Student activities: how to frame them in university applications

I find it helpful to show students how to present activities in their university applications – possibly even before their senior year.

As part of a longer essay

Activities can be easily incorporated into a longer essay of 500 or more words. Great examples can be found in the Common App prompt.

Example: Common App Prompt No. 2 –”The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For UK applicants, the Ucas personal statement, a long essay of 4,000 characters, is the only opportunity to showcase activities. Both Cambridge and Oxford offer helpful suggestions for supra-curricular activities – steer your UK hopefuls to those webpages. 

As part of a shorter essay

Activities can be incorporated into a shorter essay (50-500 words). A great example is the University of British Columbia personal profile.

Example: UBC Personal Profile – “Describe up to five activities that you have pursued or accomplishments achieved in one or more of the following areas.” “Tell us more about one or two activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response.”

In a short answer

Many US supplementaries require this (fewer than 200 words).

Example: Georgetown University supplementary – “Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.”

CV or resumé

Many European schools, as well as universities in Hong Kong, accept resumés as part of their application.

Activities (and awards) list

Listing your activities is a classic way to showcase your extracurricular involvement. Notable examples include the “Activities and awards list” in Common App (10 activities and five awards). Singaporean universities also look for a list of activities and awards, with preference for Olympiad results.

Proof of activities in separate pages

South Korean universities require official proof of extracurricular engagement (with stamp, official letterhead and signature), with each activity on its own separate page. Your list of responsibilities should be delineated in an objective manner.

Interview

Finally, interviews are a great opportunity to talk about your activities. These are required by competitive programmes around the world. Understanding the “story” behind each activity is important in conveying a strong sense of self to the university representative in a short amount of time.

A note for counsellors

It’s also important to know whether the existing structures at the school – including the curriculum – require activities.

For instance, the IB curriculum has the CAS (creativity, activity, service) component, and many high schools have volunteer requirements. Knowledge of this and, preferably, collaborating with the coordinators of this aspect of the curriculum – planning a presentation together or exchanging opportunities, for example – can help you be a more effective college counsellor.