Bragging Without Bragging: How to Write your Academic Resume

If you’ve finished your college essay and you’re thinking “I’m done,” think again. Many colleges will also ask you for an academic resume and/or brag sheet. Also, you may not actually have room on the application for all of your activities. Don’t be afraid to contact the college and ask if you may also submit a resume; most likely, they’ll be excited to learn more about you. But there is an art to these application supplements: let’s call it “bragging without bragging.” No one likes a boaster, so how do you list your accomplishments without coming off pompous or self-congratulatory? Here is some advice for making yourself look good without annoying the person reading your resume:

Don’t Overdo It: Listing that you played soccer for three weeks of ninth grade won’t really go a long way toward the overall impression you are trying to make. Be selective with what you include. Your ten years of dance or five years of debate will be much more impressive to the reader than the one Saturday you spent volunteering because you had to fulfill community service hours for your school. Let yourself shine but don’t go overboard. Tell them things they will actually care about that add to your application.

The Art of Selectivity: As mentioned above, being selective is key. But how do you decide what to include and what to omit? Think of it this way: is this something I intend to continue in college? If, for example, you’ve been on student council in high school and you intend to be a part of student government in college, then this is most definitely something that should pop on your resume or brag sheet. Additionally, consider if the information you are including adds in a consistent way to your overall application. If you have been in Future Business Leaders of America, for instance, and you are pursuing a business major in college, this would be a relevant thing to brag about.

Organization is Important: While you might have a thousand activities you want to share, remember nobody wants to read a disorganized mess of a resume that jumps from topic to topic. Organize your resume for ease of reading by using categories. You might have a category titled “Community Service” under which you list your service activities by year. For example:

-St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, 2013-2015

-Habitat for Humanity, 2015-present

The categories you chose are up to you but the important thing is to give the reader a clear and organized reading experience. Also, this should look like a real-world resume so think about it as though you are trying to get a job and what you would want a potential employer to see.

Here is an example of a clean, well-organized, reader-friendly resume:
http://www.aie.org/find-a-job/write-your-resume/sample-resumes-and-templates/Resume-Sample-High-School-Student-Academic.cfm

Language Matters: Think about the difference using active voice can make: “Led Student Council” sounds much more dynamic than “was Student Council leader.” Action verbs make for dynamic wording, which only strengthens your resume. Consider using words like organized, founded, anchored, designed, drafted, served, etc. These types of words will echo the strength of your activities and make you sound more like an active and involved member of your school, sports team, or club.

More samples and advice here:
http://www.mass.edu/gearup/documents/WritingaResume.pdf
http://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/E64ACAAB/How-to-Write-a-High-School-Brag-Sheet/

Remember, this is all about showing a college your awesomeness! So be selective, be organized, be (somewhat) humble, and you won’t go wrong!

Written by Phil Lane

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