Building your Activities List
Aside from the transcript (which reflects your academic rigor and learning achievements), what actually grabs a competitive college’s attention are the after-school activities you engage in.
Colleges like to see how your areas of interest intersect with how you make impacts in your school and community, and the Activities Section of the Common Application is often the only way to illustrate your achievements to prospective schools.
With only 150 characters to do so, creating an Activities List that best highlights your achievements over the last 4 years can be a lot more difficult than it sounds. Starting last minute and rushing through this section may cause more harm than good and can potentially be the deciding factor for acceptance.
While a strong list is crucial, it’s only one part of the long college admission journey ahead. Fortunately, I’m here to support you through the whole process—from the dream to reality, and each step along the way.
In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing some of the tips and tricks used in the Magnolia Method for building a valuable Activities List and gaining acceptance to your dream school. Let’s get started!
I recommend starting a rough draft of your list in 9th grade and continuing to add to it throughout high school. On this list, take notes of everything you do on it, including how many hours per week and how many weeks per year. Add a description of the activity, what you learned, and the key takeaways. Don’t leave details out—more information is better than forgetting and you can always edit later on!
Make another document to list any activities you may want to learn more about or participate in as you continue to advance through high school. Some opportunities are only open to older students or specific clubs, so if a certain activity looks interesting to you, write it down on your document and circle back to it later on if necessary.
Colleges are looking for experiences that shape who you are and what you care about. Volunteering to plant trees for 2 hours is a fabulous way to be a good person, but not the best way to demonstrate a larger or passion-fueled impact. Spreading yourself thin and casting too wide of a net doesn’t help you stand out, either. So I recommend choosing something you are personally invested in and devoting your time to that project, program, or initiative.
Lots of people think everyone needs to play sports—wrong! Sports programs are amazing for helping accomplished, devoted athletes gain acceptance to prospective universities. But so are theater, speech and debate, band, chorus, and yearbook programs—the list goes on and on! Which unique groups available at your high school interest you most? Pick 2-4 and go all in!
Summer jobs are a great way to demonstrate maturity and show that you are responsible. Plus, who doesn't like a little extra money? If you land a summer job, try to stick with it over time; consistency is really important and can also be great when you are seeking a supplemental letter of recommendation. But if you don’t have time to work, don’t stress! Focus more on spending your time making a community impact.
Pre-college programs are great on the activities list if they will increase your exposure to an area of study or help tie your major to your experience. These programs can demonstrate dedication toward highly specialized fields like architecture, nursing, veterinary medicine, film, or sports broadcasting. But in my experience, most pre-college programs are too surface-level, too expensive, and rarely increase chances of acceptance, especially at highly competitive universities.
Community involvement and activism can clearly define the topics you care about. Seek out selective experiences and don’t be afraid to ask how you can be involved. Community leadership doesn’t fall into your lap, so you’ll need to advocate for yourself. Want to work for a campaign or think a local non-profit looks cool to volunteer for? Send a LinkedIn message to the organizers! Be direct. Pro Tip: Do your homework and demonstrate that you know about the mission of the project or team. Don’t be vague—show your passion!
If you are interested in STEM, you should consider doing research. Many local colleges have impressive university-level research programs available for high school students. Ask your math or science teachers and department chairs if they know of any programs. Graduate Assistants often need help, and emailing local professors to inquire can show initiative and create connections. I do not recommend paying for research opportunities; in fact, look for those that offer a stipend to you!
The biggest thing to remember is that your Activities List is typically the main resource for admission teams to better understand what you do, what you value, what you stand for, and who you are.
While Washington D.C. isn’t the place for everyone to spend four years of college, it is becoming more and more accessible for students all over the world.
Here’s an interesting article describing how colleges are broadening their accessibility to policymakers and government internships for students all over the country.
What does this mean for you or your student? Let’s discuss how accessibility to internships can impact the application journey.
Whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, or advisor—you recognize the tremendous benefit of higher education and its impact on shaping one’s future. And no matter your role within this incredibly defining decision-making process, it can be a stressful time for you.
I’m here to be your advisor, organizer, tutor, cheerleader, friend, and compass through this journey. I’ve helped over 2,000 students locate and gain acceptance to the college of their dreams, and I’m so excited to help you, too.
Let’s get to work!
-Allie Pierson, Founder