When students fill out their college application Activity Sheets, they often make mistakes. How can one make a mistake filling in the activities they have participated in throughout high school? Well, take this example: Many students list a laundry list of activities they have done during their high school years from that one weekend back in ninth grade when they helped out at a soup kitchen to that week in tenth grade when they volunteered at a nursing home. College admissions counselors aren’t impressed that a student devoted a whole weekend a few years back at a soup kitchen.
They want to see a through line, a compelling narrative. They want to see that your passion is, say, helping the homeless. You don’t devote one weekend. You have devoted four years and countless hours each week to this endeavor. And you don’t just serve soup at a soup kitchen. Maybe you’ve come up with innovative ways to help the homeless and you’ve tried to implement your ideas. College admissions counselors want to see innovation. They want that unique, special student who stands out from the pack. Take a look at this post on community service and college admissions and this one on summer activities and college applications.
Check out this video we’ve made for you on college application activities:
