Your browser is out of date.

You are currently using Internet Explorer 7/8/9, which is not supported by our site. For the best experience, please use one of the latest browsers.

High School Resume

Many college applications don’t give a well-rounded and busy student room to highlight all of his or her accomplishments and experience. This is where a résumé is helpful. It is a quick way for college admissions staff to get an overall view of a student.

The résumé is another way of listing student activities and accomplishments

It should include the following:

  • Name, address, email, phone number
  • Education information (The Banff School name and address, GPA, and class rank if available)
  • Activities (in or out of school—include any leadership roles)
  • Other experience (apart-time job, participation in a walk for cancer awareness, or contribution to a science fair are all pertinent details)
  • Accolades and Achievements (academic awards or awards/accomplishments in    extracurricular competition—top gymnast in the state competition, for example)
  • References (Names and phone numbers of teachers, coaches, employers, or internship directors don’t necessarily have to go on the résumé, but it’s good to   have these people lined up in advance.)
  • Anything else that makes you stand out  (Is there anything else about you that might help you shine? Fluency in a foreign language, musical ability, or proficiency in advanced computer programs may qualify here.)

Your résumé should include information on activities and accomplishments from the summer after 8th grade to the present

Ideally, you should begin to craft it in your freshman year. This will benefit you in several ways. 

  • It will help you keep track of your activities and time spent on them so that when the time comes for you to complete college applications, you won’t forget anything.
  • You can see if any non-academic areas need improvement long before you apply for colleges. Colleges want to see what you have done with your time and if you are well-rounded or one dimensional. If you see that you haven’t been involved in much as a freshman or sophomore, you have time to get involved in something meaningful before your senior year.
  • Starting a résumé early can help identify academic areas to improve. If you have a mediocre or low GPA, an early résumé will give you an idea of what needs attention before it’s too late to bring those numbers up. It will also point out to you the importance of high SAT and ACT scores.
  • A good résumé can help you obtain summer jobs, internships, and other experiences which that will make you stand out on college applications.
  • Your résumé can be invaluable when you apply for scholarships because it quickly highlights your interests and accomplishments.
  • Your résumé is a great introduction to a college recruiter at college fairs. Leaving one with a recruiter can help him/her to remember you. Even if he/she only had time for a quick handshake and hello, he/she will have a physical reminder of you. Also, giving out résumés will help you meaningfully contact as many people as possible in a short time.

Be very careful as you craft your résumé. A poorly written one can be worse than no résumé because it will leave a bad impression of you. Make sure to proofread (more than once) to ensure correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

The resume should be in a professional-looking and easy-to-read font, such as Times New Roman or Arial. The formatting should catch the eye of the recipient and bring attention to key items.

Don’t go overboard. Include everything that is important, but don’t list things with little overall meaning.

Honesty is critical!  Exaggerating your activities and falsely reporting your GPA and scores can lead to difficult consequences if your deception comes to light. Organizations and institutions of learning value honesty and integrity.

Resources

College resources

Prepare Your Child for College

The Baff School’s primary goal is to meet the needs of each student to the best of our ability. We are commitment to help navigate the often confusing paths through the college search, applications, and acceptance processes.