COMMON APP ACTIVITIES SECTION

LEARN

OVER

LUNCH

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The Activities Section:

How do you spend your time?

• Think of this as your “resume”
• Activities include in-school, community engagement, work, family responsibilities, athletics, and more
• Focus on “depth over breadth”
• Don’t be humble here–be detailed in your descriptions
• Proofread!

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Where to Find the Activities Section

1. Log in to your Common App account�
2. Click on the “Common App” button�
3. Find “Activities” in the menu�
4. Choose “Yes” to enter activities

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START ADDING ACTIVITIES!

Activities Tips & Tricks

• Many scholarship applications require you to list your high school activities. When creating your list for the Common App, do it in a Google Doc so you already have them ready to go for future applications.
• You can add up to 10 activities; rank them in order of importance to you. It’s okay if you don’t have 10, just be genuine.
• Include activities from 9th-12th grade, even if you didn’t participate for 4 years.
• Activities include things you do at school (athletics, clubs, etc.) and also outside of school (a job, club sports, volunteer work, etc.).
• Use brief, concise language and be specific about your role.
• Highlight leadership roles.

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Don’t forget family responsibilities!

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“10 Tips for Making Your Activities List Awesome”

from College Essay Guy

1. Aim for variety, making sure your verbs aren’t redundant.
2. Use the present tense if it’s something you still do.
3. Trim ruthlessly.
4. State role, leadership description, and the organization name in the top two sections so you don’t waste characters in the 150-character description section.
5. Emphasize tangible, measurable impact.
6. Include any responsibilities that demonstrate leadership skills.
7. What if there isn’t much to say or it was a one-time event?� Instead of: Tutored students.� Try: Provided support to fourth graders with particularly difficult math concepts. (This works because you’ve explained the� significance of the activity: why the event mattered and to whom).�
8. Describe selectivity. This is key if the reader might not understand the achievement your activity represents.
9. Avoid extreme language.
10. If your role was simply “member” or “participant,” it’s okay to just list the activity.

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https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/guide-college-activities-list-common-app-example-application

Strong Examples

Member (9th, 10th), Vice President (11th, 12th)

Student Council, Washburn High School

Serve as school ambassador & student advocate; plan & promote school-wide events for 1,500 students; liaise with admin; manage social media.

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Summer Camp Volunteer

Boys & Girls Club of Minnesota

Supervised and served as mentor for 20 K-8 grade kids; Prepared lunch, entertained, and tutored students in math and science.

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Player (9th, 10th); Varsity Co-Captain (11th, 12th)

Washburn High School Basketball Team

Three-year City Champions; planned team banquet; Coach's Hustle Award Recipient. Led practices and motivated teammates to perform at high level.

Check Your Work

Use the “Preview” button to view your application how it will appear to admissions rep. This is available for every section, but especially helpful for Activities and Writing.

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Questions?