The Common App Activities section is one of the most important components of the US university application.  Please read Vela Education’s top tips on what to do (and what not to do!) when completing this part of aspect of the Common App.

DO: Create your own list first. Make sure you list all your activities for the last four years of school, including your last year. This should start with the first year of your GCSEs or equivalent to the first year of American high school. Once you have listed every activity you can think of, you can start to pick out the top ten to include on your application.

DON’T: Choose activities that are all in one category. This is an opportunity for you to show colleges what kind of student you are and tell them your story. Colleges want to see what you are passionate about and what you want to specialise in but remember to diversify your interests as well. Your activities should showcase a range of interests from sports to leadership positions to volunteering, but also tell a clear story about you.

DO: Be honest. Do not make up activities or add to the list just to pad out a certain area. If you aren’t on a sports team, that’s fine! You will have strengths in other areas. The admissions readers want to know who you are and who they are accepting into their community.

DON’T: Be modest. This is not a time to undersell yourself. Talking about everything you’re involved in can be a cringe-worthy experience, but these colleges want to know about you. Don’t shy away from including your role as prefect or that great science project you were involved in. Students also tend to undercalculate the hours that they spend on any given activity. You can always check with your advisor or university counsellor if you are unsure or think you may have overestimated.

DO: Rank the activities strategically. The Common App allows you to arrange your ten activities in a specific order. You want to start with the activities in which you have made the most significant contribution and/or have an important leadership role. Your rankings indicate what you value most! US Universities will be assessing those values in the review process.

DON’T: Use full sentences in the description. This may sound counter-intuitive but it’s important to put as much information as possible into these short descriptions. You are limited to 150 characters so make sure that you are efficient as possible: use active verbs, limit adjectives unless necessary, and be specific.

At Vela Education, we are here to help! On August 10^th, we will have a free webinar on the Common App; register here.