
200+ Resume Words, Action Verbs, & Resume Power Words
Need an easy trick to boost your resume? Replace boring phrases with resume action words, power words, and adjectives for resume. Make your resume sound like a bestseller.
Looking for a perfect college resume template? Read on and learn how to nail your college application resume and get into any college you want.
Most college application resumes are cookie-cutter. They focus on GPA and work experience.
Bad idea.
Want to get interviewed? Write an awesome college resume where you list awesome things you don’t even know you did.
This guide will show you:
Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder for free. Start by choosing a resume template.
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Looking for a different kind of college resumes? We've got you covered:
Looking for a job? Check one of these guides:
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples.
Leighton Pliego
Personal Info
Address:
2317 Edsel Road
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 213-968-0795
Email: leightonpliego@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/leightonpliego
twitter.com/leightonpliego
Summary:
Enthusiastic student social media professional seeking to energize Pitzer College's student body with proven leadership skills. Founded and ran a social fundraising organization that raised $27,000 for childhood cancer. Varsity track team captain with A+ avg. in English & Physics.
Education:
New West Charter School, Los Angeles, CA
2014–2019
Activities
Founder, Operator
Drop the Elbow on Cancer
2015–Present
Founder, Leader
Robotron Robotics Club
2011–2015
Waiter
Weathervane Restaurant
2016–2018
Athletics
Interests
Hard Skills: Writing, Video Production, Leadership, MS Office
Soft Skills: Interpersonal Skills, Time Management, Listening
A college application resume should include relevant contact information, a strong resume objective, detailed education history (including weighted GPA, class rank, and SAT/ACT scores), extracurricular activities, work experience, hobbies, volunteer work, awards, publications, and relevant skills.
Now here’s how to write a college application resume:
Warning:
Your college application resume format must grab them at a glance. Why? Just look at those number:
For the Class of 2025 at Harvard, there were 57,786 applications, where only 2,320 of them were admitted. That's only 4.01%!
At NYU the acceptance rate is 12.8% with over 100,000 applicants.
Do you see my point here? Your resume for college application is as good as your SAT Score.
Follow this formula for the best resume for colleges
Expert Hint: Save your resume as a PDF. Using a high school resume template PDF used to be bad. In 2023 they’re machine-readable.
84,865.
That’s how many college application forms the average top-10 school gets. The rest aren’t far behind. Your college admissions resume must stand out like galaxy print.
Do it with a resume objective for high school students that shines (avoid writing a resume summary unless you already have some work experience under your belt).
These college application resume objectives examples nail it:
The first of those isn’t some generic resume for college applications. That’s Emma Watson Junior.
But they’re both the same kid.
The college admission resume screener will run, not walk, to show it to the Dean. Don’t have activities for a resume objective like that? You do. You just can’t see them.
Yet.
Expert Hint: Don’t make your college resume objective first. Build it after the rest of your high school resume for college. Then you’ll have a full curriculum to pick from.
Disaster!
Here’s the typical college application resume:
What’s wrong with that?
It won’t get noticed. To make your resume for college blaze—
Don't list your achievements at random. Take as much time as you need and list activities on your college resume that’ll make them hope you choose them.
These high school resume for college show how:
Activities Founder, Operator Founder, Leader Waiter Athletics Interests Activities
Drop the Elbow on Cancer
2015–Present
Robotron Robotics Club
2011–2015
Weathervane Restaurant
2016–2018
The first of those high school resume for college examples shows you’ll make the college better.
But that’s just a normal kid.
She just spent a few hours thinking about all the things she’s done that make her look like Rihanna at 18.
Extra credit:
Don’t copy-paste resume skills from online lists.
That will simply kill your applicaiton. Do you remember the numbers I mentioned earlier? If you want to be in that 10% your college admissions resume must show that you're not like any other person.
Use the list below as an inspiration and make the skill sections on your college resume shine:
Soft skills:
Hard Skills:
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume maker now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
Expert Hint: Don’t just list college resume activities. Add details and numbers. How many? How often? How much? What percent? Show the size of your accomplishment.
Of course:
You need education section on a high school resume for college applications. But—
There are two ways to do it. And only one way gets you in.
These college resume samples show the difference:
Education:
New West Charter School, Los Angeles, CA
2014–2018
Education
New West Charter School, Los Angeles, CA
2014–2019
The first of those resume examples for students proves you’ll do the college proud.
Expert Hint: Learn how to write a cover letter for high school students applying for college. Show your passion. That means talking up core achievements that prove your drive.
What to put on a college resume?
Put anything that makes you stand out.
Here are some examples of what to put on resumes for college:
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
For a college application resume that gets you past the watchdogs:
Do you have what it takes to win a scholarship? Write a scholarship cover letter and a scholarship resume that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Got questions on how to write a high school resume for college that sparkles? Still not sure what goes on a resume for college application? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.
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