Mawr Insight: The Activities Section

What is the purpose of the activities section on the Common App? 

At Bryn Mawr College, we evaluate student applications holistically during the admissions process. Admissions counselors want to know more about who you are outside of class and in your community. This holistic assessment allows admission counselors to gain a comprehensive understanding of your journey, which is crucial for comprehending how your experiences have influenced your current self and your aspirations for the future. Your academic performance and pursuit of rigor are only one part of your high school experience, and colleges care about seeing the whole picture when making assessments about students' fit. Students often have rich experiences outside of high school, and that deserves attention when assessing who a student is.   

How do you define a “meaningful” extracurricular activity?

What you do outside of class shows what you value and illustrates how you contribute to your community. Ultimately, what is considered “meaningful” varies from student to student. I encourage you to list the activities you find meaningful or anything that connects to how you have spent your free time. We as an admissions team believe anything you spend your time doing reflects who you are or what excites you! Students can share part-time jobs, leadership positions for clubs, passion projects, summer program involvement, and so much more. Students often belong to multiple communities at once. Community can exist in school, within your family, or even in online spaces. Your extracurriculars are unique to your journey, so you define how meaningful they are!  

For standout activities, I am often impressed by how much time students spend deepening their skills or interests or supporting those around them with their talents and/or work ethic. 

How should students decide which activities to prioritize in the limited activity list?

Students should feel empowered to list the activities in order of what is most meaningful to them. While recent activities are not required, I encourage students to think deeply about their whole high school experience and what best reflects the person they are coming into college. Students may choose to provide more depth in other areas of the application, through essays and supplemental materials. But when listing them, think, "Which activity best represents who I have developed into or best reflects my aspirations?"  

"Community can exist in school, within your family, or even in online spaces." 

Is it better to show depth in a few activities or breadth across many? How should students think about that balance? 

"Jack of all trades, master of one" is a classic dilemma for a reason. We all have different ways of enjoying our interests and hobbies. It can be exciting for students to develop depth in their passions. But don’t be afraid to explore along the way. As a junior, you could find an interest you had no idea existed when you were a freshman in high school. You should not limit yourself because you believe colleges only view depth favorably.  

Ultimately, there are limitations to what students can reasonably do with their free time in four years, but we hope you spend some of your time doing things that energize and bring joy to you. Finding a balance between all your commitments is key to avoiding extracurricular burnout. Be sure to prioritize your interests while also keeping an open mind to new opportunities. New experiences can shape your path in unexpected ways.  

What are some common mistakes or misconceptions students have when completing the extracurricular section? 

Students assume you need to have exactly ten to be viewed favorably.   I have also seen that you must be a leader or be involved in something with a large-scale societal impact to be admitted. Both of which are untrue, and that framing for extracurricular activities undervalues hundreds of other meaningful ways students are spending their time.  

One thing I really wish students would know is that part-time jobs and home responsibilities absolutely matter and should be shared! The admissions committee wants to hear about those roles. I also would encourage students not to overthink their descriptions. If you want it to be light and humorous, that is likely authentic to who you are. A sound, to-the-point statement is also acceptable. If you can hone the impact of your activity, awesome. But there is a limited number of characters, and we are not judging your ability to be perfectly succinct in that section.