When I sit down with high school juniors or seniors to review their college applications, one of the most common documents they struggle with is the resume. Not because they haven’t accomplished anything, but because they don’t know how to frame their story. A college application resume isn’t just a list of jobs and clubs. It’s a tool for telling admissions officers who you are, what you’ve done, and why it matters. And when built thoughtfully, it can set you apart in a competitive pool.
Whether you’re a student athlete, a first-generation applicant, or someone who’s still figuring out what truly excites you, a strong resume is your chance to show colleges the depth of your engagement and the scope of your impact. Let’s break it down together.
Building a Strong College Application Resume
At its core, your college resume should do more than just inform. It should persuade. It should give admissions officers a clear, organized, and honest window into your high school years — your leadership, your growth, and your story. And yes, you have a story worth telling.
Start with the Basics — But Make Them Personal
Include your full name, contact information, high school name, and expected graduation date at the top. But even in something as simple as formatting, you’re making choices. Keep it clean, consistent, and professional. Use a readable font like Arial or Times New Roman, and avoid graphics or colors that distract from the content.
Then move into sections like:
- Education: Include GPA (weighted and unweighted), class rank (if available), and relevant coursework or academic awards.
- Extracurricular Activities: List clubs, sports, music, theater, or any other organizations you’ve been part of.
- Work Experience: Part-time jobs, internships, or family responsibilities count here.
- Community Service: Volunteering, church involvement, or civic projects.
- Skills and Interests: Language fluency, coding, photography, or anything else that shows dimension.
Each section should be organized chronologically (most recent first) and include your role, the organization’s name, dates of involvement, and a few bullet points highlighting what you did and what you accomplished. Use action verbs like “led,” “organized,” “created,” or “collaborated.”
Quality Over Quantity
One of my students, Marisol, once handed me a five-page resume filled with every activity she’d ever tried — including a two-week stint in a gardening club. She was trying to impress colleges by showing how “involved” she was. But admissions officers aren’t counting lines. They’re looking for impact and sustained commitment.
If you only have 6–8 meaningful experiences, that’s more than enough. Focus on depth. Did you grow in responsibility over time? Did you initiate a change or contribute to your community? That’s what stands out.
In fact, highly selective schools often prefer a “spike” — one or two areas where you’ve gone deep — over a scattered list of shallow involvement. If you’ve spent three years volunteering at a local shelter and then started a food drive there, that says more about your character and leadership than a dozen short-term clubs.
Tailor It to the Application
While the Common App allows you to list up to 10 activities, your resume gives you more space and flexibility. Use it to highlight experiences that don’t neatly fit into application boxes — such as independent art projects, family caregiving responsibilities, or a personal blog you’ve grown into a platform.
If you’re applying to honors programs or scholarships, tailor your resume for each opportunity. For example, a student applying for an engineering scholarship should lead with STEM-related achievements, even if they also did theater or sports. As discussed in our guide on using summer activities to boost college applications, aligning your resume with your intended major or interests can give you an edge.
What Colleges Look for in a Resume
Admissions officers use resumes to get a fuller picture of who you are beyond test scores and grades. Especially with the rise of holistic admissions, your resume can be a key storytelling document. Here’s what they’re often scanning for:
Leadership and Initiative
Don’t just list your title. Explain your role. Did you run meetings? Launch a campaign? Train new members? I once worked with a student who listed “president of environmental club” — but when I asked what she did, she had started a recycling program at her school, lobbied the district for compost bins, and organized a county-wide climate conference. That’s leadership.
Consistency and Growth
Colleges want to see commitment. If you’ve done something for multiple years and taken on more responsibility over time, that shows maturity and follow-through. For homeschooled students, this becomes even more critical — and as our article on what to prepare for homeschooled applicants explains, the resume is often the best place to show structured learning beyond the classroom.
Unique or Impactful Experiences
If you’ve done something unusual, lean into it. Did you start a small business? Translate for family members at medical appointments? These aren’t just “activities” — they’re reflections of resilience, creativity, and responsibility. Especially for first-generation students, where traditional extracurriculars might be limited by work or family duties, your resume becomes a place to reframe your lived experience as strength.
Alignment with Your Application Theme
If your personal statement talks about your passion for social justice, your resume should include related clubs, service work, or leadership roles. This kind of cohesion helps admissions teams see your authenticity. As emphasized in our guide to writing a powerful personal statement, your application should tell one clear, compelling story — and your resume is part of that narrative.
Common Resume Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them
After reviewing hundreds of college resumes, I’ve seen the same pitfalls over and over. Here are a few to watch out for:
- Too Generic: “Participated in meetings” tells me little. Use specific, action-oriented language with outcomes.
- Unclear Timeframes: Always include dates. If you were involved from 2021–2023, say so. It helps track commitment.
- Overloading It: Don’t list every single thing. If you only went to two meetings, it doesn’t belong.
- Typos: Proofread. Then have someone else proofread. One typo can send the wrong message about your attention to detail.
- Exaggeration: Be honest. Admissions offices can spot inflated accomplishments, and they do fact-check sometimes.
One student I advised had written that she “led a team of 20 volunteers” at a nonprofit. When I asked more, it turned out she co-organized a one-day event with a few friends. Still valuable — but better to say, “Helped coordinate a school-wide donation drive with 20 student participants.”
Honesty is powerful. It builds trust. And that’s something admissions officers remember.
Formatting Matters
Stick to one page. Organize your sections clearly. Use bullet points under each role or activity, and keep descriptions concise. Save it as a PDF, and name the file something professional, like “Jane_Smith_College_Resume.pdf.”
Many students ask me if they should include a photo or headshot. The answer is no — that’s not standard for U.S. college applications and can distract from the content.
FAQ: College Application Resumes
Do all colleges require a resume?
No, but many highly selective schools recommend or allow you to upload one. Even if it’s optional, a well-crafted resume can add depth and context to your application.
Should I include my GPA and test scores?
If they’re strong, yes. But if you’re applying to test-optional colleges and don’t plan to submit scores, you can leave them off.
Can I include middle school activities?
Generally, no. Focus on high school unless something from middle school grew into a long-term passion or project that continued through high school.
What if I have limited extracurriculars?
That’s okay. Use your resume to highlight depth where you do have it. Talk about work, family responsibilities, or personal projects. As with students who are deferred in early decision, authenticity often matters more than quantity.
Final Thoughts
Building a strong college application resume isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about reflecting who you are, what you value, and how you’ve used your time. I’ve worked with students from all walks of life — some who founded nonprofits, others who worked 20 hours a week to support their families — and every one of them had a story worth telling.
Your resume is your chance to tell that story clearly and confidently. Don’t rush it. Reflect. Gather feedback. And remember: colleges aren’t looking for perfect. They’re looking for real. You’ve already done the hard work. Now it’s time to put it on paper, thoughtfully and truthfully.
If you’re not sure where to begin or how to polish your resume, don’t hesitate to reach out to a college counselor, trusted teacher, or advisor. And be sure to explore resources like our guide on how to stand out in competitive admissions for more tips on making every part of your application shine.