UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACTIVITY LIST
Your Résumé and your college Activity List go hand-in-hand throughout the admissions process; each one strengthens and informs the other. At EduPlan, we always begin with the Résumé because it serves multiple purposes beyond college applications. It is the document you will use for internships, academic programs, research opportunities, summer experiences, and even part-time jobs.
While not all colleges accept a Résumé, every college requires an Activity List as part of the application. In this respect, your Résumé will also allow you to reflect thoughtfully on your experiences, achievements, and impact. From there, translating your involvement into the application’s Activity List becomes a strategic process because your story is already clear, cohesive, and positioned to shine within the required format.
Colleges use this section to understand your interests, initiative, leadership, and commitment.
The Activity List
MAXIMIZING IMPACT OF YOUR ACTIVITY LIST
Colleges do not evaluate your activities by counting how many clubs you joined. What they are really looking for is the story your involvement tells about who you are. Admissions officers want to understand your interests, impact, growth, and commitment.
At EduPlan, we help you think like an admissions officer before you write a single bullet point, so here are some guiding principles in selecting your activities.
Commitment Over Time
A long list is not always better! Admissions officers look closely at how long you have been involved in an activity and how much time you dedicate to it each week. Consistent involvement over multiple years shows reliability and passion. So, select activities that truly excite you and plan your long-term involvement.
Impact and Results
Even a strong Activity List can fall flat if you don’t fully articulate your involvement. When describing your activities, focus on outcomes and impact. Did you raise funds, grow membership, earn recognition, publish work, or create something new? Concrete results help colleges clearly understand not just what you did, but how you made a difference.
Academic and Career Alignment
Activities that connect with your intended college major or future goals help tell a coherent story. For example, research, competitions, or internships related to your field can strengthen your application.
Initiative and Authenticity
When evaluating an Activity List, colleges look closely at how you were involved, not just what you joined. Did you create, build, or lead something meaningful, or were you mainly a participant? Admissions officers also assess whether your activities reflect genuine interests and sustained commitment, rather than last-minute resume-padding. Authentic involvement, initiative, and long-term engagement carry far more weight than simply holding memberships in multiple activities.
Use these criteria as your internal rubric.
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Before you get started with your resume, start noting brief points as answer to the questions below:
Big-Picture Questions
What would someone learn about you just by reading your Activity List?
What themes or passions show up repeatedly across your involvement?
If one activity disappeared from your list, which one would most change how colleges understand you — and why?
Depth & Commitment
How have you grown or deepened your role in each activity over time?
What responsibilities do you have now that you didn’t have when you started?
Where have you shown initiative rather than waiting for someone to assign you a role?
Impact & Achievement
What measurable outcomes have you contributed to? (Examples: number of people helped, money raised, events organized, improvements made.)
In what ways is the organization or team better because of your involvement?
Can you point to specific accomplishments that required effort, planning, or creativity?
Differentiation
How does your involvement in this activity differ from the “typical” student in the same role?
Have you done anything that is unusual, advanced, challenging, or self-directed?
If an admissions officer saw this activity at thousands of other schools, why should yours stand out?
Initiative & Leadership
Have you ever proposed a new idea, solved a problem, or improved a process?
What leadership moments (formal or informal) show your ability to guide, teach, motivate, or take responsibility?
If you haven’t held a title, how have you still demonstrated leadership?
Authenticity & Personal Connection
Why did you choose this activity, and what keeps you there?
What skills, values, or perspectives have you gained?
What does your involvement say about the kind of person, student, or community member you are becoming?
FOR STUDENTS WHO FEEL 'I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH'
If your answers feel thin or superficial, that’s a sign, not a failure. Colleges value students who lean in, take ownership, and build depth over time.
Ask yourself:
Where could I increase my commitment or responsibility this year?
What project or initiative could I start that would create real value?
Which activities align most with my long-term interests — and how can I go deeper?
Growth matters more than perfection. What counts is the direction you choose moving forward. Make a roadplan and get going!!!
