The Activities List: Why Most Students Get It Wrong
Photo by Vitaly Gariev at Unsplash
The Activities section is one of the most underestimated parts of the Common Application, and it’s also one of the easiest pieces to improve.
Most students don’t get it terribly wrong. But they miss opportunities to make it stronger.
Here’s where things tend to fall apart:
1. Descriptions are too vague
Phrases like “participated in meetings” or “helped organize events” don’t tell the reader much.
Instead, students should aim to:
Be specific about their role & responsibilities
Quantify impact when possible
Highlight initiative, leadership, and creativity
Before:
“Member of environmental club, attended weekly meetings”
After:
“Led recycling initiative that increased campus participation by 30%; coordinated 20+ student volunteers.”
Same activity—completely different impression.
2. They bury their strongest activities
Order matters more than students think.
The first few entries get the most attention. If a student’s most meaningful activity is listed fifth or sixth, it may not land as strongly. Start with putting your activities in reverse chronological order. Then, bump up those to which you’ve committed the most time, and those that are most relevant to your narrative, like a recent internship or research experience. Ask yourself, If the reader is skimming through this quickly, what do I need them to notice first?
3. They separate connected experiences
Students often list related activities separately when they could tell a more cohesive story by grouping them.
For example:
Debate team
Summer speech program
Independent research project
These might be part of a broader communications or public speaking narrative. If you have multiple experiences related to the same interest, consider grouping them together in your list to highlight that aspect of your story.
4. They underestimate “non-traditional” activities
Jobs, family responsibilities, independent projects: these absolutely count.
In many cases, they stand out more than standard school clubs because they show initiative and real-world responsibility. Do you pick up a sibling from school every day and help with homework? Do you care for a sick relative? Work at a coffee shop on the weekends? Or, did you spend the summer working on a research project or teaching yourself to build a guitar? Don't be shy about showcasing your responsibility, maturity, initiative, and creativity.
5. Leave off any “fluff”:
Did you play soccer in 9th grade and then quit? Participate in a day-long service activity one time in 10th grade? These activities might not be additive to your story. Even if you don’t fill all 10 spots, focus on activities that show commitment and dedication, leadership, consistency, and relevance.
Final note: Proofread your activities. Have you made your capitalization consistent? Are there any extra spaces? Does each description end in a period–or not? Make it the same across all. Have you correctly entered the hours per week and the grades when you participated? Are your hours totals believable? Have a parent take a final look to catch any errors.
Bottom line:
A strong Activities list isn’t about showing how much you did, it’s about showing what mattered to you, how you engaged, and what impact you made.
