How to Write Impactful Common App Activity Descriptions

By Rod, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor

For many students applying to college, writing about extracurricular activities can feel like an afterthought — secondary to essays, test scores, and recommendations. But your activity list is one of the most important parts of your application. It’s where you show how you’ve spent your time outside the classroom, what you care about, and how you’ve made an impact. Even the briefest 150-character descriptions, when written thoughtfully, can add depth to your application and help you stand out in a competitive pool.

9 Tips for Maximizing Impact

The Common App allows you to list up to ten activities, each with a strict character limit. While that may seem limiting, it’s actually an opportunity: These short lines are where you can highlight leadership, initiative, growth, and values. With careful word choice, you can communicate what matters most to you and what you contributed to your community, school, or family. Here are core strategies to make the most of this space.

#1 Start with a Strong Verb

Skip passive phrases like “member of” or “helped with,” and lead instead with strong verbs that describe what you actually did: organized, led, created, built, taught, designed, managed — the list goes on. Strong verbs make clear that you were actively involved and taking initiative. “Led 2x/week varsity practices; analyzed game film; elected team captain senior year” shows consistent leadership and peer recognition in one concise line.

This is great practice for a professional resume, which also requires the use of strong verbs. This MIT resource lists many great action verbs you can use in your activity list.

#2 Be Specific About Your Role

Listing an activity without context misses the opportunity to show ownership. Instead of saying “Volunteered at food pantry,” specify how you contributed: “Distributed food to 100+ families/wk; built volunteer schedules; tracked pantry stock.” That level of detail helps admissions officers understand how you made a difference, not just that you were present.

#3 Quantify Your Impact

Whenever possible, use numbers to give scale and clarity. Numbers help admissions readers grasp how often, how long, how many people were affected, or how big the outcome was. For instance, “Led 5 blood drives (300+ units); recruited 50 volunteers; managed promotion & logistics” gives a clear sense of your initiative, results, and planning skills. Quantification doesn’t just make you seem more impressive, it makes your work more real and measurable.

#4 Clarify the Purpose or Result of What You Did

Good descriptions don’t just state the action, they show why it mattered. If you created something, who used it? If you ran something, what was the outcome? “Created 3 health infographics; shared by school district to boost vax awareness (10K+ reach)” is far more compelling than “Made health graphics.” A result or purpose adds meaning and shows thoughtfulness.

#5 Add Brief but Helpful Context

Not every reader will recognize the programs, groups, or roles you’re naming. If you were in a competitive program, won a notable award, or did something regionally impactful, make it clear. For example: “1 of 25 on state youth policy council; advised school board on mental health policy” lets the reader know it was selective and impactful. Context helps prevent important experiences from being misunderstood or overlooked.

#6 Be Concise, Intentional — and Skip Full Sentences

In the Common App activity section, full sentences are not required and often counterproductive. It’s not an essay — it’s more like a resume. Use sentence fragments that start with strong verbs. Drop unnecessary words like “the” or “a,” and skip periods. For example, “Worked on school podcast for two years; interviewed guests” is too vague and wordy. A stronger version might read: “Produced 20-episode podcast; hosted interviews, edited audio, managed release schedule.” That second version is shorter, tighter, and far more informative. Every word should serve a purpose: Cut filler and focus on action and impact.

#7 Use a Consistent Structure Across Your List

Admissions officers often review activity sections fast, so a predictable rhythm helps them absorb your accomplishments quickly. A reliable structure is: Action + Context + Result. For example: “Taught weekly coding lessons to 15 middle schoolers; created curriculum, tracked progress” or “Organized benefit concert (200+ attendees); raised $3.4K for cancer research.” These blurbs are efficient and intentional, making each line do as much work as possible.

#8 Include a Wide Range of Experiences

Not all meaningful activities take place in clubs or competitions. Jobs, family duties, and informal projects count, too. They often show maturity, time management, and character. For example: “Worked 12 hrs/wk at grocery store; promoted to shift lead; trained 4 new hires” or “Cared for 2 younger siblings daily; supported virtual learning, meals, bedtime.” These experiences carry real weight and reflect personal responsibility — a quality that admissions officers value.

#9 Reflect Your Values and Interests

If you’re passionate about healthcare, highlight hospital volunteering, research, or public health initiatives. If you’re into the arts, include your creative contributions, showcases, or leadership roles. The goal isn’t to seem well-rounded for its own sake, it’s to present a coherent and authentic narrative that reinforces who you are and what you care about. When your activities echo the themes in your essays and recommendations, the whole application becomes more powerful.

Your activity list isn’t just a form. It’s a story in shorthand. In just a few characters, you can show initiative, leadership, growth, and impact. Approach it with care, precision, and reflection. When done right, these short lines will not only fill space, they’ll speak volumes.

If you’re not sure you’re on the right track with your activity list — or any other part of your application — it can be very helpful to receive personalized guidance from an independent college admissions counselor, such as my colleagues at IvyWise. Since we have all been admissions officers ourselves, we know what colleges are looking for and how to submit an impactful application that stands out. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you maximize your chances of admission into your best-fit colleges.