How many activities is a good amount to fill out on the common app?Answered
There are 10 activities that can be filled out on the common app. Do I have to fill out all 10 spots to have better chances of getting into a particular college?
Is it better to have only 6 strong activities filled in and 4 other standard/filler activities OR just 6 strong activities? Is there a difference?
Should I fill in all of my activities or just the ones that seem to be more impactful (even if there are less than 10)?
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1 answer
Hi @flora!
Whether you fill out just 6 or all 10, you'll be listing the activities in order of importance. The 4 standard activities will be the last 4 on your list.
The strategy you're talking about (listing only the 6 strong activities) works well in self-reporting AP and other test scores, but the activities section is a place where you want to provide as much information about yourself as possible. I usually emphasize quality over quantity, but that's when people are thinking of starting new extracurriculars just for applications. In your case, if you've already been participating in 10 extracurriculars for quite some time, it's better to include all of them. Take advantage of the space provided because admission officers' knowledge (and hence their decision) about you depends entirely on what you put on the application.
Hope this helps!
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