Common App Activities — Examples & Tips
Last updated: March 2026
Why the Activities Section Matters
The Common App gives you 150 characters to describe each activity — about two short sentences. Admissions officers read hundreds of these. The difference between a forgettable entry and a memorable one is specificity: numbers, outcomes, and roles that show what you actually did, not just that you showed up.
The Formula
Strong activity descriptions follow a simple pattern:
Role + Action + Result/Scale
Lead with what you did (not who you are), include a number if possible, and end with why it mattered or how big it was.
Before & After Examples
Debate Team
Member of debate team. Competed in tournaments.
Competed in 12 NSDA tournaments; reached state quarterfinals twice; coached 3 new members on case construction.
Part-Time Job
Worked at a coffee shop to help family.
Barista 20 hrs/week; trained 4 new hires; managed weekend open/close independently for 18 months.
Volunteering
Volunteered at a food bank on weekends.
Sorted and distributed 800+ lbs of food per month at local food bank; recruited 6 classmates as regular volunteers.
Independent Project
Built an app for fun.
Self-taught Python to build a tutoring scheduler app; 40+ students at school use it weekly to book peer sessions.
Sports
Played varsity soccer for three years.
Varsity soccer captain (yr 3); led team to regional finals; organized weekly film sessions to improve defensive positioning.
Quick Tips
- ›Start with an action verb — avoid 'I was' or 'Member of'
- ›Use numbers whenever possible: hours per week, people served, events organized
- ›Mention your role specifically: captain, founder, lead organizer, head tutor
- ›Skip filler words: 'various', 'many', 'a lot of'
- ›You can abbreviate to fit 150 characters: 'yrs' for years, 'hrs' for hours
- ›List your most meaningful activity first — that slot carries the most weight
Track Your Activities in ApplyWell
ApplyWell includes a Common App activities tracker where you can draft, edit, and count characters for each entry — all in one place.
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