We are excited to introduce Ethan Sawyer, known as the College Essay Guy. His website is a comprehensive source for college essay guidance, including advice on personal statements, Common App components, free resources, online courses, and more. Ethan’s approach is personal, warm, and empathetic; his instruction and resources are widely praised, and he offers many free tools to support students and counselors.
10 Tips: How to Write Your Common App Activities List
You only get 150 characters for each activity title and 160 characters for the description: how do you make the most of them? Below is a practical excerpt of tips to help you craft concise, effective entries on your Common App activities list.
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Put your role and organization in the title box.
Don’t waste characters repeating the organization name in the description. For example, instead of listing “School newspaper” in the title and then writing “I am the editor for the school newspaper” in the description, try a concise title like Editor, International Column — School Newspaper and use the description to summarize responsibilities: “Brainstorm, revise, and supervise articles written by peers for my column.”
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Emphasize tangible, measurable impact.
Admissions officers respond to specifics. Rather than “Raised money for children in Africa,” write something like “Raised $3,000 to provide uniforms and partial scholarships for students at the Joseph Waweru Home School in Kenya.” Quantify numbers, beneficiaries, or outcomes whenever possible.
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Use active verbs to list what you actually did.
Replace vague statements with specific tasks: instead of “Worked at a clinic doing different things,” write “Organized patient diagnosis notes, sterilized surgical instruments, assisted with X-ray review.” Active verbs make your contribution clear and memorable.
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Use brief lists, not full sentences.
To make the most of limited space, shorten phrases and omit unnecessary words. For example, instead of “I raised money to donate to a school in Ghana by selling t-shirts and bracelets,” write “Organized fundraisers, ran sales events, presented at school assemblies.”
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Use present tense for ongoing activities.
If you still participate in the activity, describe it in the present tense: instead of “I helped tour visitors around the campus,” use “Give campus tours, share information on school history and student life.”
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Aim for variety in your verbs and descriptions.
Avoid redundancy. Don’t list similar verbs that mean the same thing (for example, “instructing, helping, teaching”); instead, show different facets of your role: “Teach proper technique, coach sportsmanship, promote health and integrity.”
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Include responsibilities that show leadership.
Leadership can appear in many forms. Rather than “I swim on the swim team,” write “Lead swim practices, plan fundraising events, assist in recruiting new members.” Leadership details help demonstrate initiative and reliability.
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Make one-time or limited activities meaningful.
If an activity was brief or singular, explain its significance and audience. Instead of “Tutored students,” try “Supported fourth graders struggling with key math concepts,” which clarifies who benefited and why the activity mattered.
These tips are a practical starting point for tightening your activity titles and descriptions so each entry on your Common App stands out. For more examples and step-by-step guidance, consult resources from the College Essay Guy, where you can find expanded checklists, templates, and lessons on writing stronger personal statements and application components.
About Ethan Sawyer
Ethan Sawyer is a nationally recognized college essay expert and sought-after speaker. Each year he helps thousands of students and counselors through online courses, workshops, articles, and books, while also working privately with a select number of students. Raised in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia, Ethan attended many different schools and has worked in roles ranging from teacher and curriculum writer to community organizer and voice actor. He is a certified Myers‑Briggs® specialist and is known for being punctual, enthusiastic, and deeply committed to helping students realize their potential.
Ethan graduated from Northwestern University, holds an MFA from the University of California, Irvine, and has earned counseling certificates. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Veronica, and their daughter, Zola.