Curious to find out how you can write a successful college application resume? Then look no further. Perhaps you’re confused as to why a high school student would need a college resume in order to get accepted into their dream school. ScholarPrep Nation is on a mission to demystify the college admission journey.
Most high school students, along with their families, have a hard time grasping the importance of a school resume for college. It’s important to build one as early as eighth grade and prepare for college accordingly.
That way, young scholars will have plenty of time to gather a solid list of soft skills, academic achievements, and even employment history that will look good on their college application resumes.
Let’s take a look at what the college application resume is and why it can be a decisive factor when trying to pursue higher education.
The College Application Resume Demystified: 4 Tips & Tricks
Most of the time, both the college admission and scholarship application processes require a college admissions resume. When you start to prepare for college, you’ll have to start gathering all your relevant achievements into one place.
With 2022 college admission rates dropping to 3.19%, it’s more important than ever for future college students to learn how to differentiate themselves from their competitors. They can easily do this by writing persuasive college admission resumes.
Here are our 4 tips and tricks for writing the best high school resume:
- Know when to start writing a college resume
- Start with the basics
- Showcase your extracurricular activities & experience
- Offer colleges a taste of your unique personality
Grab a pen and paper and let’s get to it!
- Know When to Start Writing a College Resume
A college resume is complex. It takes a while to gather valuable information about who you are and what you’re intending to do later on in life. In order to make an awesome first impression on admissions officers, you’ll have to prepare for college as early on as possible.
The eighth grade should be a great time to consider getting into the college or university of your dreams. However, the dream itself is not enough. You’ll need to put in the work and start collecting materials that showcase your work experience, honors, awards, leadership experience, and even academics and testing.
The ScholarPrep Organizer acts as both a tool and a resource that leverages valuable information for both the kids and their parents/guardians. Our unique organizer will get you on track in no time. Our goal is to demystify the entire college application process. With us, college success could never be more easily achievable.
- Start with the Basics
A good college resume must always include the basics. Let’s start with relevant contact information. Feature your full name, address, and an e-mail address that sounds professional. Also, add information about your high school and academic achievements, such as your GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Mention the courses you’ve taken, your class rank, and even your LinkedIn or personal website, if you have one.
Keep in mind that your high school resume will require you to follow some formatting and writing rules. Use a regular font, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and use the appropriate headings for each of your sections. This will ensure that your high school resume looks nice and neat.
In case you downloaded a college resume template, make sure it looks organized. Did you know that the Common App allows you to create a resume from scratch? Once you’re done, make sure to add it to your college app or export it in PDF format.
Remember to keep your school resume for college short and sweet. A single page should do the trick. Your academic achievement levels should effortlessly stand out. Use action verbs, create numbered lists, add bullet points, and share the final version with a friend or family member for proofreading.
- Showcase Your Extracurricular Activities & Experience
Ever had an internship that goes hand in hand with your desired major? A part-time job? Perhaps volunteer work or community service? If so, make sure to include this in your school resume for college. It’s important to show that you have an idea of what your career path will one day look like.
Leadership experience is also a great add-on to your one-page resume. Moreso, any college applicant must have a handful of extracurricular activities to talk about. Just make sure that they match your resume objective.
- Offer Colleges a Taste of Your Unique Personality
Soft and hard skills are a must-have, not just for college applications, but also in your career. Do you have great computer skills? Make sure to mention it. How many foreign languages do you speak? This could further differentiate you from your competitors and ensure college success.
Any software skills, such as After Effects, InDesign, or even Canva? These are important assets for a successful college application, especially if they match your resume objective. Think about all the things that make you a valuable addition to the campus.
Write the Best College Admissions Resume with ScholarPrep Nation!
Although the college application process continues to be a tough journey for most, college access programs such as ScholarPrep Nation can help shift the narrative of what college success should be like.
Our culturally affirming college access program, organizers, and kits will help your young scholar reach the very heights of higher education. We have the power to help our children reach their desired destinations. It’s time to change the rules of the game, especially for African-American, first-gen students.
Let’s talk. Contact us now and let us know more about your goals. In case you have any questions for us, we’d be more than happy to answer them. We look forward to hearing from you very soon!
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