The Common Application activities section gives you 10 activity slots, each with 150 characters for a description and 50 characters for your role/position. Here's how to make every character count.
Order Your Activities Strategically
Activities are listed in the order you choose — not chronologically. List activities in order of importance to you and impact on your life, not by prestige or what you think colleges will value most. Admissions officers pay closest attention to your top 3–4 activities. Put your most meaningful activity first.
How to Write Descriptions That Work
The 150-character description should convey: what you actually did (specific actions), your level of responsibility, and any quantifiable impact.
Weak: 'Volunteered at animal shelter. Helped take care of animals.'
Strong: 'Coordinated 12 volunteer teams; increased adoption events 40%; personally cared for 60+ animals weekly.'
Notice the strong version uses active verbs, specific numbers, and demonstrates impact rather than just describing presence.
What Counts as an Extracurricular
Almost anything: school clubs, athletics, music and performing arts, community service, jobs and internships, family responsibilities (caring for siblings), religious activities, creative projects, independent research, online content creation, entrepreneurial ventures, and summer programs. A part-time job is a legitimate and often impressive extracurricular.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't repeat information already elsewhere in your application. Don't pad the list with minor activities to fill all 10 slots — 7 significant activities look better than 10 trivial ones. Don't list duties — list achievements and impact.