Why High School Seniors Need Resumes and How to Make Them Standout

The word “resume” sounds very adult and professional, and it is. Your young adult, who is almost eighteen years of age, needs one in order to show colleges what they do outside of the classroom. They need to list their activities so colleges can see how they spend their time, whether it is participating in the arts, athletics, community service (now called “civic engagement”), or working a part-time job.

Why is a resume important? Well, colleges want to know what your child has to offer them. This list of activities should include their position (i.e. captain, president, volunteer, sales associate, etc.), the time they spent doing the activity (i.e. three hours a week/thirty-five hours a year), and a brief description of the actual activity.

Here are four questions that may immediately come to mind during the resume creation process:

So, how do they build it?  Help your child  keep track of everything they have accomplished and been involved in since the beginning of high school. Making a list will suffice until they have to format it more formally.

Is it necessary?  Yes. Some schools ask for it and expect it; examples include Cornell and Washington University in St. Louis.

How is creating a resume different from filling out the Activities Section on the Common Application?  Basically, the information is the same, but it is formatted differently and can be found in another part of the application. Duplicating information is not ideal; you should provide the exact information the college is requesting. If your child “overdelivers” in providing information, this may have a positive impact on the college representative evaluating the resume and application.

What are they expecting?  Colleges are expecting honesty and accurate accounting of time spent. Making up activities is not acceptable . The activities may be verified by the student’s school counselor.

Do you have a template?

Yes, we do have a template! See our resources page for more information.

Here are a few other helpful tips to use in the creation of a resume:

1. Use active verbs to describe roles and positions (i.e. Volunteered, participated, performed, assisted).
2. List the most important activities first.
3. Do not use acronyms; spell out the names of the actual organizations.
4. Bring the resume with you to interviews with admissions counselors and alumni interviewers, and provide it to them at the very beginning of the interview.

Was this helpful? Want to learn more? Let our expert advice help you and your child to manage, execute and WIN the college application process.

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