I hate seeing this from so many students. Kev, what specific “rules” do you think you’re breaking by, for example, combining activities?
Here’s all the Activities Page says:
"Reporting activities can help colleges better understand your life outside of the classroom. Examples of activities might include . . . Do you have any activities that you wish to report?
That’s it, baby. Do not be constrained by the boxes in the common application. Or by some unwritten college admission “rules” you’ve heard about. Flex your muscles! Think inside the box by being as creative and thoughtful as possible about how you describe your activities and descriptions. Don’t write scared. Swing big. Combine activities, shorten titles, use creative descriptions, omit positions when they’re weak. Make that document as clean, concise, and compelling for your speed-reading admission officer as possible.
But I totally get your concern: I don’t want to “misrepresent” something. Don’t worry, man. If you’re having that thought, you’re good to go. Here’s all you need to do: provide context. Usually, all that takes is a few lines in a description or better, a parenthetical. So if you have a killer internship coming up in December, but it hasn’t happened yet, does that mean you can’t put it down on your Activities Page? No! What “rule” is that breaking? All you need to do is provide context:
Genetics Researcher, Prof. X, Stanford (Dec. 2021)
[In December,] I’m studying the latest techniques for using gene editing to solve autism.
You probably don’t need that [In December,] bit–the parenthetical makes it clear it hasn’t happened yet. But why shouldn’t you get credit for an awesome internship you secured just because you’re submitting your application in November?
“Some people like to lose small. I like to win big.” Swing for the fences my man.
MCS