How to pick the right common app activities?

Hi all, I'm planning my college applications and I need some help with selecting the right common app activities for my application. Can anyone offer some advice?

Certainly! When choosing which Common App activities to include, it's essential to focus on the quality and impact of your involvement rather than just on the number of activities. Here are some tips to help you pick the right activities for your application:

1. Prioritize meaningful involvement: Select activities in which you've invested long-term commitment and where you've demonstrated leadership, dedication, or made an impact. Include those that best showcase your passions, skills, and personal growth.

2. Highlight your spike: Top colleges prefer applicants with a highly-developed specialty, also known as a "spike." These are areas where you've proven significant success and are likely to continue to excel in the future. Make sure you list activities related to your spike.

3. Consider the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars: As you evaluate your activities, keep in mind their tier levels (1 being the highest, 4 being the lowest). Try to emphasize higher-tier activities that showcase your achievements, leadership, and initiative.

4. Balance your activities: Though it's important to emphasize your primary interests, don't neglect to show a well-rounded perspective by including a variety of activities. This way, admissions officers can see how you've explored different interests and contributed in diverse ways.

5. Be strategic with limited space: The Common App allows you to list up to ten activities, but you don't have to fill all ten slots. Focus on those that best represent you instead. If you have more than ten activities that you believe are equally important, consider combining similar activities into a single entry, such as club participation within a particular theme or interest.

6. Order activities thoughtfully: Admissions officers may prioritize the activities that are listed first. Make sure to list your most significant activities at the top of the section, so they don't get overlooked.

7. Be concise and specific: When describing your activities, use clear, succinct language to help convey the context, your responsibilities, accomplishments, and the impact you made. Avoid using jargon and acronyms without explanation as admissions officers may not be familiar with them.

By carefully considering these tips and reflecting on your individual experiences, you'll be able to select and highlight the activities that best showcase your strengths and interests, ultimately creating a compelling and well-rounded application. Good luck!