I'm working on my high school resume for college applications, and I want to make sure it effectively showcases my achievements and experiences. What are the key things that I should definitely include? Is there a particular format that works best? Also, how do you balance academic achievements with extracurriculars and personal interests? Any tips on wording or structure that could help my resume stand out would be awesome. Thanks in advance for your guidance!
Your high school resume is a great tool to succinctly showcase your academic and extracurricular achievements to admissions committees. Here are a few tips to consider:
1. Essential Components: Your resume should include your full name and contact information, followed by sections for education, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, work experience, and skills. The education section should detail your high school's name and your graduation year. If you've already taken the ACT or SAT, include your scores too.
2. Academic Achievements: This section should include your GPA, class rank (if available), academic awards, and any advanced courses (like APs). Don't worry about listing AP scores - colleges are more interested in the rigorous courses you've taken and your performance in them.
3. Extracurricular Activities: Break this section down by involvement level. Use the 4 tiers of extracurriculars as a guide. It's worthwhile noting leadership roles you've held, time spent in each activity, and any significant achievements. Beware of padding your resume with low-tier activities.
4. Work Experience: Include any part-time jobs, internships, or volunteering roles, even if they weren't directly related to your intended major. Indicate your responsibilities and any notable experiences.
5. Skills: This section might not be necessary for every high-school student, but if there are specific skills you've developed that didn't fit elsewhere in your resume—for instance, you're bilingual or you've learned a programming language—include them here.
6. Wording & Structure: Use bullet points and action verbs to detail your responsibilities and achievements within each role or position. Make sure to quantify your accomplishments wherever possible.
7. Formatting: Stick to a clean, easy-to-read format. Use consistent font size and styling, and ensure no section looks too dense.
To help you blur the lines between academics and extracurriculars, you can frame your accomplishments and experiences throughout high school as a narrative that shows a dedicated interest in a particular field (your spike).
Lastly, always have someone else, like a teacher or counselor, review your resume for you. They can catch any potential errors, and provide feedback on areas of improvement. Good luck crafting your resume!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.