Your activities list is a critical piece of your college application. It’s your chance to showcase the time and effort you’ve invested in extracurriculars, part-time jobs, and other pursuits outside the classroom! Admissions officers want to see how you’ve used your time, the skills you’ve developed, and the impact you’ve made. Use these seven tips to make your activities list shine and stand out in a competitive applicant pool.
1. Prioritize Meaningful Activities
Focus on activities where you’ve demonstrated commitment, leadership, or significant involvement. Colleges prefer depth over breadth—they would rather see a long-term dedication to a few meaningful activities than a surface-level engagement with many.
Example: Instead of listing every club you’ve joined, highlight the ones where you held a leadership position or made an impact, such as organizing events or driving initiatives.
2. Use Action-Oriented Verbs
Start each description with strong, action-oriented verbs that clearly define your role. Words like "organized," "led," "created," and "implemented" convey initiative and responsibility.
Example: "Organized a school-wide fundraising event that raised $3,000 for a local shelter."
3. Quantify Your Achievements
Whenever possible, include measurable outcomes to demonstrate the scope of your impact. Numbers help admissions officers understand the significance of your work.
Example: "Volunteered 200+ hours mentoring underprivileged students, increasing average test scores by 15%."
4. Be Specific and Clear
Avoid vague descriptions. Specify what you did, why it mattered, and how it impacted others. Provide enough context to make your contributions understandable and impressive.
Weak: "Helped with community garden."
Strong: "Managed planting schedules and recruited 10 volunteers to expand a community garden, increasing yield by 25%."
5. Show Growth and Leadership
Highlight activities where you’ve taken on increasing responsibility or demonstrated growth. This could be moving from a member to a leader in a club or initiating new programs.
Example: "Started as a volunteer at a tutoring center, promoted to lead tutor after a year, overseeing a team of 15 and mentoring younger tutors."
6. Include Work and Family Responsibilities
Part-time jobs and family obligations demonstrate time management and a strong work ethic. Don’t hesitate to include these experiences if they’ve shaped your skills and character.
Example: "Worked 15 hours/week as a cashier to support family income while maintaining a 4.0 GPA."
7. Tailor Your List to Your Story
Make sure your activities align with your broader narrative as an applicant. If you’re applying as an aspiring engineer, emphasize STEM-related activities. However, don’t hesitate to showcase other interests to highlight your well-roundedness.
Example: A student interested in environmental science might highlight volunteering for a conservation group while also listing participation in debate team competitions to showcase communication skills.
Bottom Line
Crafting a compelling activities list takes thought and strategy.
At Invictus Prep, we specialize in helping students tell their unique stories through every component of their applications. Let us help you present your experiences in a way that captures your impact and commitment.
Contact us today to start building your standout application!
