When I work with rising seniors over the summer on college applications, I like to start with the Activity List. For those of you new to the process, the Activity List is sort of like the Common App’s version of a resume where students can list up to 10 extracurricular activities from their high school years and give a brief (and I mean brief) description about their involvement.
I like to start with the Activity List for a few reasons:
Students can finish a full draft fairly quickly, so it’s a good initial motivator.
It’s almost like a brainstorming exercise for the essay. It can help students think of what they might want to write about in their personal statement OR what they might not want to write about because it’s already a heavy presence somewhere else in their application.
Drafting the Activity List in the summer before senior year gives students time to assess where they are and make adjustments if necessary. There’s still time to make changes.
For some students, this is a pretty simple exercise. If they’ve been involved in a lot of organized extracurriculars, for example, the list is more straightforward. But that isn’t every student’s path. Some students have unconventional involvement, solo hobbies, or other responsibilities that make the Activity List a little more complicated. Maybe the student hasn’t been as engaged as they might have wished.
I’m often asked about the Activity List and how it will look to colleges if students don’t have a lot of “traditional” extracurricular involvement. So let’s address some of those concerns.
First, “traditional” forms of extracurricular involvement are not superior. Just because something is an organized club with a name, an officer board, and regular meetings does not make it a better or worse activity than anything else. Just because it has “name recognition” does not make it a better or worse activity than anything else. A “good activity” is one that genuinely reflects a student’s interests. It’s that simple.
Second, there’s still time to add to the Activity List. For those who want to get involved in something new or pick up something they used to do, it isn’t too late! If you need some ideas to get you started, I’ve written several blog posts (here’s another and another and another!) with some examples.
Finally, think about the less conventional ways that you’re filling your time. Those things matter too! That’s really the point of today’s blog post. Colleges want to know how students are spending their time when they aren’t sitting at a desk in class, so unconventional activities can be just as important and tell colleges just as much about a student as the clubs they’re involved in.
Here are some examples of how I’ve seen unconventional activities successfully used in recent years on the Common App Activity List:
VIDEO GAMES
Yes, I think there’s room for video games on the Activity List in some cases. For many students, this can be a source of social interaction. Let’s look at some examples of how video games worked on the Activity List:
One student’s casual video gaming led to modding a Discord channel of a few hundred people.
Several students wrote about using video games to stay connected with friends during the pandemic. Some students made new friends all over the country.
One student got really into playing vintage video games with his dad and uncle.
A group of students tried to recreate the Roman Coliseum in Minecraft.
COOKING & BAKING
Several of my students like to cook or bake to destress or make gifts for their loved ones. Here’s what’s making it onto the Activity List:
Again, it’s about connecting with other people. One student described how she made her friends birthday cakes during the pandemic because she couldn’t give them hugs. Another student made cookies with his mom to give away because it gave them a reason to make porch visits.
One student wanted to learn how to make all of her favorite family recipes before she left for college.
Another student learned to recreate their favorite restaurant meals after they moved to a new city.
HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS
“I hang out with my friends” is almost always the first answer when I ask students, “What do you do for fun?” It’s how many students spent a huge amount of time, so it’s worth at least considering including it on the Activity List. Often, when we dig a little deeper into what students do when they’re together, they’re doing some pretty cool stuff. Here are some examples:
One student has gone bowling with his friends every week for months. Another has a pick up basketball group as organized as any rec league.
Because there was “nothing else to do,” friends started hiking or going for long walks together, essentially creating a new hobby while socializing.
Several students told me that they are always the ones to organize outings and events for their friends. Maybe they don’t have a lot of official leadership or club experience to talk about, but they’ve planned countless birthday parties and day trips. A film buff hosts a regular movie night to watch and critique favorite films. Another has started a book club.
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
Some students have family responsibilities that go beyond basic chores like making their bed or helping out around the house. These things can take a lot of time and definitely should be accounted for on the Activity List. For example:
Some students have responsibilities caring for younger siblings or other young relatives.
Other students have older relatives, like grandparents, that they regularly help out. Several students do yard work for their grandparents. Other students took over grocery shopping so their elderly grandparents wouldn’t be exposed during the height of the pandemic. One student who regularly played cards with his grandparents taught them to play online so they wouldn’t have to give up their tradition.
A few students have unusual pets that require special care. Others have had farm animals to help care for.
HOBBIES
Students shouldn’t forget to include the things they choose to do simply because they enjoy them. Solo hobbies aren’t always something “organized,” but they definitely count and can reveal so much about a student. Find what interests you and pursue it! Just a few hobbies I’ve seen on Activity Lists lately include:
Arts & Crafts - Painting, jewelry making, knitting, sculpting, sewing
Tinkering - Working on cars, taking apart electronics and putting them back together again
Physical Fitness - Weight training, running, yoga, hiking, biking
READING
When all else fails, pick up a book or listen to an audiobook. I’ve yet to meet a college representative or an admissions counselor who hasn’t recommended reading to prospective students.
I tell students that it doesn’t matter what they’re reading—a graphic novel or a memoir by their favorite soccer player is just as fair game as The Iliad. The point is to read something that sounds interesting and that they want to read.