Working on the Activities on Common App?

How difficult could it be to write your common app activities? Isn’t it just like filling out your resume online? 

Yes, but no. Here is why:

• A resume usually follows a chronological timeline of your activities/jobs.The most recent one being the first listed and the oldest last.

• A high school resume might follow a more grid-based approach, listing all academics together, followed by extracurriculars, volunteer experiences, notable activities/ awards etc.

• A resume can be as long as four pages, but is usually advisable to limit it to no more than two; however, common app has much stricter guidelines.

As compared to a resume, common app activities require some strategic and tactful thinking.

• You can only list 10 activities. For most students that would be plenty, but for many it means selecting which 10 activities you want to write about. Therefore, you must prioritize what activities you will include and which ones you will leave out.

• Unlike a resume, your family responsibilities, like taking care of your sibling or a relative, are considered part of your activities. Similarly, hobbies (like playing video games) are part of the mix of activities. The intention is for you, the applicant, to showcase who you are outside of the classroom.

• You are limited by 150 characters to describe your engagement in the activity. 

• Unlike a resume, activities are listed in their order of importance to you and impact on you–the first activity you list conveys that you feel it is most important and/or has had the greatest impact on you.

When writing your activities, here are a few important things we need you to keep in mind.

• Use the ‘Position/ Leadership Description’ field to list awards and recognitions too. This will help optimize character limits  Think:

WPIAL Sportsmanship Award

#3 on Varsity

• When writing your activities, use strong verbs not only for what you did but also for what you learned. For example:

Engaged in…instead of participated, 

Lead….instead of ‘Did’, 

Mentored….instead of ‘Taught’’

Assembled….instead of ‘made’ or ‘put together’

Built endurance, Gained/ Honed Skills, Listened, etc. 

Don't rely too heavily on the thesaurus trying to find the most obscure or "important-sounding" verb.  Be authentic, but strategic. Ask yourself, 'Is there a better way to say this?'

• Don’t use gerunds, use present/ past tense verbs

• Use commonly recognized abbreviation to conserve your limited space

Asstd. for Assisted

Pres. for President

• For local organizations, spell out their names and elaborate on their functions. Once introduced, stick with acronyms

CSL….Citizens Science Lab (Pittsburgh based Stem ed for low income CBO)

GPCFB....Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

UPMC…Univ of Pittsburgh Medical Center (perhaps a stretch…who doesn’t know UPMC, but you get it)

Common app activities really set the tone of your application. They show up after academics and awards BUT before your essays for a reason. They communicate what has been meaningful to you and how you have engaged with your family and/or the community around you. 

If the academics section is the foundation of the cake, the activities section is the icing and all the essays become the cherry on the top.