This informal CPD article ‘How to Write an Effective Activities List for US University Applications’ was provided by Guidewell Global, specialists in international university and school admissions, working with top schools across the UK and Europe to provide a bespoke service for those who want the best possible application support in the UK.
Activities are an important part of the secondary school experience, but they are viewed very differently by US and UK university admissions officers. In the UK, activities do not make a strong impact to applications; in the US, they are integral.
American admissions are holistic, meaning that applicants are assessed on more factors than grades: letters of recommendation, essays, and activities are also considered. By encouraging students to present and describe their activities effectively—highlighting achievements, leadership, and transferable skills—teachers and futures departments can help students strengthen their profiles.
How activities feature in US applications
In the Common Application (the main US application portal), there is a dedicated section for activities. It works as follows (1):
- Applicants can list up to 10 activities (it’s OK if they have fewer than 10).
- They select an activity type from a dropdown menu.
- They provide short descriptions: 50 characters for position title, 100 for organisation name, and 150 characters for the activity description.
In the Universities of California application (used for campuses in the Universities of California group), the Activities and Awards section differs (2):
- Applicants can list up to 20 activities and awards.
- There are six categories: awards/honours, educational preparation programmes, extracurricular activities, volunteering/community service, work experience, and other coursework.
- Applicants are generally allowed 350 characters to write a description of each activity or award. In some sections, they may have a higher character limit or be asked slightly different questions about the activity.
What admissions officers look for
When assessing activities, admissions officers aren’t just looking for a packed schedule of activities. The below qualities really make activities stand out:
- Growth and progression over time
- Sustained involvement
- Leadership experience (formal or informal; for example, taking initiative in a project or work situation)
- Genuine passion
- Deep involvement in a few activities versus surface-level involvement in lots of unrelated activities
Prioritising activities
To get students started, ask them to list all their activities. It is important to note that US applications define ‘activities’ broadly. Cultural participation (e.g. religious involvement), family responsibilities (such as caring for siblings), paid work, and even hobbies (like being an avid reader) all count and can be included.
If students have more activities than space allows, they will need to narrow them down, based on the above list of what admissions officers are looking for. They can also consider the level of competition or recognition (e.g. school, regional, national), and the relevance of the activity to academic interests, intended course, or other application components, as well as the importance the activity holds to them personally.
Students should list activities in descending order of importance (1), and in the Common Application, the first six carry the most weight.
Tips for listing activities
Once students have got to the phase of writing the descriptions for their activities, there are a few tips that will help them craft these effectively:
- Use active language and avoid the passive voice where possible. (Whilst the passive voice is common in British English, it can come across as wordy or less confident than the active voice to an American audience.)
- Turn tasks into impact statements (don’t just say what you did, say what changed because of you!).
- Don’t be afraid to be positive! In the US, people are used to making enthusiastic, positive statements about themselves. UK students may see the same as bragging. Encourage them to be positive about and advocate for themselves.
- Use concise and powerful language. Avoid vague verbs, redundancy, and generalisations. Applicants can use contractions and avoid saying ‘I’ to maximise their use of the character count.
- Be specific and try to quantify impact.
- Think also about application story – try and align the list with the rest of the application.
- Ensure coherence with the wider application: the activities list should reinforce the student’s overall narrative, including academic interests and essays.
Activities play a central role in US applications. Teachers and counsellors can support students by helping them craft lists that are concise, specific, and aligned with the wider application narrative, while clearly demonstrating qualities such as leadership, genuine passion, and sustained commitment.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Guidewell Global, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
(1) Common App. 'Approaching the activities section'. https://www.commonapp.org/static/a5d59a915bdc2031e62c468ad35e0de9/Resource_FY_Activities_ENG_2025.06.25_0.pdf
(2) University of California Admissions. 'How to fill out the UC application: Activities & awards'. https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-first-year/filling-out-the-application.html
