The Common App activities section gives you 10 spaces. Just 150 characters each. Seems small, right? But this tiny section carries major weight — especially in the first round of admissions.

Why? Because when admissions officers do their first read-through of an application, they’re often building a quick, quantified summary of your profile:

• Academic Index: GPA, test scores, class rank
• Course Rigor: AP/IB/honors load
• Extracurricular Impact: leadership, initiative, talent, time commitment

That last one? It comes entirely from your activities list.

In short: the activities section is often the first place where colleges get a sense of who you are beyond your transcript. And how you present that section can make or break how they quantify your impact.

Here’s how to craft an activities list that tells your story — and translates into a competitive read.

1. Understand How Admissions Officers Use This Section

While holistic review is real, colleges still create shorthand evaluations, especially for large applicant pools. In early reads, admissions officers often score or categorize extracurriculars based on:

• Depth (How long have you done it?)
• Breadth (How many areas are you involved in?)
• Leadership (Did you take initiative or create impact?)
• Distinction (Any awards or unique achievements?)

Some colleges use a scale (e.g., 1–5 or 1–9) to rate activities. Others group applicants by tiers:

1. Tier 1: National/international recognition (e.g., Intel ISEF finalist, Olympic athlete)
2. Tier 2: State-level or highly selective programs (e.g., All-State orchestra, Governor’s School)
3. Tier 3: Significant leadership or long-term involvement (e.g., club founder, team captain)
4. Tier 4: General participation without leadership or distinction

You don’t need Tier 1s to get into a top college. But you do need to communicate clearly where you’ve made an impact — and make sure that stands out fast.

2. Prioritize Impact Over Prestige

Admissions officers will skim this section quickly. Make sure the first 3–5 entries pack the biggest punch.

Organize your list by:

• Time spent (e.g., 15 hours/week > 2 hours/month)
• Initiative (e.g., founder > participant)
• Outcome (e.g., national recognition > school-level role)

Note: The Common App does not automatically sort your list. You have to manually prioritize your activities before submission.

3. Use Résumé Language — and Cut the Fluff

You have 150 characters per description. That’s it. Skip full sentences and filler words. Use action verbs and concrete impact.

Instead of:

“I helped plan fundraising events for the environmental club and participated in monthly meetings.”

Try:

“Organized 3 fundraisers ($2.5K raised); led sustainability campaign adopted by student council.”

Start with strong verbs: Led, Created, Directed, Designed, Published, Mentored, Organized, Researched, Co-founded…

And avoid weak openers like:

• “Was responsible for…”
• “Worked with…”
• “Attended meetings…”

4. Quantify Whenever You Can

Numbers stand out — and they help AOs place you on that impact scale quickly.

Use specifics:

• Hours/week, weeks/year
• Amounts raised or managed
• Number of people impacted or led
• Rankings or results (regional, state, national)

Examples:

• Tutored 10+ peers weekly in chemistry; created 20-page review guide shared across school
• Managed $8K budget; led 6-person team for Model UN regional conference

5. Focus on Your Role

Don’t just describe what the club does. Highlight your unique contributions.

Less effective: “Participated in Science Olympiad competitions and attended meetings.”

More effective: “Built hydraulic arm; placed 2nd in regional Science Olympiad Engineering Challenge”

This distinction is especially important when admissions officers are assigning leadership or initiative ratings.

6. Use the Right Activity Category

The Common App asks you to assign each entry to a category — choose carefully.

You can strategically “rebrand” an activity based on the story you’re telling:

• Research in public health? Try “Science/Math” instead of “Volunteer”
• Coaching youth sports? “Community Service” may highlight values more than “Athletics”

Make sure the category supports how you want your application evaluated.

7. Don’t Duplicate the Title in the Description

There’s a separate field for your role (e.g., “Captain” or “Co-founder”). No need to restate it in the description.

Less effective:  “As captain of the robotics team, I…”

More effective: “Directed weekly build sessions; led code team for state finalist robot”

Use that space to give context, results, and initiative — not repeat information.

8. Combine or Separate Activities Strategically

Sometimes it’s best to combine similar roles to show long-term growth. Other times, split them to highlight multiple high-impact positions.

Example:

• Combine: Volunteer → Coordinator → Director in same tutoring org
• Separate: You run your own tutoring business and also mentor peers through National Honor Society

Always think: What will help my reader score me higher on initiative or impact?

9. Use the Additional Information Section Only if Needed

Use the “Additional Info” section to elaborate only if:

• You have an activity that doesn’t fit neatly into one slot
• You need to clarify extenuating circumstances
• You’re doing an independent project with significant complexity

Don’t use it to reformat or restate your activities list. Admissions officers don’t have time to read the same thing twice.

10. Align with the Rest of Your Application

Your activities list should support the same narrative arc as your essays, recommendations, and intended major.

Think of it as the skeleton of your story:

• Essays = flesh and heart
• Activities list = structure and proof

If you say you love urban planning in your personal statement, there should be some activity related to that interest — even if it’s informal or exploratory.

Final Thoughts: Write for the Reader — Not for Yourself

It’s tempting to treat the activities list like a personal scrapbook. But you’re not the audience — admissions officers are. They’re scanning (VERY quickly) for impact, initiative, and alignment with institutional values.

Make it easy for them to say:

• This student took initiative
• This student used their time meaningfully
• This student made an impact in ways that align with our community

At AtomicMind, we guide students in turning each 150-character blurb into a strategic signal of leadership, creativity, and drive.

Want a second set of eyes on your list? Reach out to our expert team — and transform your activities section from a list of clubs into a showcase of character.