What makes for an impressive high school resume?

Looking for some advice here. As a junior starting the college process, I understand how important a well-rounded resume is. I've joined a few clubs and played some sports, but I'm not sure if that's enough. What does an impressive high school resume typically include? Any tips or examples would be super appreciated.

An impressive high school resume typically features a few key elements: academic excellence, extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, community service, and some special talents or skills that set you apart. While impressive resumes can certainly vary, here are some pointers to help you get started.

For academics, rigorous course-loads such as honors, AP, or IB classes paired with high grades demonstrate a willingness to go beyond the minimum. If SAT or ACT scores are still a component of the admission criteria for the colleges you are interested in, strong scores could also support this aspect.

Extracurricular involvement is crucial. Most successful applicants to top colleges have 8-10 total extracurriculars. Don't interpret this as needing to join clubs recklessly—"the more, the better" is not always applicable here. Aim instead for a balance between quantity and high levels of involvement. In other words, focus on activities that align with your interests, allow for leadership or initiative, and demonstrate commitment. Quality is more important than quantity here.

Leadership roles can be held in any of your extracurricular activities and they show you are a proactive member of your community. This could look like being the captain of your sports team, the president of a club, leading a community service project, or founding an organization or initiative.

Community service shows that you're willing to dedicate your time to causes bigger than yourself. These activities could range from local volunteer work at homeless shelters or food banks to larger initiatives like organizing a fundraising event or starting a community project.

Lastly, don't be afraid to highlight any unique talents or skills, such as playing an instrument, creating art, coding applications, or speaking multiple languages. Showcase these special skills especially in a way that contributes to your school or community.

Also, important to note, top colleges aren't generally looking for the well-roundedness in applicants. They're more interested in students who show a depth of experience or 'spike' in one or two areas of interest. For example, if you're into robotics, demonstrating a progression in relevant activities - from joining the robotics club, leading a team project, and then organizing a local robotics competition - will likely be more impressive than joining a dozen unrelated clubs.

Lastly, remember that your resume will be assessed along with your essays, recommendation letters, interview, etc. So make sure it aligns with your overall personal narrative and contributes to your uniqueness.

So, aim to compose a resume that shows depth, uniqueness, commitment, and leadership. Good luck!