You’re almost finished. You’ve studied for years to achieve that perfect GPA, you’ve slaved over your Common App essay for weeks, and you’ve spent countless hours filling out individual supplemental essays for each college you’re applying to. You’re so close.
However, an unexpected barrier stands in your way. A seemingly unimportant one.
The Activities section.
Quietly unassuming and easy to underestimate, the Activities section is a vital part of your College Application. It isn’t deeply personal or dramatically powerful like your Common App essay, and it doesn’t boast of your achievements the way your test scores and GPA do. However, this self-effacing section gives you space to showcase who you are outside the classroom. Did you go on a UN volunteer trip last year? Were you an intern at your local paper? Perhaps you were the president of one of your school clubs? All of these activities highlight your dedication, resolve, and drive in your personal life.
But how do you make the most of this section? It can be hard to impress an Admissions Officer simply by listing past and present activities. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 5 ways to strengthen and enhance the Activities section in your College Application.
1. Intensify Your Language
You only get 150 characters per extracurricular activity, and each one needs to make a statement. Use powerful, active verbs! E.g., "mentored" instead of "taught," "liaise" instead of "communicate." Don’t use passive, weak language. Instead, make sure each word pops off the screen with energy! See the difference between these two extracurriculars?
Volunteer
Write the World
Shortlisted competition pieces and reviewed young writers’ work.
VS
Volunteer & Mentor
Write the World, a non-profit global writing website for teens
Shortlisted competition entries monthly and mentored young writers through detailed, constructive ‘expert reviews’.
2. Be Specific
Avoid vague or general language. Instead of simply saying you "tutored students," try "mentored tenth-grade students in algebra, trigonometry, and geometry." You are now providing information on who you are helping (tenth-grade students), how you helped them (mentored), and what you helped them with (algebra, trigonometry, and geometry). Don’t make the Admissions Officer guess what you mean – spell it out for them!
3. Be Brief
This may seem like a contradiction to the prior tip; however, a balance of brevity and specificity is the ideal combination for your Activities Section. Read through each extracurricular and experiment with removing certain words to see if they are actually needed. For example, “I was a mentor for students from the ages of 8 to 12, assisting them in their school studies” (19 words) can become “Mentored students aged 8-12, assisting with school studies” (8 words). This style of sharp, precise diction will help you make the most of your word count while providing a more powerful and impactful tone.
4. Don’t Repeat Yourself
It’s important to provide a range of different activities and achievements. Maybe you’ve listed two similar volunteer opportunities, but instead you could use that space to talk about how you were an assistant at a nursing home. Each activity should bring something new to the table, rather than repeating old information. Make sure each activity says something different about you, providing new context for your character and personality.
5. Be Truthful
Perhaps the most important of all – being truthful in the Activities section is imperative. If you are found to have been lying to pad out your activities, or stretching the truth to make you sound more accomplished, colleges can – and likely will – retract their original admission offers. Even though it may be tempting to hide a couple of white lies in your extracurriculars, it could end up costing you everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Be confident in what you’ve accomplished! You don’t have to have won a hundred awards and prizes to impress an Admissions Officer – all that matters is showcasing your passion, dedication, and work ethic.
After following these five tips, your Activities section should be shaping up nicely and will be the perfect addition to your College Application.
If you’re struggling with your Common App or Supplemental Essays, check out Write the World’s College Essay Review Service or our Complete Your College Essay Online Course!
About the Author
Ruth discovered Write the World at age 13 and instantly fell in love. Her passion for giving thoughtful feedback blossomed that same year when she won Best Peer Review for the Flash Fiction Competition—a skill that has only deepened over time. Since then, she has contributed to the community as a Community Ambassador, Senior Community Ambassador, Intern, and Expert Reviewer.
Her work has been published in several anthologies, and she has earned recognition in multiple Australian writing competitions, including the Henry Lawson Short Story & Verse Competition, as well as Minds Shine Bright. Now, she hopes to further inspire and encourage young writers to draft their dreams into reality through the perfect college essay.
