Hey everyone. As I'm working on the Common App, I noticed there are 10 slots available to list activities. Now, I'm a bit worried - do I really need to fill all of them? Let's say I only fill like 6 or 7 slots with my core extracurriculars, will that put me at a disadvantage?
Hi! Your concern is quite common, but remember that it's more about the quality of your activities than the quantity. In general, most successful applicants to top colleges have 8-10 total extracurriculars. However, it's not necessary to fill all the slots in the Common App.
The activities section is a place to showcase your commitments, passions, and leadership capabilities. If you are deeply involved in 6-7 activities, it can be more impressive than a laundry list of 10 where perhaps you only participated minimally. Colleges want to see that you have focused on activities where you have taken initiative and invested time and effort.
The Common App provides space for 10 activities as a maximum limit, but by no means should this be seen as a requirement to fill every slot. The key is to represent yourself authentically and emphasize those activities that have shaped your high school career in a significant way.
The entries should be arranged in descending order of interest and importance to you. Take into account the intensity and length of your commitment, the leadership roles you held, the recognitions you received, and how meaningful the activity was to you personally and professionally. These components contribute much more to the overall impression of your involvement than just the sheer number of activities. So don't worry if you don't fill in all the boxes, focus on curating a comprehensive picture of your involvement in the activities you do list!
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