When you apply to college, admission officers look at more than just your grades — they also take note of what you have done outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities, such as jobs, sports, clubs and volunteer work, give colleges a better sense of who you are and show them what you can bring to their campus community.
Remember that college folder you were supposed to be collecting throughout high school? The one stuffed with all of your activities, community 
service hours, awards and honors? It’s time to drag it out, get organized and use those materials to create your College Admissions Resume. This student resume is different than resumes designed to get you a job; this resume highlights your accomplishments and activities throughout high school. It can be very helpful when filling out college applications, when requesting teacher recommendations, and when applying for scholarships.
Since applying to college is a very competitive process, developing a well-crafted student resume can put you ahead of other applicants. Use the student resume to draw attention to your scholarly achievements and awards, any special talents and your community service activities.
To begin, write down every activity and award that you participated in or earned during high school. Only count awards or activities before high school if you competed with high school students and still won. Write down everything after graduation from 8th grade.
Most counselors can provide you with a standard template or format to create your resume. There are generally one to two pages long and include this information:
- Heading
- Full name, phone number, and email address
- Some colleges will also request your application ID (which can be added after application submission)
- Objective of Overview (optional)- Can be used for a specific purpose, such as college major or scholarship
- Academic/ Education Stats- High school name and year of graduation
- Class rank and GPA
- SAT/ACT scores
- Also include impressive courses- AP/IB, Dual Credit classes, and relevant electives. Colleges get student transcripts so don’t list every class taken.
- Activities
- List all extracurricular clubs and grades participated, including sports.
- Include any leadership roles and whether or not you were elected.
- Be specific, don’t use initials or acronyms unless it’s a well-known club (like NHS).
- Honors/Awards
- List any awards or accomplishments, along with grade or year when it was received.
- Community Service
- List activities, service performed, dates and total hours volunteered.
- Employment/ Internships
- Start with most recent employment and list dates along with duties.
If your child is having trouble creating this resume, most college counselors can help, including myself. Email me at [email protected] for the student resume template or if you’d like my professional opinion and suggestions for the one you’ve already created.
Sample Resume Templates:
From University of Texas
From AIE and Study Point
Student resumes are also useful to hand to teachers when requesting letters of recommendation.
How to Get an Awesome Letter of Recommendation [38 Helpful Tips]
