Crafting my marching band experience on Common App - What looks good?

I'm a section leader in our marching band and I’m working on my Common App activities section. With limited space, what aspects should I focus on? Is it more important to highlight leadership, time commitment, or the competitions we've won? I want to make my experience sound impressive without bragging too much.

Hi there! It's wonderful to hear about your leadership role in the marching band. When crafting your Common App activities section, I suggest focusing on a mix of leadership and the achievements of your marching band. Your role as a section leader naturally implies a significant time commitment and dedication, and plus, there are boxes dedicated to quantifying your time commitment by listing how many hours you have spent on this activity.

So, in your description, you'll want to instead emphasize the responsibilities you had and the impact your leadership had on the band. For example, you might have led rehearsals, coordinated performances, or managed the logistics for competition trips.

It's also worth mentioning significant competitions your band has won, as they underscore that you care about the group's success, not merely your own, and also speak indirectly to your leadership skills, as you would have been a part of building up the group's overall proficiency. Do make sure to relate these achievements back to your own involvement directly, though. Did you play a part in strategizing for these competitions or in maintaining morale? Remember, the goal is to show how your specific contribution added value.

Lastly, while it's important to be proud of your accomplishments, maintain a humble tone by focusing on collaborative success rather than personal bragging. For instance, instead of saying, 'I led my band to victory,' you might say, 'Guided by my leadership, we achieved recognition at state-level competitions.' This shows recognition without overshadowing the efforts of your team. Good luck with your application!