If you are applying to undergraduate university programs in the United States you will likely need to fill out The Common Application, which is used by over 300 colleges and universities.
After filling out the personal information sections you will eventually arrive at the "Activities" section, where you will be required to list your most important extracurricular activities and work experiences. Many people make a mistake by focusing most of their time and energy on the Personal Essay and do not put enough thought into how to present their extracurricular experiences. Here are some tips for dealing with the Activities section of The Common Application:
- The Common Application specifically asks you to list your extracurricular activities and work experience in their order of importance to you. Thus when you list certain activities first or second you are telling the admissions committee that you feel very strongly about these activities. We advise you to choose the activities that you spent the most time on and are the most meaningful to you, not the activities you think the admissions committee cares about the most. It would also be good if some of these activities had some connection to your intended college major, career goals or something else that you have indicated is very important to you in the application.
- Do you have unique hobbies and interests? Be sure to list activities you engaged inside and outside of your school, like activities in religious and youth groups, sports, musical and artistic experiences or unique hobbies. For example, are you an electronics repair guru? Do you train for triathlons? Are you an amateur chef who can prepare many delicious foods? By letting the admissions committee see your unique talent you can stand out from others and seem more interesting.
- You only have 100 characters to list the details of these experiences and any accomplishments. Use this space wisely to clearly explain your specific responsibilities, level of involvement, how you benefited from the experience or how selective the activity or job was. For example, if you were selected out of a group of 300 people for an internship, be sure to provide this information.
- Do not exaggerate or lie about your activities and involvement. Remember, many top schools interview undergraduate applicants, and your interviewer will typically base their questions on the information listed on your application.
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