As it has been expressed by many high schoolers applying with the common app, the way the activity hours/weeks are formatted is totally confusing. For example, for a volunteering club, sometimes I’ll do a 10 hour Habitat for Humanity build over the weekend and spend 3 hours during the week meeting and organizing other events. Other weeks, we’ll have a short after school meeting twice a week and I’ll write up a short excerpt for the paper for a total of about 3 hours. Although some say that the number should be rote average, my school counselor insisted that we fill out the common app activity hours as though we were in a “busy” week, give or take a few hours. For the description above, he suggested six hours, while the mathematical average would be more like four. I just submitted my ED common app, and I’m afraid the school will see the high numbers and think that I’m stretching the truth. I really don’t want to seem disingenuous––what would you say about this situation?
It’s a whole lotta nothing to worry about. 4 hours, 6 hours, no real difference. Now if all your activities add up to 40 hours, eyebrows will be raised.
FWIW, for any students still filling this out, I would just average out the hours per week.
I agree, one should just average out the hours. But I also agree you shouldn’t be worried about it as long as the number isn’t outrageous.
@skieurope That’s sort of the thing. If one put ALL my activities together at once (which doesn’t happen–mock trial season doesn’t happen during musical, eco club and steering committee have similar members so one ebbs when the other gets really busy) it gets close to forty. Do you think my college will understand this independently or should I send them an email to clear things up?
As you said, it does not happen. As in example, on mine from a couple of years ago:
• Sport #1 20 hours/week ; 12 weeks/year
• Sport #2 20 hours/week ; 12 weeks/year
• Sport #3 20 hours/week ; 12 weeks/year
That’s 60 hours. Obviously, the sports are in different seasons. Now if yours adds up to 40 hours and you say you did them all for 36 weeks, then yes, you need to explain a bit.
Okay, that makes me feel better. I think I did make that clear, give or take a few weeks because I disregarded the more informal “slouch weeks” during tech week and prom season, for example.