How To Order Your Activities List For The Common Application

As you embark on the college application journey, the role of your extracurricular activities list cannot be overstated. It's a window into your personal interests, leadership qualities, and the unique contributions you can make to a college campus. However, simply listing your activities isn't enough; strategically ordering them can significantly influence how admission officers view your application. In this blog post, we'll guide you through optimizing your extracurricular activities list, ensuring you make a memorable impression on your dream colleges.

Understanding the Common App Activities List

In the Common App, the activities list section is crucial—it's where you can list up to ten extracurricular activities, from sports and clubs ,volunteer work, to any personal hobbies that have enriched your high school experience.

This section isn't just a list; it's an opportunity to highlight what matters most to you. You'll include details like your role, the time you've committed, and a short description of your involvement and achievements. The key here is to order your activities wisely, placing the significant and relevant to your future college goals at the top. This strategy ensures that admissions officers immediately see the activities that best showcase your strengths and passions.

Criteria for Ordering Activities List

Duration of Participation

When colleges look at your extracurricular activities, one key factor they consider is how long you've been involved. To help you understand how colleges might view your involvement, consider using a simple point system based on the number of years you've participated in each activity:

• 4 points for 4 years of participation

• 3 points for 3 years

• 2 points for 2 years

• 1 point for 1 year

Level of Commitment

Your level of commitment to each activity is another critical aspect that colleges consider. It's not just about showing up; it's about consistently dedicating time and effort to your chosen activities. Consider evaluating your commitment using a point system based on the number of hours you dedicate weekly during the peak season of your activity:

• 4 points for 20+ hours a week

• 3 points for 15 hours a week

• 2 points for 10 hours a week

• 1 point for 5 hours or less a week

Leadership Positions

Holding a leadership position within an extracurricular activity is a strong indicator of your leadership potential, responsibility, and ability to influence others positively. To quantify your leadership experience, you might use a point system based on the roles you've held:

• 4 points for holding the highest leadership title (e.g. President, Captain)

• 3 points for being second in command (e.g. Vice President, Co-Captain)

• 2 points for holding other significant leadership roles (e.g. Secretary, Treasurer)

• 1 point for being a member who contributes but hasn't held a formal leadership position

Measurable Impact

Tangible achievements and contributions not only highlight the effectiveness of your involvement but also show that you are capable of making a significant difference. To quantify the impact of your extracurricular activities, consider applying a point system based on the scope of your achievements:

• 4 points for impact at a National level

• 3 points for impact at a State level

• 2 points for impact at a Regional level

• 1 point for impact at a School/Town level

Activities List Example

Before implementing this to your own activities list, let’s quickly run through a step-by-step tutorial together. 

Activity Scenario

Activity #1: Science Club Member

• Member for 3 years, participating in weekly meetings and annual science fairs.

• Organizes local science workshops for younger students, demonstrating leadership without a formal title.

• Achievements include winning a regional science competition.

Activity #2: Volunteer at a Local Animal Shelter

• Volunteered throughout all 4 years of high school, dedicating weekends to the shelter.

• Took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator in the final year, overseeing volunteer schedules and training.

• Led a fundraising campaign that raised significant funds for the shelter, impacting the local community.

Activity #3: Varsity Soccer Team

• Played on the team for 2 years, including being team captain in the senior year.

• Practice and games total 20+ hours a week during the season.

• Team won the state championship in the final year, marking a significant achievement.

Activities List Outcome

Activity #1: Science Club Member

• Duration: 3 years (3 points)

• Commitment: Weekly meetings (2 points)

• Leadership: Informal leadership role (2 points)

• Impact: Regional level (2 points)

• Total: 9 Points

Activity #2: Volunteer at Local Animal Shelter

• Duration: 4 years (4 points)

• Commitment: Weekends (2 points, considering substantial but less intensive weekly commitment)

• Leadership: Volunteer Coordinator (3 points)

• Impact: School/Town level (significant fundraising but localized impact) (1 point)

• Total: 10 Points

Activity #3: Varsity Soccer Team

• Duration: 2 years (2 points)

• Commitment: 20+ hours/week (4 points)

• Leadership: Team captain (4 points)

• Impact: State level (3 points)

• Total: 13 Points

Based on this evaluation, the student should list the Varsity Soccer Team first, showcasing high commitment, leadership, and state-level achievement. Next, volunteering at the local animal shelter demonstrates sustained involvement, leadership, and meaningful community impact. Finally, the Science Club Member activity, while impressive, has a slightly lower total score but still shows long-term engagement, leadership qualities, and regional recognition.

Still need help in ordering your activities list for the Common Application? We can help you with that! 

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