High School Student Resume for College Scholarships?

How do you make a compelling resume for college scholarship applications? I'm a high school junior and want to prepare my resume for scholarship opportunities. What should I include to stand out?

A compelling resume is about showcasing not just what you've accomplished but also the impact of those accomplishments. Here's how to build a successful resume for these applications.

1. Contact Information: Include your name, email address, and phone number at the top of the resume. Make sure all are professional and appropriate for official communication.

2. Objective Statement: This is an optional addition where you succinctly explain your goal. For example, you could say, "High school junior with a passion for environmental science seeking scholarships to support studies in Earth Sciences in college."

3. Academic Achievements: List your GPA (if it's strong), class rank, and any academic honors or awards. Include any AP or honors courses you've taken too.

4. Extracurricular Activities: This section should detail your involvement outside the classroom. Incorporate any clubs, sports, performance groups, etc., where you maintain active participation. Don't forget to mention any leadership positions.

5. Community Service: Scholarship providers often seek students who demonstrate a commitment to serving others. Describe any volunteer work, community outreach, or service projects you've participated in.

6. Work Experience: If you've held a part-time job, summer job, or done internships, provide these details too. Include the job title, name of the employer, dates of employment, and a description of your responsibilities.

7. Skills: Highlight any relevant skills you possess. This could include specific technical skills, like coding languages, or broader competencies such as leadership, teamwork, or public speaking.

8. Awards and Honors: Detail any recognition you've received that hasn’t been included in your academic achievements. This can include things like winning a county wide art contest, being named MVP of a sports league, or achieving an impressive feat in a club or hobby you're part of.

The secret sauce is how you present this information. Instead of just listing the activity or job, try to put a specific, quantifiable achievement or responsibility. Instead of "Debate Club Member," say "Negotiated team processes, resulting in our team advancing to the state finals in debate competition." The more tangible results you can offer, the better. Also, remember to use action verbs to start each bullet point to convey energy and engagement.

Finally, keep your resume to one page. Most scholarship committees review lots of applications, so your resume needs to be concise and impactful. Try to tailor your resume to each scholarship opportunity when possible, emphasizing the most relevant experiences. Good luck with your scholarship applications!