How to Write Strong Descriptions for Your Activities List
Writing descriptions for your activities list might feel like explaining your whole high school career in tweet-length blurbs. But the truth is admissions officers are skimming quickly, so your job is to give them a snapshot of your impact, not a full biography. Let’s dive into a few key tips on how to keep it concise, clear, and impactful!
Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Descriptions
When writing, avoid the temptation to be vague or to overstate. Each description should highlight your role, your actions, and any results.
Do: Be specific. Use action verbs to show initiative and responsibility.
Example: “Founded monthly peer tutoring sessions in math, improving test scores by an average of 15% for attendees”
Don’t: Use “filler” phrases or generic statements.
Example: Avoid “Helped out in math club”. Instead, go for “Tutored underclassmen in algebra and geometry, assisting over 20 students.”
Use our "Top Action Verbs for Your College Application" cheat sheet for a list of powerful verbs that add clarity and impact.
Highlighting Tangible, Quantifiable Results and Impact
When you show results, admissions officers can better understand your contributions. Even if you weren’t the “president” of something, you can still showcase your impact.
Use Metrics: Numbers give your achievements weight and context.
Example: “Increased social media following for the debate team by 300% through regular content creation and engagement strategies”
If numbers aren’t available, highlight the skills or processes involved in the role.
Example: “Developed social media content by writing scripts, learning video editing, and collaborating with other law-related clubs”
Notice how the modified example uses specific verbs to highlight aspects like teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity despite not mentioning any numerical results. But now observe how including numbers adds to the understanding of this student’s contributions.
Example: “Developed social media content by writing scripts, learning video editing, and collaborating with other law-related clubs; following increased 300%”
Now we’re talking! Look at the qualities this improved description demonstrates: creativity, curiosity, and leadership, which by the way isn’t limited to just having the title of “captain” or “founder”. If you feel like you haven’t held many leadership positions in high school, read our guide on how to show leadership and impact in your activities list despite not having the formal titles.
Examples Section: Effective Descriptions Across Various Activities
Here’s a quick list of sample descriptions for common activities:
Volunteer Work: “Organized weekly food drives with community centers, collecting over 500 pounds of food for local families.”
Part-Time Job: “Developed customer service skills as cashier, handling up to 100 transactions per shift.”
School Club: “Collaborated with peers in art club to design school mural, enhancing campus environment and school spirit.”
“Organized. Developed. Collaborated.” These descriptions paint a clear picture of what this student did, highlights different values including organization, initiative, and teamwork, and shows the impact they had.
Final advice
Writing descriptions might feel limiting, but that’s also the beauty of it! In just a few lines, you’re giving admissions officers the best highlights of your journey and they will appreciate a clear, no-fluff style. Keep each description specific, measurable (when possible), and authentic to your experience.
But although writing effective descriptions is crucial, another piece of the puzzle is deciding which activities to actually show and which to leave out. For example, if you’re applying to colleges that use the Common App, you’ll only be able to list up to 10 activities. What will you decide to show if you have more than 10 extracurriculars that you’ve done? Check out our guide on "How to Prioritize Your Activities for College Applications" to help you figure out which activities to highlight.