Advice for Filling Out the Common App Activity Section for UVA (All in One Place)

I've written about the Common App activity section more times than I can count over the years, and I keep noticing the same handful of questions coming up again and again on Reddit, in info sessions, in the DMs on social media, and during travel season. If you click on the "activities" tab on this blog to see all the things I've written over the years, you'll realize that the concerns students have about this section haven't changed all that much over the years and neither has my advice (with one exception, addressed below). I thought it was time to pull all of that together into one post. Consider this the "greatest hits" of my activity section advice. 

Activities don't have to align with a possible major

Almost all of the students at UVA arrive undeclared (exceptions are those studying nursing or kinesiology). Even those who have ideas about what they want to study often change their minds once they get here and start taking classes. After all, you haven't even had access to the variety of disciplines colleges offer when you're in high school. Activities should be interesting and rewarding to you. Explore your possible academic interests through activities if you want to, but it isn't a requirement, and it never has been. 

The orchestra will assemble at larger schools 

Back in the olden days (the 1990s) when I was disappointed by one of my college decisions, a family member giving me a spiel about how someone's daughter got into a certain really selective college because they played the French horn. It did not make me feel better. It made the admission process feel totally capricious. Looking back, I now know that person would have had to have an all-around awesome application to get into that school. They didn't get picked because of the French horn. Oh my gosh, was that horrible "pep talk" part of my origin story? Maybe. Anyway...

 

With 18,000 students at UVA and 4,000 new students joining us every year, we don't need to manufacture variety when it comes to the interests and talents present here. There will be dancers. There will be robotics kids and theater kids and kids building a sneaker flipping drop-shipping TikTok clipping side hustle. Nobody on our staff is sitting there thinking "we're short on debaters this cycle." Whatever you're involved in, there's room for it. That also means we don't rank activities against each other. UVA has 978 student organizations on the books, and whether you're the president of a huge club at your school or in solo pursuit of something delightfully niche, we're glad you found something that mattered to you. 

 

You don't need a spike and the class will be well-rounded 

If you're consuming college admission content on Instagram, reddit, or TikTok, you've probably run into the idea of the "spike." This is the theory that your activities (sometimes your whole application) should be packaged around an intended major.  This isn't a new concept, it's just gotten a new name. When I was applying to college, this was called being a "specialist" (sometimes referred to as "pointy.") and it was the only other option if you weren't well-rounded.

This is where the size of our school and each class comes into play again. Admission officers know that a class of 4,000 will be well-rounded due to its size. We don't have a checklist for the kinds of activities every student should have on their activity list nor do we expect your activities to broadcast a future major. While there are certain activities that attract certain kinds of students (*waves at the FIRST and OOTM participants*), there is no requirement for this. They don't have to relate to each other, and they definitely don't have to relate to your academic interests. Activities should be things you find interesting, rewarding, or just plain fun. 

By the way, we do care about well-roundedness in your academic foundation. High school is the time to build a nice foundation across many disciplines. College is where you get to specialize...after some more foundation work.

A few more things worth knowing 

• You don't have to fill the whole activity chart. Filling out all ten spaces isn't the norm. 

• You don't need to show years of unbroken commitment. It's natural for activities to change as you grow and develop! In addition, if taking on more rigorous courses in junior and senior year required a shift in time commitments, that's a completely reasonable trade-off. You'll probably have to do that in college, too. 

• Descriptions don't need to be masterpieces. You don't have to explain what DECA is, just give detail about your personal involvement. 

The activity section helps us get a sense of how you spend your time and energy outside the classroom. It's not there so we can check boxes, fill quotas, or match you to a major. Spend your high school years on the things that actually interest you, and the rest tends to take care of itself. 

 What questions do you still have about how activities factor into the UVA review process?

Join Us for Lighting of the Lawn 2025!

When prospective students and parents ask us about our favorite traditions, Lighting of the Lawn tends to be on the list. This is a community event that started after 9/11 to bring some joy to the UVA Grounds. The event has gotten larger and more elaborate over the years with all kinds of dance and vocal performances, a class poem, and a dance party (with a drone show last year!) at the end. 

Here's a 2-minute look at the event, including some behind-the-scenes footage!

This year's Lighting of the Lawn theme is Remix: A Quarter of Century of Light. You can join us via a livestream starting at 7 PM. 

My personal favorite show was in 2014, when we didn't think they'd be able to light of the Rotunda because it was fenced off and covered in scaffolding for a restoration project. There were lights...and then they added more lights...and still more lights. It was amazing!

btw: Don't miss the class poem at 8:40 PM! Yours truly got to read the poem a few years ago along with UVA football coach Tony Elliot, Julie Caruccio (AVP for Research and the mounted Cavalier mascot), and economics professor Ken Elzinga. It was a blast!

Reviewing the Common App Activities Section in the UVA Admission Process

A new student asked the UVA reddit subforum how to get off some of the club listserves they joined. It's inevitable that people who sign up for a few too many clubs realize that they have to cut back. It reminded me that it's been a while since I've written about what we are looking for when it comes to the Common App activity section.

Before I get into that, though, let me restate what we make clear in our application instructions, on the Common App, and on our contact page: we do not accept resumes with applications here. We want applicants to fill out the activity section of the Common App. With 56,000 applications, it's important that we be able to read efficiently. The consistent format of the Common App is helpful. We also hope it makes things simpler for applicants. The Common App is enough.  

Now, let's talk about that section...

The activity section shows us where you've chosen to spend your time outside the classroom during high school. This is both a "getting to know you" section and a section to see ways you might get involved in the future. There are many ways and venues in which to make a contribution - through work in the classroom, research, at a job, in student organizations (we call them CIOs here), in the residence hall, around Charlottesville, etc.  

1.  We don't value certain activities over others.

There are over 900 student organizations at UVA. All of those CIOs make UVA the interesting, innovative, and fun place that it is. Whether you are involved in the most popular club at your school or the most obscure one, we'll be happy that you are making a difference in some facet of your school or community.

2. Few students fill the Common App activity chart.

Our review isn't about who has the longest list, it's about understanding the activities that have been important to the student over the last few years. The length of your list is not a factor in our review. Most students don't exhaust the spaces available in this section. 

3. You don't have to show consistency.

If you are one of the lucky students who found an activity you love early on and have maintained involvement in it throughout high school, that's wonderful! If your interests have evolved over time, you are totally normal! Most applicants are at an age where interests evolve and new ones emerge. You are allowed to change your mind about your activities. Please don't apologize if your activities haven't been long-term.

It's fine if your activity list shortens a little bit in junior and/or senior year. As academic responsibilities increase, it makes sense to reshuffle your priorities and let one or two activities fall by the wayside. If you don't have to do this in high school, you'll certainly have to do it in college like the student in our reddit subforum found out the other day! 

4. Descriptions don't have to be elaborate.

I've seen some "experts" online who spent a lot of time telling students their activity descriptions have to be exceptionally powerful or witty. For UVA, that's just not the case. Give us a line or two about your involvement and move on. What's more, there are sometimes activities that don't need explanations, at least for an admission officer. For example, I once had a student include statistics about weightlifting. The numbers didn't mean anything to me and I could acknowledged they dedicated time to the activity without them. 

5. We aren't literally assembling an orchestra.

This is very specific, but the idea that admission officers are charged with literally assembling an orchestra with a certain number of chairs for each instrument has been going around since I was applying to college. UVA admission officers aren't charged with finding someone who plays the French horn to fit some French horn "slot." While a coach might be concerned with filling certain positions or events for their sport, the admission office at UVA is not admitting or denying people based on what instrument they play. 

What questions do you have about how activities come into play during the UVA application review?

The "Spike" in the Activity Section for UVA Admission

What does "spike" mean to you? If you've been spending time on websites where college admission advice is given out in the last few years, you've probably seen it used in conversations about extracurricular activities. Let's talk about that and what UVA admission officers are looking for when we review the activity section of your Common App.

The Definition

The spike being talked about on those sites refers to the notion that students should tailor their activities (and in some cases, the entire application) to fit their intended major. Most recently, I've seen people talk of showing a "business spike" or "psychology spike." 

The General Concept Isn't New

There were people talking about crafting and packaging yourself to fit a specific theme back when I was applying to college! We thought you had to be either well-rounded or pointy. We'd also hear people talk about students being specialists and generalists. I think that the internet has made "spike" spread very quickly to the point that it's become generally accepted.

My Take on the Spike Messages I'm Seeing

When it comes to activities, we don't craft the class to cover certain interests because we don't have to. When you have an incoming class of ~3,900 students, you don't have to manufacture variety. No one is going to say "where are the drummers?" or "who will write for the newspaper?" There will be drummers. And writers. And dancers. You get the idea. 

When I look at your activity list, I simply want to see that you're making a contribution in some area of your life. Activities don't have to be related to each other. Activities don't have to be related to your academic interests. Activities should be rewarding, interesting, and fun. You shouldn't be afraid to try something because it doesn't fit into a strategy.

Also, consider the fact that we are looking for curious students who will take advantage of all the wonderful options in the UVA curriculum. It's great to have an idea about what you'd like to study, but you don't have to focus all of your energy on one topic at this point. I hope you're excited about exploring subjects and activities you haven't had access to in high school when you get here.

What Applicants Should Do

Ask a few admission officers about this spike concept. You might have to explain what it is, as this idea didn't come out of admission offices. Then ask what they want to see in the activity section. I hope you'll realize that we are all interested in learning more about you in that part of the application. We don't expect require involvement to be based on your [current] academic interests.

Activities should be rewarding and fun!

Does Your #UVA Application Need to Show a Spike?

What does "spike" mean to you? If you've been spending time on websites where college admission advice is given out in the last few years, you've probably seen it used in conversations about extracurricular activities. Let's talk about that and what UVA admission officers are looking for when we review the activity section of your Common App.

The Definition

The spike being talked about on those sites refers to the notion that students should tailor their activities (and in some cases, the entire application) to fit their intended major. Most recently, I've seen people talk of showing a "business spike" or "psychology spike." 

The General Concept Isn't New

There were people talking about crafting and packaging yourself to fit a specific theme back when I was applying to college! We thought you had to be either well-rounded or pointy. We'd also hear people talk about students being specialists and generalists. I think that the internet has made "spike" spread very quickly to the point that it's become generally accepted.

My Take on the Spike Messages I'm Seeing

When it comes to activities, we don't craft the class to cover certain interests because we don't have to. When you have an incoming class of ~3,900 students, you don't have to engineer variety. No one is going to say "where are the drummers" or "who will write for the newspaper?" There will be drummers. And writers. And dancers. You get the idea. 

When I look at your activity list, I simply want to see that you're making a contribution in some area of your life. Activities don't have to be related to each other. Activities don't have to be related to your academic interests. Activities should be rewarding, interesting, and fun. You shouldn't be afraid to try something because it doesn't fit into a strategy.

Also, consider the fact that we are looking for curious students who will take advantage of all the wonderful options in the UVA curriculum. It's great to have an idea about what you'd like to study, but I hope you're excited about exploring subjects you haven't had access to in high school.

What Applicants Should Do

Ask a few admission officers about this spike concept. You might have to explain what it is, as this idea didn't come out of admission offices. I hope you'll see that we are all interested in learning more about you in the activity section, but we aren't expecting your involvement to dovetail with your academic interests.

Activities should be rewarding and fun, not part of a strategy!

Meet Taylor, a #UVA Architecture Student from Texas!

We have another student guest author on the blog today! Taylor is going to talk about getting involved at UVA. If you want to check out the CIOs (Contracted Independent Organizations...UVA lingo for student-run clubs and orgs) available to our community, use the "Categories" box on this page to make the list a little more manageable.

As a reminder, if you are viewing this on a mobile device, you'll want to click the "View Web Version" link at the bottom to get the Disqus comment box to appear.

Taylor Thompson is a Third Year in the School of Architecture from Austin, Texas.

College is the most incredible opportunity to not only learn but to explore. As I come to the end of my Third Year, I’ve learned both about myself, as well as about navigating the endless number of opportunities with which to engage as a student on Grounds. I share my reflections not as a prescription but as a set of insights, so that you might find your path and your piece of happiness more quickly.

As I left Charlottesville on the Amtrak following my Orientation session, I was under the impression that the only way I could make friends, feel comfortable, and be “successful” at the University was by participating in a variety of activities and extracurriculars. When I moved into Echols 1L and Basement, that perception hadn’t changed, so I ran for Class Council, signed-up for the School of Architecture’s Student Council, and interviewed for a research position. Needless to say, I was busy, but, at the same time, I loved what I was doing. I was meeting people from every corner of the University, impacting the lives of members of my Class, and feeling like I was making a difference. I had started from the outside… in.

During the summer between by First and Second Years, I had the privilege of serving as an Orientation Leader. It didn’t just let me guide incoming students around Grounds for the first time, but it also allowed me to look at the University and myself differently. I started to think about what made me, well me, and how by starting from the inside… and looking out, I could rethink my time on Grounds.

In high school at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin, TX, I became incredibly passionate about affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity. Because of my busy schedule First Year, I was pulled away from this passion. Following my summer as an Orientation Leader and a conversation with trusted friend, I stepped away from Class Council, resigned from the School Architecture’s Student Council, and quit my research position. Instead, I was going to double-down on what I was passionate about and what made me happy.

I don’t say all of this as a plea to join the Habitat for Humanity Club or to impress upon you that affordable housing in Charlottesville should be your number one priority. I say this because you have to do what makes you happy first. If you start from the inside, then there are an incredible number of opportunities here at UVa that will make you happy. We have more than 650 different Clubs, ranging from cultural organizations, club sports, performance groups, and Greek Life to community service opportunities and religious societies. There truly is a place for everyone to find their piece of happiness. I have, and I hope you will be on-Grounds soon to experience this truly special place.

 

We DO Want Well-Rounded Students...But Not in the Way You Think

The first time I heard the phrase "well-rounded," I was in high school and even though that was a long time ago, I thought about it in the same context that many people use today. I thought about showing my well-roundedness through activities. While there were students whose extracurricular involvement was purely driven by their interests, many of us assembled lists that we thought broadcast variety. There was this perception that to be considered well-rounded, you need to cover certain bases: athletics, arts, academics, service, leadership, etc. I was so nervous about this that even though I didn't couldn't handle Model UN along with my other activities (pre-internet, being in Model UN required a mountain of work), I stayed in it out of fear that I needed it to look well-rounded.

Perhaps my experience is why I've always spent a good amount of time explaining that we don't have a checklist when it comes to activities and that everyone doesn't have to be well-rounded. After all, the incoming class of 3,800 students will be well-rounded. We don't have to engineer that. It just happens.


That being said, the "well-rounded" idea does apply in our review...to academics. In recent years, I've had more students articulate a feeling that they should be specializing in a certain academic field of interest. They think it will "look good" to show a focus in one subject...and they're dropping core subjects to do that.

High school is the time to build a great foundation. College is where you solidify that foundation and then leap into specialization. We want you to have a well-rounded academic foundation so you can go any direction once your get to college.  Dropping core classes in high school to load up in an area of interest isn't necessarily going to "look good" to admission officers.

I'm not talking about magnet or governor's school programs. In my experience, those allow for deep work in certain disciplines without sacrificing work in other core subjects.

Well-rounded

By the way, the vast majority of UVA students don't declare a major until they've been here for a year (Schools of Engineering and Architecture) or two (College of Arts and Sciences). If you think you know what you want right now, be aware that you might change your mind. It's really common!

Do Activities Need to Align with Intended Major?

After a few weeks on the road during travel season, certain themes emerge in the conversations we have with students. I'm used to people fixating on their activity lists, but things are a little different this year. People seem to think that activities lists need to be carefully crafted to align with a particular major. There are two issues with that.

First of all, the only students to arrive at UVA with a major are students studying Kinesiology. Last year, there were only 58 of them in a class of 3,788 students. The other 3,730 students were undeclared. If you have another major in mind, you have plenty of time to solidify that interest. If you don't have a major in mind yet, you are normal at UVA!

Second, extracurricular activities are, by definition, are not aligned with your curriculum. I definitely support exploring your current academic interests through activities...it's just not necessary. Participate in activities that you find rewarding in some way. If an activity is no longer rewarding, you have my permission to step back from it. 

Jack contemplates joining the Beach Volleyball Club

Want to read about how we look at your activity list overall? Check out this past from last fall.