You spent months, perhaps even years, in a lab, in the archives, or coding a model. You have a 40-page paper, a functional algorithm, or a notebook full of hard-won data. Now, the Common Application asks you to summarize that monumental effort in just 150 characters.
It feels like an impossible, almost insulting, task.
For high-achieving students, the "Describe this activity" box for a research position is one of the most challenging and highest-stakes pieces of real estate on the entire application.
An admissions officer (AO) spends, on average, less than 30 seconds scanning your entire activities list. Your description isn't just a description; it's a "headline" designed to make a exhausted reviewer stop, re-read, and think, "This student is the real deal."
This guide will provide the expert-level, strategic framework you need to distill your complex research into a powerful 150-character statement that does your work justice.
What Admissions Officers Actually Want to See
First, understand their perspective. The AO reading your file is likely not a PhD in your specific field. They are not trying to replicate your experiment or critique your methodology in 60 seconds.
They are scanning for evidence of three core traits:
1. Intellectual Vitality: Did you pursue a genuine, high-level academic interest beyond the standard curriculum?
2. Initiative & Commitment: Did you actively seek out this opportunity and dedicate significant time to it?
3. Skills & Substance: What did you actually do? Did you just clean test tubes, or did you perform complex assays, code in Python, or synthesize primary sources?
Your 150-character description must be a high-impact summary of these three points.
The Three-Box Strategy: Maximize Your Real Estate
Your first mistake is thinking you only have 150 characters. You actually have 300. The key is to use all the provided boxes strategically to free up the main description box for what matters most.
Position / Leadership description (50 characters):
- Don't leave this blank or write "Member."
- Do: Use this for your formal role. This adds immediate legitimacy.
- Examples: "Research Assistant," "Lab Intern," "Independent Researcher," "Humanities Research Fellow."
Organization name (100 characters):
- Don't just write "University Lab."
- Do: Be as specific as possible. List the institution and the lab/department.
- Examples: "MIT Media Lab, {Specific Research Group}," "NYU Langone Health, Dept. of Neuroscience," "Prof. Jane Doe's Lab, {University}."
Description of activity (150 characters):
- By using the boxes above, you have now saved precious space. You no longer need to write "I was a research assistant at..."
- This box is now 100% reserved for ACTION and IMPACT.
Deconstructing Your Research: The 3 Essential Components
Before you write a single word, you must identify these three components of your project.
The "How" (Your Verbs): This is your arsenal of action words. You must lead with what you did.
- Examples: Analyzed, Investigated, Coded, Developed, Synthesized, Modeled, Performed, Co-authored, Quantified, Researched.
The "What" (Your Specific Skill/Topic): This is the substance. What was the specific subject, technique, or tool?
- Examples: "CRISPR-Cas9 assays," "exoplanet data using Python," "19th-cent. archival letters," "a machine-learning algorithm," "patient data in R."
The "So What" (The Outcome/Impact): This is the quantifiable result that proves your contribution.
- Examples: "50+ samples," "200+ patient surveys," "presented at symposium," "findings used for lab's grant," "co-authored paper submitted to {Journal}," "40-page thesis."
The Formulas: From "Okay" to "Exceptional"
Now, let's combine these components into formulas. Use strategic, well-known abbreviations (w/, &, Dept., Lab, U.) to save space.
Formula A: STEM / Lab Research
Formula: [Strong Verb] + [Specific Skill/Topic] + [Quantifiable Impact / Outcome]
Before (Weak): "Worked in a biology lab at a university. I helped with experiments on cancer and learned a lot about science." (117 characters)
- Critique: Passive, vague ("worked in," "helped with"), no specific skills, and wasted "fluff" ("learned a lot").
After (Exceptional): "Performed 50+ PCR assays & cell cultures to investigate {Gene X} role in {Disease}; contributed data to lab's ongoing grant research." (146 characters)
- Critique: Active verbs (Performed, investigate, contributed), specific techniques (PCR, cell cultures), and a tangible outcome (contributed to grant).
Formula B: Humanities / Social Science Research
Formula: [Strong Verb] + [Specific Subject/Archive] + [Tangible Outcome]
Before (Weak): "Wrote a big history paper for a project. I read a lot of old books at the library and my teacher liked it." (119 characters)
- Critique: Vague ("big paper," "old books"), no sense of academic rigor or purpose.
After (Exceptional): "Synthesized 100+ archival letters at {Historical Society} for 40-page thesis on 1920s-era immigrant voting patterns; won dept. prize." (149 characters)
- Critique: Professional verbs (Synthesized), specific/quantifiable scope (100+ letters, 40-page thesis), and a clear outcome (won prize).
Formula C: Independent / Data Science / CS Research
Formula: [Strong Verb] + [Tool/Data Set] + [Specific Finding / Product]
Before (Weak): "I did a project on my own about sports stats and made a model. I used a computer and it was pretty accurate." (119 characters)
- Critique: Weak verbs, no specified tools, no quantifiable success.
After (Exceptional): "Coded Python script to analyze 10,000+ MLB data points; built predictive model for player performance w/ 85% accuracy, published on GitHub." (149 characters)
- Critique: Specific action (Coded Python script), clear scope (10,000+ data points), and a quantifiable, verifiable product (85% accuracy, published on GitHub).
The Pro-Level Move: The "Additional Information" Section
Here is the single most important piece of advice for a student with serious research: your 150-character description is just the hook. The full story goes in the "Additional Information" section.
If your research is a cornerstone of your application (e.g., you are applying as a STEM major with a co-authored paper, or you won an award at a top science fair), you must elaborate.
In the 300-word "Additional Information" section at the end of the Common App, add a clear heading:
Research Elaboration: {Title of Your Project} (In association with {Lab/University})
Below this, write a 100-150 word, jargon-free abstract. This is your chance to briefly explain:
1. The Problem: What question were you trying to answer?
2. Your Role/Methodology: What, specifically, did you do?
3. Your Findings/Conclusion: What did you discover or produce?
4. The Significance: Why does it matter? (e.g., "Our findings suggest a new potential target for...")
This one-two punch, a powerful 150-character "headline" in the Activities list and a professional abstract in the "Additional Info" section, is the gold-standard strategy. It proves your research isn't just a line item; it's a core part of your intellectual identity.
Your Research is a Story, Not Just a Statistic
Crafting this one description is a microcosm of the entire college application: it's all about strategic presentation. Your groundbreaking research, 4.0 GPA, and 1550 SAT score deserve a compelling narrative that ties them all together. An admissions officer needs to see not just what you did, but why it matters and who it has prepared you to become.
The expert advisors at EduAvenues® CollegePrep specialize in helping high-achieving students translate their complex accomplishments into compelling applications that stand out to top-tier universities.
Echelon Scholars partners with EduAvenues to provide this premier, one-on-one guidance, and learn how their team can help you perfect your application narrative.
