What Reviewers Look For in the Common App — Activities List

This rubric looks at whether each activity entry explains the work you actually did, not just the title or organization name. It also checks whether the information in the fields makes the activity easy to understand, stays readable, and fits the stated field limits.

What We Check

Mistakes We Flag

Letting the title do all the work

A role name or well-known organization does not show what you were responsible for. Name a task, responsibility, skill you practiced, or thing you made.

Using vague verbs

Phrases like “helped with things” leave the reader unsure what you did. Say what you handled, created, practiced, or cared for.

Giving a description that is only a label

If a supplied description only repeats an organization or title, it adds no information about the activity. Use that space to explain what the activity involved.

Making fields hard to connect

Readers should be able to tell which organization, role, and work belong together. Make the activity described by the supplied fields clear.

Splitting one activity into unclear separate entries

Multiple entries for the same activity can be confusing when they do not show different work or roles. Make each entry distinct if you include more than one.

How this rubric reads your essay

• Built from published reader guidance — the sources are listed below.
• Scored per section against defined criteria, not general impressions.
• Calibrated for consistent scoring, so a better draft shows up in the score.

References

Frequently Asked Questions