How the Common App activity limits work
The Activities section of the Common App lets you list up to 10 activities. Each one has three short text fields, and Common App sets a character limit on each:
| Field | Limit |
|---|---|
| Position or leadership description | 50 characters |
| Organization name | 100 characters |
| Activity details, honors won, and accomplishments | 150 characters |
| Honor title (Education section, up to 5 honors) | 100 characters |
This counter treats every character as one, including spaces, commas and periods, the same way the application form does. A field turns red and shows how many characters are over as soon as you pass the limit. The panel on the right adds up every field that runs over and how much you need to cut.
Your drafts are saved in this browser's local storage so they are still here when you come back. They are not sent to Scholarly or anyone else. Clear all removes them.
How to fit 150 characters
- Drop the subject. Write "Lead practices for 22 debaters", not "I lead practices for our 22 debaters."
- Use numbers. "6 tournaments a year" is shorter and more specific than "several tournaments."
- Skip what's asked elsewhere. Hours per week, weeks per year and grade levels have their own fields, so they don't need to be in the description.
- Use semicolons or commas to join short phrases instead of full sentences.
Need more room for one activity? The Additional Information question in the Writing section is the place for it. For the main essay, use the essay word counter.
Worked example
Common App's own guide starts with this 256-character description: For two years I volunteered at my local animal shelter. I helped out where needed, but mainly walked dogs and monitored the front desk. Last year I was asked to take on more responsibility and have been volunteering as the receptionist during the weekends.
Its edited version is 141 characters and fits: Volunteer at local animal shelter walking dogs and running front desk. Given more responsibility last year and now volunteer as receptionist.
The time spent was cut because the form asks for hours and weeks separately. That example is prefilled above as Activity 1.
Common questions
What are the Common App activity character limits?
Position or leadership description: 50 characters. Organization name: 100 characters. Activity details, honors won and accomplishments: 150 characters. These come from Common App’s own guide to the Activities section.
How many activities can I list on the Common App?
Up to 10. You don’t need to fill all 10. Common App says to focus on the activities that best tell your story, not on the number.
Do spaces count toward the 150 characters?
Yes. Spaces, punctuation and symbols all count as characters. That is why this counter counts them too.
How long can a Common App honor title be?
The honor title field holds 100 characters, and you can list up to 5 honors. Common App’s guides list the 5-honor maximum but don’t print the title limit, so check the counter in the live form before you submit.
What happens if I go over the limit?
The form won’t accept the extra characters. If you paste a longer description, the end gets cut off, so trim it here first and paste the version that fits.
Are my activities saved?
Only in this browser, using local storage, so you can close the tab and come back. Nothing is sent to Scholarly. Clearing your browser data or pressing Clear all deletes them.
Sources
- Approaching the Activities section (PDF), Common App, 2025 Character limits, the 10-activity maximum, and the animal shelter example.
- Gather your materials (PDF), Common App, 2025 Up to 5 academic honors.