Although resumes are most commonly associated with applying for jobs, many universities require students to submit a resume as part of their application.

In this context, a resume is a snapshot of your identity as a student and individual. You can use your resume to highlight key points like academic background, skills, extracurricular activities and interests, and work or volunteer experience.

Other application materials, including high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, will provide further details to give admissions committees a clear picture of who you are and why you’re a good fit for an institution.

This article reviews general tips for writing a strong college admissions resume and breaks down the individual sections your college admissions resume should include.

General Resume Writing Tips

Following these guidelines ensures that your college admissions resume represents you as a mature, serious student that any college would want to accept.

  • Length: Limit your college admissions resume to a maximum of one page. While listing many details to show your well-roundedness might be tempting, your resume is just one element of your application packet. Your transcripts, standardized test scores, essays, and recommendations will provide more context for the achievements and activities highlighted on your resume.
  • Format: A resume should always be easy to read. Use a simple font, like Times New Roman or Calibri, in 10- or 12-point size. Set margins to 1 inch all around. For easy scanning, identify sections with bold or underlined headers. Follow the school’s instructions for what document type they accept; PDFs are most common, but some schools may also accept resumes in Word format.
  • Language: Use direct, concise language. A resume is not the place to show off your vocabulary, as most admissions counselors want something they can read and digest quickly. A resume is a professional document — spell out words and don’t include emojis or emoticons.
  • Social media: Only include social media links or handles if you have a professional account on a site like LinkedIn that you’re using for college admissions. As you apply to colleges, be sure that any content you post on social media appropriately reflects you as a student and individual, or set your accounts to private. It’s common for schools to review prospective students’ social media. What they find can impact consideration for acceptance, scholarships, and more.
  • Be honest: Don’t embellish or lie about accomplishments or experiences. In most cases, schools will disqualify applicants or rescind admissions offers if they find out a student’s application contains false information. If you’re concerned about being a competitive applicant, speak to an admissions counselor to find out how to best strengthen your application.
  • Proofread: Before submitting your resume, have a parent, guardian, teacher, or guidance counselor check for spelling and grammar errors. You can also use a proofreading program like Grammarly. Ensure all information in your resume is accurate, including the name of the school you’re applying to.

Resume Section Overview

It’s standard for resumes to begin with a header and contact information, followed by a summary or objective. After that, the order of sections can fluctuate based on relevancy. For college admissions resumes, this usually means highlighting prior education experience first. It’s also okay to eliminate any sections you don’t have relevant information, like volunteer experience or awards.

In general, resumes include the following eight sections:

  • Name (header) and contact information
  • Summary or objective
  • Education
  • Work experience
  • Volunteer work
  • Activities
  • Awards and special achievements
  • Skills

Header and contact information

Your full name goes at the top of your resume in the header. This section also includes your permanent residential address, cell phone number, and email address. If you still need to create a professional email address with your full name or initials, now is a good time to do so. If you don’t have a personal cell phone, include the phone number where you can most easily be reached.

Header and Contact Information Example

Sara Smith
100 Maple Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(215) 484-1948
[email protected]

Summary or objective

This brief (2-3) sentence paragraph serves as your introduction to the reader, highlighting your unique attributes and achievements and clarifying your interest in the school and program to which you’re applying. The more specific you can make your summary and objective, the better. Admissions counselors want to see why you’re interested in their institution and what qualities make you stand out among hundreds or thousands of applicants.

Summary Example

Aspiring social worker passionate about working with children seeks to jump-start a career with a Bachelor of Social Work from Temple University. Demonstrated success as a leader in the school’s Allies for Racial Equity club and a scholar with a 3.8 GPA in social studies courses. Curious, motivated, and eager to work with Temple’s renowned faculty specializing in social work with children and families.

Education

If you’re applying to college directly from high school or as a transfer student from another university, place this section after your summary. Your academic performance is one of the primary factors schools will consider when determining your eligibility for admissions.

Include your high school name and location, expected graduation date, current GPA, standardized test scores, and any notable classes relevant to your intended program, such as AP courses or dual-credit college courses. If you attended multiple high schools, list them in reverse chronological order, with the most recent school first.

Education Example

Roxborough High School
6498 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128
2022-Present
Expected graduation date: June 2024
Current cumulative GPA: 3.91
SAT scores: 1400 (750 Verbal, 650 Math)
Relevant coursework: AP Psychology

Central High School
1700 W Olney Ave, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2020-2022

Work experience

Colleges don’t necessarily expect applicants to have any professional work experience, but if you do, including it on your resume can show admissions counselors that you’re well-rounded and motivated.

Work experience can include after-school or summer jobs, internships, or job-shadowing experiences. For each job or internship you’ve held, list the employer’s name, job title, location, and dates of employment. Use action verbs to describe your position’s responsibilities and include any accolades you received for your work. As with education, if you’ve had multiple jobs, list them in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.

Work Experience Example

Domino’s Pizza
Host / Server
June 2023-Present
Philadelphia, PA

  • Named Employee of the Month November 2023
  • Took and served in-person food orders in a fast-paced environment
  • Proposed several changes to the order-entry process for servers and delivery drivers, improving efficiency and collaboration among the two groups

Volunteer experience

Volunteer work, or giving freely of your time and energy in service to a community or group, shows colleges that you’re a responsible, engaged citizen. Include volunteer experience on your resume by listing the name of the organization or group, location, dates, and description of the services you provided.

Volunteer Experience Example

Pennsylvania SPCA
January 2023-May 2023
Philadelphia, PA

  • Cleaned cages, crates, recreation areas, and equipment
  • Assisted with on-site and off-site adoption events
  • Processed paperwork for adoption and foster applications

Extracurricular activities

In this section, you’ll highlight your involvement in any school and non-school related extracurricular activities, including athletics, academic organizations, special interest clubs, and the arts. Including this information is an opportunity for you to show prospective schools how you spend your free time, the different skills and interests you possess, and what sort of activities you might be involved in on campus.

Extracurricular Activities Example

Roxborough High School Allies for Racial Equity
2022-Present

  • President for 2023-24 academic year
  • Hosted weekly meetings to discuss racial equity issues on campus and in the community
  • Organized on-campus events to promote racial equity and social justice awareness

Roxborough High School Swim Team
2022-Present

  • Co-captain for 2023-34 season
  • Set new school record for a 50-yard freestyle during 2022-23 season

Awards and notable achievements

If you’ve received any type of special awards or honors or have any notable achievements within academics, athletics, arts, or other extracurricular activities, include a section of your resume to feature them.

Notable Achievements Example

  • National Merit Semifinalist, 2024
  • National Honor Society member, 2023-present
  • National Spanish Honor Society member, 2023-present
  • Principal’s List, 2022-present

Skills

Including a skills section in your college admissions resume can help you further demonstrate your preparedness for college and your intended major. This section can include hard and soft skills, as long as they’re presented with context establishing how you gained or used these skills.

Skills Example

Leadership: President of Allies for Racial Equity and co-captain of swim team
Public speaking: Hosted weekly Allies for Racial Equity meetings
Fluent in Spanish: Member of Spanish National Honor Society since 2023

College Resume Sample

Combining all the individual sections listed above, a complete college admissions resume might look something like this:

Sara Smith
100 Maple Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(215) 484-1948
[email protected]

Aspiring social worker with a passion for working with children seeks to jump-start career with a Bachelor of Social Work from Temple University. Demonstrated success as a leader in the school’s Allies for Racial Equity club and a scholar with a 3.8 GPA in social studies courses. Curious, motivated, and eager to work with Temple’s renowned faculty specializing in social work with children and families.

Education

Roxborough High School
6498 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128
2022-Present
Expected graduation date: June 2024
Current cumulative GPA: 3.91
SAT scores: 1400 (750 Verbal, 650 Math)
Relevant coursework: AP Psychology

Central High School
1700 W Olney Ave, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2020-2022

Work experience

Domino’s Pizza
Host / Server
June 2023-Present
Philadelphia, PA

  • Named Employee of the Month November 2023
  • Took and served in-person food orders in a fast-paced environment
  • Proposed several changes to the order entry process for servers and delivery drivers, improving efficiency and collaboration among the 2 groups

Volunteer experience

Pennsylvania SPCA
January 2023-May 2023
Philadelphia, PA

  • Cleaned cages, crates, recreation areas and equipment
  • Assisted with on-site and off-site adoption events
  • Processed paperwork for adoption and foster applications

Extracurricular activities

Roxborough High School Allies for Racial Equity
2022-Present

  • President for 2023-24 academic year
  • Hosted weekly meetings to discuss racial equity issues on-campus and in the community
  • Organized on-campus events to promote racial equity and social justice awareness

Roxborough High School Swim Team
2022-Present

  • Co-captain for 2023-34 season
  • Set new school record for 50-yard freestyle during 2022-23 season

Special achievements

  • National Merit Semifinalist, 2024
  • National Honor Society member, 2023-present
  • National Spanish Honor Society member, 2023-present
  • Principal’s List, 2022-present

Skills

Leadership: President of Allies for Racial Equity and co-captain of swim team
Public speaking: Hosted weekly Allies for Racial Equity meetings
Fluent in Spanish: Member of Spanish National Honor Society since 2023

Writing a Resume for Graduate Admissions

Students preparing a resume for admissions to a graduate program, such as a master’s or PhD, can generally follow the same format. However, depending on the specific program requirements and the length of time a student has been out of school, they may want to emphasize professional experience over education, as this may be more relevant to their eligibility for a program.

Additionally, once students have completed a bachelor’s degree, they no longer need to include information about their high school education on their resume.