Optimize Your College Admissions Common App Activities List
You get 150 characters to describe each activity on the Common App. Most students waste every single one of them, and it’s one of the fastest wins available in the whole application.
A section that’s read as closely as the essay
Everyone obsesses over the personal statement and forgets the activities list is read just as closely. “Member of student council” tells an admissions officer nothing. What did the student actually do? What changed because they were there? That’s what those 150 characters need to carry.
Action and result beat a vague title
A concrete action and a measurable result land far more information in the same character count than a vague summary ever will. This is one of the fastest wins I help families capture — small section, real impact, and almost always fixable in a single sitting.
Do's & Don'ts
DO | DON'T |
✓ Lead every description with an action or a measurable result. | ✗ Don’t lead a description with a job title instead of an action. |
✓ Use the full character limit to pack in a concrete detail. | ✗ Don’t leave a description as vague as the activity’s official name. |
✓ Rewrite vague titles into specific accomplishments. | ✗ Don’t assume the activities list gets a lighter read than the essay. |
✓ Review all ten slots together, not one at a time in isolation. | ✗ Don’t pad descriptions with filler once the real detail is already there. |
DR. HURWITZ'S TAKE This is one of the fastest wins I help families capture — small section, real impact. Let’s tighten up your kid’s activities list; it’s often a twenty-minute conversation that changes how the whole application reads. |
Ready for a clear, honest read on where your student stands? Let’s tighten up your kid’s activities list. Grab the free Activity Audit, or book a $250 / 55-minute session with Dr. Nathan Hurwitz — no long-term package required. hurwitzadmissions.com | nathan@hurwitzadmissions.com | (203) 613-9262 |
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