I met with a student last week who recently pivoted away from a very demanding sport that limited their ability to do anything else.
Quality is more important than quantity when it comes to the activities section of an application. But having only one activity that the student is no longer doing will look unusual since there is space for up to ten activities on the Common App. Many students, especially the more competitive ones, tend to fill up all ten slots in the activities section or come close to that.
The advice I gave this student surprised them. It may surprise you, as well.
When a student lists an activity, they select each grade level they participated in it. They also indicate the average number of hours per week and the average number of weeks per year. Interestingly, though, Common App does not ask for the exact month a student begins an activity, nor does it ask for the exact months a student does an activity each year.
Why is that important?
Well, this student is heading into the last trimester of sophomore year. If they begin a few activities before the end of the school year, the student can select the 10th grade checkbox even though they're just starting these activities at the end of the year. If they continue with these activities through senior year, the student will show "quality" (for doing an activity 10th, 11th, and 12th grade) and "quantity."
That's the thing about the Common App activities section. It's not a resume that sometimes includes the month and year someone does something like this:
After-School Mentor, City Center YMCA (June 2025 - August 2025)An activity on the Common App will look like this:
10, 11, 12 After-School Mentor, City Center YMCA
Note the highlighted area above. Whether the student begins this activity in September of 10th grade or March of 10th grade, it simply gets listed as "10th" grade.
Read More: 3 Sources To Use When Building a College List
If you feel like your activities list is short right now, this is your gentle nudge to add a few activities before the end of the school year. Sticking with activities for multiple years (and through senior year) can make a big impact. Quality is more important than quantity. But when you have both, your activities section of your application becomes a strength rather than a weakness.
