What should I include in the Common App Activities section for each activity?

For each activity, colleges want a quick picture of what you did, how involved you were, and what impact you had. The main pieces are the activity type, your position or role, the organization name, grades participated, timing during the year, hours per week, weeks per year, and the short description.

The description is where you should be most intentional. Use it to say what you actually did, not just what the club is. Focus on specific responsibilities, leadership, initiative, scope, and results. Strong descriptions often include action verbs and concrete details like “organized weekly tutoring for 25 students,” “managed register and trained 3 new employees,” or “raised $2,000 for local shelter.”

If an activity matters a lot to you, include achievement, growth, or commitment in a compact way. For example, with volunteering, mention who you served and what your role was. For a part-time job, emphasize responsibility, reliability, customer interaction, or any promotion. For clubs, say whether you led projects, founded something, expanded participation, or created change.

A good formula is: what you did + how well or how much you did it + any impact or recognition.

A few things to avoid: full sentences, vague phrases like “participated in meetings,” repeating the activity title in the description, and stuffing in every minor task. Prioritize the most meaningful parts. If you have honors directly tied to the activity, you can often mention them there if they fit naturally.

Also rank your activities carefully. Put the ones that best show your time, commitment, leadership, or values near the top, not just the most impressive-sounding names. Colleges often learn a lot from a sustained job or family responsibility if it is described clearly.