How to Write Your UC Activities List for College Applications
The UC Activities List is one of the most important parts of your University of California college application. It’s your opportunity to showcase your involvement outside the classroom—whether through extracurricular activities, work experience, community service, or leadership roles. Since this section can make a big difference in your overall application, it’s important to approach it strategically.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write your UC Activities List to make the most of the space and leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.
1. Understand the Format
The UC Activities List includes a few different sections:
Educational Preparation Programs (programs outside of school that prepared you for college, such as academic programs or summer workshops)
Extracurricular Activities (clubs, sports, arts, etc.)
Volunteer & Community Service
Work Experience
Awards & Honors
You’re allowed up to 20 entries total across all categories. However, each entry is limited to 350 characters, so you need to be concise while highlighting your role and impact.
2. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
While the UC application allows for up to 20 entries, it’s not necessary to fill every single slot. It’s better to provide a strong, meaningful list of activities than to include less significant or surface-level experiences just to hit the maximum number.
Focus on:
Depth of involvement: Highlight activities where you held leadership roles, made meaningful contributions, or had long-term involvement.
Impact and accomplishments: Mention any quantifiable achievements (e.g., "increased membership by 30%" or "organized a fundraiser that raised $2,000").
Personal growth: Share how the activity shaped you, even if it wasn’t an official leadership role. Colleges want to know what you gained from the experience.
3. Be Specific and Action-Oriented
Since you have limited space, make every word count. Use strong, action-oriented verbs that describe your responsibilities and contributions. Avoid vague phrases like "helped with" or "participated in." Instead, use specific verbs that demonstrate your active involvement.
Examples of strong action verbs:
Led
Organized
Designed
Directed
Managed
Launched
Mentored
Created
Before:
"Helped organize school recycling program."
After:
"Launched school recycling program, coordinating 15 volunteers and diverting 500 pounds of waste annually."
The second example is more powerful because it gives specific details about the applicant's role and the measurable impact they had on the project.
4. Highlight Leadership and Initiative
The UCs value leadership and initiative. If you’ve held leadership positions in clubs, organizations, or sports teams, make sure to highlight these roles. But remember, leadership doesn’t always mean having a formal title like president or captain. You can also demonstrate leadership by showing how you took the initiative to solve a problem or improve an activity.
Example:
Formal leadership: "Led the debate team as captain, organizing weekly practices and mentoring new members."
Informal leadership: "Created a mentorship program for freshmen to help ease their transition into high school, resulting in higher participation in school clubs."
5. Show Consistency and Commitment
Admissions officers want to see commitment and consistency. If you’ve been involved in an activity for multiple years, make sure to emphasize this. Long-term involvement in a few meaningful activities is often more impressive than brief participation in many.
If you’ve held different roles over time, mention that progression. It shows growth and dedication.
Example:
"Started as a volunteer and was promoted to team leader in my second year, overseeing a group of 10 in organizing community service projects."
6. Use All Available Categories
Don’t overlook categories like Educational Preparation Programs and Work Experience. Many students focus heavily on extracurriculars, but jobs and academic programs can demonstrate important qualities like time management, responsibility, and a commitment to learning.
If you worked part-time during school or attended an academic enrichment program, include that. Jobs and internships can be just as valuable as traditional extracurriculars in showing your skills and dedication.
7. Make Your Role and Impact Clear
It’s not enough to just list the activity; admissions officers want to know how you contributed and what impact you made. Focus on how you went beyond the basic responsibilities and made a difference.
Before:
"Volunteered at local food bank."
After:
"Managed inventory at local food bank, improving efficiency by streamlining donation sorting and distribution processes."
The second example clearly highlights the applicant’s active role in improving operations at the food bank, which is much more impactful.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Include Personal Activities
While traditional extracurriculars like clubs and sports are important, the UC Activities List is also a space where you can include personal activities that have been meaningful to you, even if they aren’t officially sponsored by your school. This could include caring for family members, independent research, or personal projects (such as creating a blog or building a computer).
Example:
"Taught myself coding and created three mobile apps, one of which helps users track their daily habits."
This shows initiative and dedication to personal growth outside the classroom.
9. Craft Each Entry With Intention
Since each activity entry is short, think of it as a mini resume bullet point. Be intentional with every word, making sure that your role, impact, and personal growth are clear. Each entry should serve a purpose and add value to your overall application narrative.
10. Review and Edit Carefully
Once you’ve drafted your UC Activities List, take time to review and edit. Make sure each description is concise, clear, and free of errors. It’s also helpful to get feedback from a teacher, counselor, or trusted friend to ensure your entries are as strong as possible.
The UC Activities List is your chance to show admissions officers who you are outside of the classroom. By focusing on quality over quantity, using specific and action-oriented language, and highlighting leadership and impact, you can create a powerful list that complements your academic achievements and showcases your full potential as a UC applicant.
