth.聽
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Extracurricular Activities in College
The final question about your extracurricular activities asks if you plan to continue a similar pursuit in college. This question goes beyond simply gauging your schedule; colleges are looking to build a well-rounded student body with future leaders who are passionate about specific fields. Answering 鈥測es鈥� simply indicates your genuine interest, current desire, and dedication to continue a particular activity in the future college environment.
However, continuing an activity isn鈥檛 mandatory. Some pursuits, like a high school-specific club, might not translate well to college. Similarly, your interests might simply evolve. But if you included an activity solely for the sake of college applications, it might be worth reconsidering its inclusion. Authenticity matters.
Keep in mind that a 鈥測es鈥� answer is more of an expression of current interest. Colleges might share your information with relevant clubs on campus, but joining them isn鈥檛 an obligation. Athletic or other specific scholarships requiring participation are exceptions, of course.
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From the Desk of 51成人导航
The ideal approach lies in finding a balance between showing your most impactful activities and demonstrating a sense of growth over time. Leading with your strongest involvement grabs the admissions officer鈥檚 attention right away. Following this strong opening, a semi-chronological order can be beneficial. This allows you to show commitment and growth, especially if you鈥檝e held leadership positions within different activities throughout your high school. Platforms like 51成人导航 can help you organize and present these activities effectively, ensuring your application highlights your strengths and experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should I list activities in order of importance or chronologically on the Common App?
Focus on importance first. Start with your most impactful activities, highlighting leadership roles, awards, and deep commitments. However, chronological order within categories can also be helpful. This shows your growth over time and avoids activities seeming random.
2. How many activities should I include on the Common App?
The Common App allows up to ten, but quality over quantity is key. Aim for 5-7 activities that show your various interests and significant contributions. Less impactful activities can dilute your message.
3. Should I group similar activities together on the Common App?
Yes! Grouping activities like sports, volunteer work, or academic clubs creates a clear picture of your involvement in specific areas.
4. Should I include everything on the Common App, even if I participated minimally?
Focus on activities that show sustained involvement and meaningful contributions. Minimal participation might be better left off unless it ties directly to the larger story you鈥檙e trying to tell.
5. What if a key activity doesn鈥檛 fit neatly into a category on the Common App?
No worries! The Common App offers an 鈥淥ther鈥� category. Briefly explain the activity in the description box to give context.