How do I create a standout resume as a high school student?

I'm starting to think about college applications and I've heard that having a strong resume can be helpful. I'm a high school junior with a few extracurriculars and part-time job experience, but I'm not sure what colleges look for on a student's resume.

What are some key tips for writing a resume that stands out? Should I be focusing more on my academic achievements or my extracurriculars? Also, how should I format my high school resume to make it look professional without being over the top? Any advice or examples would be super appreciated!

Writing a standout high school resume rests on three key principles: meaningful content, logical organization, and professional presentation.

For the content, your resume should cover both your academic achievements and extracurricular activities. For academics, list any honors or AP classes you've taken, your GPA (if it's strong), and any awards or recognitions you've received. On the extracurricular front, list all your activities, placing priority on those where you held leadership positions or had significant accomplishments. Don't forget to include any part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer experience.

Excitingly, quality matters more than quantity. Colleges, in general, are more impressed by a few pursuits where you've demonstrated commitment and achieved some degree of distinction. With your part-time job, for instance, you could elaborate on any relevant skills developed or responsibilities held.

Next is organization. It should be clear, concise, and logically arranged. Start with your contact information at the top and then divide the remainder into sections like Education, Work Experience, Extracurriculars, Skills, etc. Within each section, list your entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Also, use bullet points to succinctly describe your contributions and accomplishments under each entry.

Lastly, keep the presentation clean and professional. Use a standard font, like Times New Roman or Arial, in size 10-12, with clear headers for each section. Leave enough white space for easy reading, and limit your resume to one or two pages.

Check what each university prefers concerning resumes. Some may want a more in-depth resume, while others might prefer a brief listing of activities and achievements. Use the CollegeVine resume builder, if you haven't given it a try yet, to easily create a customized, professional-looking document.