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Duke University
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UCLA
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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Tips for activity description on Common App

I'm currently filling out the Common App and am having trouble coming up with concise yet informative activity descriptions. Does anyone have any tips or examples to help me make my descriptions stand out?

7 months ago

It's important to make your activity descriptions as clear and impactful as possible within the character limit. Here are a few tips and example descriptions to help you structure your Common App activity descriptions:

1. Use specific numbers and quantifiable details: Incorporate facts, figures, or data to showcase the scale and impact of your participation.

Example: "Tutored 4 students in Algebra, raising their test scores by an avg. of 20%. Created customized worksheets for personalized learning."

2. Include your role and achievements: Start with your position or title and focus on your most significant accomplishments in the activity.

Example: "Debate Team Captain - Led team to three regional championships with daily practice sessions focused on research, argumentation, & rebuttals."

3. Utilize action verbs: Begin each description with a strong action verb to demonstrate your active involvement.

Example: "Organized annual 5k charity run, raising $15k for the local hospital. Coordinated planning, promotion, and logistics for the event."

4. Focus on the impact and transferable skills: Emphasize the positive outcomes of your participation and any valuable skills you gained that might be transferable.

Example: "Volunteered at food bank, coordinating donations from supermarkets & distributing food to 100+ families weekly. Built leadership & teamwork skills."

5. Be concise and avoid jargon: Make sure the information is easily understandable and eliminate any unnecessary words or abbreviations.

Example: "Journalism Club - Served as Editor-in-Chief; increased readership by 50% through innovative digital publishing & community outreach strategies."

Remember to prioritize your most meaningful and impactful activities. The goal is to create a vivid picture of your involvement and accomplishments in a concise manner, while showcasing transferable skills and the positive impact you've made in each activity. Good luck with your application!

7 months ago

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