<p>When they ask you to do this, are they anticipating a summary of the activity, or more of a "what it means to you" kind of deal?</p>
<p>By this, I mean that brief bit of writing the Common App asks for.</p>
<p>I wouldn't do a summary, but kind of blend the 2 together. Write a little about what you did in a way that shows what it means to you. It can be tricky, but I feel it is the most effective, as they get an understanding of what you did, but also why it is important to you. Writing a bland summary would probably not go over well with adcoms.</p>