Among the various parts of the Common Application are the Honors and Activities section. Here you’re provided the opportunity to add up to five honors and ten activities, along with providing a short description of each. For some students, this is ample room; for others, it may feel limiting. If you fall within the limiting category, don’t stress just yet as you may be able to let schools know about all of your honors and activities. Some colleges allow students to upload a resume so they can get a fuller picture of who you are. Let’s take a closer look at the college resume and how you might make it stand out.
What is a College Resume?
A college resume is a one-page document that highlights your achievements, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, work experience, special skills, hobbies and interests. It is similar to a professional resume, but tailored for college admissions. Its purpose is twofold:
• It provides a document that you can work from to enter your Honors and Activities into your Common App.
• It also is a forum to present a clear, concise summary of your high school career to date, giving admissions officers a quick snapshot of your strengths, interests, and involvement for those schools that allow you to upload a resume through the Common App.
Where Can I Add My Resume to the Common App?
Not every college asks for a resume. For those that do, this question appears in the College Specific Questions within the Common App. These colleges provide you the option to upload a PDF copy of your resume. If you have a lot of meaningful activities that cannot fit within the ten slots provided in the Activity Section, this is a great opportunity to provide more information. Another option is to add these additional activities to the Additional Information section of the Common App. Admissions Counselors welcome students to take advantage of this optional section to more fully elaborate on other activities and accomplishments that may not otherwise fit elsewhere in the Common App.
Sample Sections for Organize an College Resume
Contact Information
At the top of your resume, include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Be sure your email address is professional. Using your first and last name is typical. Try to avoid using less formal emails like beachbum123@domainname.com.
Education
List your high school, its location, and your expected graduation date.
Academic Honors and Awards
List any academic awards or honors you’ve received during high school, such as National Honor Society, honor roll, or subject-specific awards. This could also be an opportunity to highlight any scholarships or grants you’ve been awarded.
Athletics
If you compete in sports, whether for your school or a travel team, these are activities to include on your resume. For each activity, include your role (e.g., member, hype person, team captain) and the grades in which you participated. Be specific about your contributions, especially if you held leadership positions or initiated new projects.
Paid Work and Internship Experience
If you’ve held part-time jobs or internships, from babysitting to retail, include those here. Include the full name of the organization, your role or title, and a description of what you do. Also include the grades in which you participated (9, 10, 11, 12). If you participated in an activity during the summer, the grade you list on your resume and in the Common App Activities section is the grade you were going into (e.g., Camp Counselor during the summer prior to 10th grade will be listed as grade 10 on your resume and in your Common App Activities section).
Community Service and Volunteer Work
Volunteering shows colleges that you’re committed to giving back to your community. List the organizations you’ve volunteered with, the grades of your involvement, and the type of work you did. Be sure to mention any leadership roles you played.
Extracurricular Activities
Here is where on the resume you can include any school-related clubs and activities, as well as other activities you participate in outside of school. This section might include art activities outside of your courses during school, student government, and academic or spirit clubs. As with any other activity on your college resume, be sure to elaborate on your role, the time you spent and how you contributed.
Skills
If you have any special skills or certifications that don’t fit into other categories, such as language proficiency, computer programming, or first-aid certification, this would be a great place to share that information. You can also highlight unique talents that set you apart.
Hobbies and Interests
This section may be an opportunity to add a bit more personality to your resume. This is where you can highlight a passion that isn’t reflected elsewhere, such as playing a musical instrument, painting, cooking, etc. It helps the reader gain better insight into who you are beyond your academic achievements.
Tips for Creating a Strong College Resume
• Be concise and keep your resume to one page
• Use action verbs like “led,” “organized,” or “achieved” to create strong descriptions
• Be smart about formatting
• Use consistent fonts, spacing, and bullet points to create a simple, clean layout
• Proofread your resume and invite a trusted adult to do the same to ensure it’s accurate and free of errors
Creating a college resume can help you stand out to admissions committees by giving them a more detailed picture of your accomplishments. With thoughtful organization and attention to detail, your resume can showcase your readiness for college and add greater breadth and depth to the strengths already highlighted in your Common App.
Do you have questions about the college search and application process? We help students and families through the entire college planning journey – from search, applications and essays to interview prep, financial aid consultation and final school selection.
Contact us at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946. We work with students through Zoom, over the phone and by email.
