high school resume for college application template

RU Moscow Oblast

Recently viewed courses

Recently viewed.

Find Your Dream School

This site uses various technologies, as described in our Privacy Policy, for personalization, measuring website use/performance, and targeted advertising, which may include storing and sharing information about your site visit with third parties. By continuing to use this website you consent to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

   COVID-19 Update: To help students through this crisis, The Princeton Review will continue our "Enroll with Confidence" refund policies. For full details, please click here.

Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an SAT or ACT program!

By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., write a high school student resume for college applications.

Think resumes are only for job seekers? Think again. A high school student resume gives colleges a snapshot of your accomplishments, extracurriculars, hobbies, and work history. They can also be a useful tool for prepping for a college interview or to give to the teachers who are writing your letters of recommendation .

Not sure how to get started? Follow our tips for crafting a standout resume for college and scholarship applications.

What should go on a high school student resume for college admissions?

Any of the sections below could appear on your resume for college applications. Pick an assortment that works for you!

• Heading with your name, address, and e-mail
• High school information with your graduation date, GPA (weighted), class rank, and SAT/ACT scores
• Academic awards, publications, honors, and other achievements
• Coursework (summer programs, college courses, or other specialized workshops that do not appear on your high school transcript)
• Extracurricular activities
• Community service
• Work experience
• Special skills (e.g. foreign language fluency or HTML expertise)

When should you submit a resume to colleges?

Some colleges and scholarship committees request or recommend that you include a high school resume with your application materials. (But don’t submit a resume if they don’t ask for one—following instructions is a key application strategy.) Bring your resume to college interviews and give copies to your college counselor and teachers so that they can write you the strongest possible recommendation letter.

Tips for Composing Your College Admissions Resume

1. keep it concise..

Pare down the activities you showcase to the most brag-worthy and most representative of you as a candidate. Do colleges need to know that you were on the field hockey team for one semester in Grade 9? Probably not. The standard rule of thumb is to stick to one or two pages.

2. Focus on depth and length of commitment.

When deciding which activities and accomplishments make the cut, keep in mind that colleges would much rather see you excited about one or two key experiences than sporadic involvement in 20 clubs. If having an after-school job limited your ability to participate in clubs or sports, make sure your resume plays up your work responsibilities, training, and on-the-job skills.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Applying to College

3. Provide detail whenever possible.

The details are what set a resume apart from a list of extracurriculars on a standard college application. For example, when describing your involvement in the French Club make sure to include:

• school years/hours per week you participated
• specific contributions (e.g. "Organized a successful after-school film series to introduce our community to French cinema and culture" )
• leadership roles (e.g. "Treasurer, Grade 12" )
• unique details that will make you stand out

4. Highlight things you weren’t able to write about in your college essays or short answers.

Use your high school resume to show colleges something new. If your devotion to photography didn’t make it on the application but is a big part of who you are, then showcase your photography cred on your resume.

Free SAT Practice Tests & Events

Evaluate and improve your SAT score.

5. Formatting is key.

Make your resume easy to scan. Divide information into sections with clear headings, bulleted lists, and a consistent font. Use a system of organization that works for you. (Chronological, by importance of activity, or by time commitment are a few options.) Don’t forget to proofread !

6. Be honest and accurate.

Colleges know how to spot inconsistencies in your high school student resume, and they won’t hesitate to call your counselor to verify information that doesn't seem right. So don't tell them that you have practice for the school play for 30 hours per week—unless drama club is somehow your full-time job!

Looking for strategic college advice?

Get one-on-one help from former Ivy League and top tier admission officers . Our College Counselors will help you find, apply, and get accepted to your dream school.

• College  
• Applying to College  

Explore Colleges For You

Connect with our featured colleges to find schools that both match your interests and are looking for students like you.

Career Quiz

Take our short quiz to learn which is the right career for you.

Get Started on Athletic Scholarships & Recruiting!

Join athletes who were discovered, recruited & often received scholarships after connecting with NCSA's 42,000 strong network of coaches.

Best 389 Colleges

165,000 students rate everything from their professors to their campus social scene.

SAT Prep Courses

1400+ course, act prep courses, free sat practice test & events,  1-800-2review, free digital sat prep try our self-paced plus program - for free, get a 14 day trial.

Free MCAT Practice Test

I already know my score.

MCAT Self-Paced 14-Day Free Trial

Enrollment Advisor

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 1

1-877-LEARN-30

Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM ET

Sat-Sun 9AM-8PM ET

Student Support

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 2

Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM ET

Sat-Sun 8:30AM-5PM ET

Partnerships

• Teach or Tutor for Us

College Readiness

International

Advertising

Affiliate/Other

• Enrollment Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Cigna Medical Transparency in Coverage

Register Book

Local Offices: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM

• SAT Subject Tests

Academic Subjects

• Social Studies

Find the Right College

• College Rankings
• College Advice
• Applying to College
• Financial Aid

School & District Partnerships

• Professional Development
• Advice Articles
• Private Tutoring
• Mobile Apps
• International Offices
• Work for Us
• Affiliate Program
• Partner with Us
• Advertise with Us
• International Partnerships
• Our Guarantees
• Accessibility – Canada

Privacy Policy | CA Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Your Opt-Out Rights | Terms of Use | Site Map

©2024 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University

TPR Education, LLC (doing business as “The Princeton Review”) is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, a firm owned by Chinese nationals with a principal place of business in Hong Kong, China.

College Application Resume Guide and Example

• By Nancy L. Wolf

Published June 12, 2024 | Last Updated June 14th, 2024 at 11:56 am

High school seniors, put one more item on your to-do list. It’s time to prepare a college application resume.

This isn’t the kind of resume you’ll need when you look for your first post-college job or a brag sheet you’ve put together for someone writing a letter of recommendation, but a resume designed for a high school senior.

Why Do You Need A Resume For College Applications?

The Common Application permits students to upload an activities resume, although many colleges within the Common App system don’t accept resumes submitted this way. 

If any of the colleges you’re applying to do allow it, don’t miss the chance. It’s a perfect opportunity to highlight things you weren’t able to write about in detail in your college essays.

Even if none of the colleges on your list ask for a resume, I strongly recommend you create one for the following reasons:

• to help you complete the Common Application
• to give to teachers, counselors, advisors, and coaches writing your recommendations
• to use when applying for a job or internship
• to submit when applying for a scholarship
• to give to the interviewer at an alumni or college admission interview

What Should I Put on My Resume for College Applications?

Here’s a guide to preparing a high school student resume, along with a sample to get you started . 

1. Center your contact information at the top of the page. Include your full name, address, email address, and cell number.

2. Put your educational information in a separate section below your contact information. Include the following:

• The full name of your high school with its city and state.
• Your graduation date in month and year format.
• Your GPA – weighted and unweighted (note each).
• Your class rank – if your school ranks.
• Your test scores with dates given – SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, and AP tests.
• Your academic honors and awards, such as honor roll or AP scholar.
• Any coursework that may not be on your high school transcript, such as a summer course taken at a college or a summer educational experience at a college.

3. Create a section for your experience (activities and jobs) during your four years of high school.

• Include your extracurricular Activities at your high school and also any outside-of-school activities and hobbies.
• Include significant work experience.
• Include significant community service/volunteer experience.
• If you have limited extracurricular activities because you had to work outside of school to support your family or you had to take care of a family member, explain that here

4. List your most recent and most important activity first. (Go in reverse chronological order.)

• For each of your high school extracurriculars, list the activity (avoid abbreviations) by category and date.
• Describe your specific role within the activity, including any leadership position you held and the school years and/or summers you participated.
• Use details to show your accomplishments such as the amount of funds raised, the number of students who joined the club you founded or the impact of your campaign.
• Put each extracurricular in a separate section with white spaces between the sections.
• Start each description with a strong action word such as founded, managed, provided, built, and led.
• For any job you had or still have, give the name of the company or group, your role, your job responsibilities, and dates.
• Omit any superficial or brief activities (such as a club you joined for six weeks in 9th grade).

5. Include a section for your special skills.

The last section of your resume is where you should list any special skills, such as fluency in Spanish, specific computer skills, proficiency in playing a musical instrument or athletic skills not described in the experience section.

In the special skills section, you could also list any time-consuming hobbies you have that do not fit in elsewhere – e.g., Spending 10 hours per week knitting baby booties to donate to homeless women’s shelters.

How to Format Your College Application Resume

Formatting is key to making your resume easy to scan. Here are some tips to follow:

• Use a professional font
• Make your headings consistent
• Bulleted lists may work
• Use a limited amount of bold and underlining; aim for a clear and clean format
• Keep your narratives brief but detailed
• Do not abbreviate the names of groups or organizations
• Try to keep the resume to one page (unless you won a Nobel Prize in high school)
• Proofread, proofread, proofread to avoid typos, spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and punctuation problems – and ask a trusted adult to do the same.

Use this sample high school student resume as a template for creating your own.

Remember that your resume is not a do-it-once document; be sure to update it as needed. And let me stress again: You can’t proofread a resume too carefully.

You want a college admissions officer to remember you for your accomplishments, not for your typos!

Use  R2C Insights  to help find merit aid and schools that fit the criteria most important to your student. You’ll not only save precious time, but your student will avoid the heartache of applying to schools they aren’t likely to get into or can’t afford to attend.   

Other Articles You Might Like:

10 Ways a Parent Can Help Their Student Prepare for College

How to Motivate Juniors to Start the College Process

High School Resumes May Be More Valuable Than Ever for College Admissions

JOIN ONE OF OUR FACEBOOK GROUPS & CONNECT WITH OTHER PARENTS: 

PAYING FOR COLLEGE 101

HOW TO FIND MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

In this article:

Upcoming events, student loans: how to find the lowest rates, insider advice: what demonstrated interest means and how colleges track it, similar articles for you.

Dear Roadie: Should We Reveal That My Daughter Has Autism, Anxiety, and Depression?

Dear Roadie, Is it okay to tell a college or university that my daughter has autism? She was accepted at...

Achieving a Good Score on the SAT: How the Test Works and Tips for Success

The SAT, or Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a standardized test administered by the College Board. U.S. colleges widely use it...

Dear Roadie: My Daughter Keeps Failing Classes. Should I Keep Paying for Them?

Dear Roadie,  My husband and I do not qualify for anything through FAFSA. We always said we would pay for...

Tools & Services Recommended for You

Common App & Essay Coaching Bundle

Essay Writing – Add an Hour

Essay Coaching Package

R2C Insights Academy Live – Paid in Full ($499)

R2c insights academy live – paid in full ($599).

College List Strategy Session

R2c insights academy bundle – paid in full, become a member.

At Road2College you’ll find everything you need to make the admissions and paying for college process less stressful and more transparent.

Explore R2C Insights™ — your source for finding affordable colleges and merit scholarships.

Get coaching on admissions and college financing.

Join Road2College where parents and experts work together to inform and inspire college-bound families.

Our Paying for College 101 Facebook Group Has Over

252.2k members, we’ll keep you in the know, receive our newsletter and stay up-to-date on college admissions and paying for college., get started.

By Stage in the Process:

• Plan Academic & Financial
• Research Colleges
• Apply to College
• Compare College Offers
• Decide Where to Attend
• Pay for College
• Go to College!

Information Hub

• Higher Ed Updates
• Applications
• College Financial Planning
• College Life
• College List Building
• Financial Aid
• Financial Aid Appeals
• High School Academics & Activities
• Merit Scholarships
• Paying off Loans
• Standardized Tests
• Student & Parent Loans

Tools & Services

• R2C Insights
• Other Services
• Partnership Opportunities
• Privacy Policies
• Term & Conditions

Ad Policy Disclaimer: Product name, logo, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within Road2College are the property of their respective trademark holders. Information obtained via Road2College™ is for educational purposes only. Please consult a licensed financial professional before making any financial decisions. This site may be compensated through third party advertisers. This site is not endorsed or affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education. By visiting Road2College’s site, you accept and agree to be bound by Road2College’s Terms of Use.

Build my resume

• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• Free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

16 High School Student Resume Examples + Complete Guide

High School Student Resume

• High School Student Resumes by Experience
• High School Student Resumes by Role

High school is one of the best times of your life, but it can also be one of the most difficult when looking for your first or second job. You’ve got to fill out applications, prep for interviews, and write your resume.

Using ChatGPT for resumes  is a cool idea, but can still feel daunting and overwhelming. We’ve all been there, and what you really need is a free AI resume builder and solid student cover letters to get you on your way.

We’ve analyzed countless high school resumes to discover  what would get students job interviews in 2024 . While you may want to start with a simple  resume outline , keep reading to find 16 high school resume samples (plus writing tips) that are jam-packed with essential techniques and tricks.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• If you choose to use a template, make sure you adjust the  resume’s formatting  so that your text is big enough to read with one-inch margins on the side.
• However, you should write your bullet points like you would for a job. Highlight any responsibilities and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for now.
• For example, if you’re looking for a job in sales, emphasize your ability to work in groups and create a good customer experience.

High School Student No Experience Resume

• If you don’t have work history, include projects and volunteer work instead. Treat them like a job and write bullet points according to your responsibilities.
• Make sure you start every bullet point with active verbs, and always double-check for typos. You’ve got this!
• Include your unique skills, your desired position, and the company you hope to work for to make your objective stand out from the rest!

First Job High School Student Resume

• To remedy that problem, add a  skills section on your resume  to give hiring managers an important overview of your strengths.
• To really highlight your abilities, incorporate the same skills in your work experience, too. Demonstrate how you used your skills to better your workplace, and you can’t go wrong!
• Adding stylistic elements like color and different fonts can help you show a bit of your personality (and make your resume more fun to read). 

Experienced High School Student Resume

• Remember, your resume is a highlight reel, so you need to include what’s most important (like your achievements and relevant metrics). 
• You can adjust your layout, font sizes, and margins, but keep it easy to read. 
• Use a bit of color and some fun fonts, provided it still looks professional. You’ve got this!

High School Senior Resume

• This statement must align with the potential employer’s needs, proving you understand the job requirements and have gone the extra mile to address doubts about your capabilities. As for experiences that might have prepared you for the job, workshops and volunteering programs you’ve participated in are prominent candidates.

Out of High School Resume

• Leisure activities range from soccer, hiking, drawing and sketching, robotics, and photography to journalism. But how do they fit in the picture? Well, a penchant for drawing and sketching could reflect creativity and an eye for detail, while journalism stints could hint at strong communication and critical thinking.

High School Graduate Resume

• Right from the first line of the career objective, you can see the candidate’s passion and willingness to work in this field. Notice how Serai’s love for photography is clearly backed by a previous project for a school newspaper.
• These details will be perfect when Serai’s ready for the AI cover letter generator to bring her application to perfection.

High School Student Scholarship Resume

• Your high school student scholarship resume should vividly show your positive contributions to noble causes, such as offering ADLs to seniors, and emphasize your impact on society.

High School Student College Application Resume

• Ensure your high school student college application resume shows your practical and classwork achievements that emphasize your grand vision to make a positive contribution to society.

High School Student for College Resume

• Before hitting “submit,” always  check your resume  for typos and other minor errors. It’s amazing what you can miss during your first few reviews.
• A good GPA can demonstrate, at least in part, your willingness to work hard. We’d recommend including your GPA only if it’s above 3.5, but anything above a 3 is a good average.

High School Student for Customer Service Resume

• Including projects, volunteer work, or club memberships is a great way to add value to your resume.
• Your resume should focus on your abilities and other activities you’ve engaged in that will show your value.
• Read the responsibilities and qualifications to look for key skills and tasks. Then, incorporate some of those skills and responsibilities into your high school student customer service resume.

High School Student Internship Resume

• For example, if the job description lists responsibilities like writing and analyzing data, include “written communication” and “data analysis” in your skills section.
• One easy way to customize your resume is by focusing your  resume skills  on things that apply to the internship. 
• Make sure you keep your resume professional and to the point. You don’t want to include anything too personal about your beliefs, religion, politics, or personal information.
• For example, you can list “volunteering at local church,” but avoid saying “fasting every weekend.” It doesn’t show off relevant skills and is a bit too forward for a resume.

High School Student Office Worker Resume

• Good projects include anything that demonstrates your leadership abilities or desire for knowledge. Senior projects, personal blogs, or even being on a sports team are all good examples to include!
• Add work experience directly under your contact information and name, then add any relevant projects if you’re low on space. 
• While there are plenty of  resume writing tips , your resume should be as unique as you. Don’t get so caught up in what you think you “should” do that your resume is bland and cookie-cutter. 

High School Student Sales Resume

• Numbers demonstrate your value, and they’re useful tools for the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software that hiring managers use to sort through job applicants.
• Trust us, and incorporate metrics into at least 80% of your bullet points!
• For example, you know that different  resume templates  can change your resume’s appearance, but different templates can also stretch or streamline your content. 
• Mess with multiple templates to see what your content will look like—you may find a template that allows for more room, or one that allows you to highlight your skills better.

High School Student Athlete  Resume

• Think of a time you proved you were the MVP on your team—Did you lead your team to a championship? Perhaps you made the game-winning shot in a crucial, nail-biting game?

High School Student Music Resume

• When you include hobbies like songwriting or your interest in classical music in your high school student music resume , it conveys to your recruiter that you’re super dedicated and passionate about your craft.
• You can also include hobbies that are different, too. For example, if you enjoy experimenting with new recipes from around the world, that can show you’re ready to give new genres a whirl or that you understand that music—while art—is still supposed to be fun and adventuresome.

Related resume guides

• Entry Level

College Resume Templates

Email Delivery

A  college resume is a document that represents a high school student’s academic achievement, after-school activities, work experience, and other relevant accomplishments.

It is used when applying for college or university and will accompany the student’s overall college application. Since high school students do not have an extensive list of professional work experience, the college resume highlights the student’s extracurricular involvement and achievements.

Sample College Application Resumes

What Should a College Resume Look Like?

While college resume templates have many structures and designs, each form must look clean and professional. University administrators prefer easy-to-read documents written in a business-like tone and free of grammar, spelling, and mechanical mistakes. Students should avoid flashy, distracting, or gimmicky resumes to boost the chances of receiving an acceptance letter. All information listed in the template needs to represent the student’s authentic experiences and accomplishments. Colleges automatically reject applicants who lie or include false information on their resumes.

College Resume Examples

How to Make a Resume for College

Identify what the college admissions committee is looking for in its candidates. Specific colleges or programs search for applicants who have served in leadership positions while others only emphasize academic achievement. Knowing this information ahead of time allows students to tailor their resumes to match the application requirements.

Compile a list of all the student’s relevant accomplishments, experiences, and awards. Consider exciting and innovative projects or presentations, in addition to standardized items, such as high grade-point-average (GPA) or being a captain of a varsity sports team.

For instance, if the college application is for a design school, the candidate should include their work from a high school project. Yearbook designs and other visual content or images help the applicant demonstrate their skill(s).

Which Skills Should be Included?

Each college resume has a unique style and format with specific information about the applicant. Although the templates look different from one another, they generally include the following information:

• Work experience (including seasonal and part-time positions)
• Extracurricular / club activities
• Volunteer work
• Leadership positions
• Projects, performances, and/or presentations
• Summer internships
• Academic achievements (i.e., high GPA, Honor roll, etc.)

Include both “hard” and “soft” skills in a resume. “Hard” skills are technical in nature and typically job-specific, such as coding in HTML, audio/video editing, or cabinetry. “Soft” skills are character or interpersonal traits that are transferrable to many types of positions, such as being a self-starter, possessing close attention to detail, or resolving conflicts effectively. Colleges want to see how applicants align with the goals and values of their program or institution.

For example, a student applying to a pre-med program should include the hard and soft skills that best match the program’s requirements. Applicants who can provide first aid (hard skill) and personable patient care (soft skill) best demonstrate that they are a good fit for the program.

College Application Resume Examples

Key Takeaways

A college resume summarizes the student’s background and achievements. It allows the candidate to highlight their best qualities, relevant experiences, and skills to admissions officers in the prospect of receiving an acceptance letter.

Recruiters will read a well-crafted resume that stands out against other candidates. For instance, a student can provide information about club activities or high school leadership positions to counteract a lack of work experience. Overall, applicants have the freedom to include the skills, experiences, and accomplishments that they feel best represent their personality and capabilities.

10+ Free High School Resume Templates for 2024

Writing your high school resume is already hard as it is - you shouldn’t have to spend hours working on your resume layout and format.

Want to fast-track your resume-creation process?

Use one of these 10+ free high school resume templates!

All you have to do is pick a template that resonates with you and fill in the contents. Zero formatting hassle is required!

10+ Free High School Resume Templates [Pick & Download]

#1. simple resume template.

This timeless layout works for everyone - highschoolers and seasoned professionals alike. 

The understated design and clean look put equal emphasis on all parts of your resume.

#2. Professional Resume Template

The Professional template puts more emphasis on your work experience and skills. Don’t have much work experience? You can always replace it with some other relevant section like extracurricular activities or volunteering experience.

#3. College Resume Template

Created with recent graduates in mind, this template is also suitably structured for any applicant with little to no work experience. 

#4. Creative Resume Template

If you’re looking for a job in the creative industry or want to try something a bit bolder, the Creative template is right for you. It’s guaranteed to stand out in any resume pile with its light on dark header and circle style skill graphs. 

#5. Modern Resume Template

The Modern template is a step up from the more basic designs. It has an organized look featuring brackets and squares.

#6. Functional Resume Template

The Functional Resume template puts more emphasis on your educational background, making it a perfect fit for highschoolers or just about anyone with no work experience.

#7. One Color Resume Template

This template is quite simple and to-the-point. The sections are clearly separated, and the resume objective is located top and center. Bonus points: you can even personalize this high school resume template by customizing the color scheme.

#8. Two-Column Resume Template

The template has a rather unique two-column resume structure . It is easy to skim and pleasant to look at. 

It also has a very compact look, making it perfect for job-seekers with no work experience.

#9. Vertical Header Resume Template

What’s interesting about this template is the vertical layout in the header section. It looks refreshing and straight-up cool. However, it’s a hit or miss kind of situation. The recruiter will either be intrigued by it, or be bothered by having to turn the page to the side. Use at your own risk.

#10. Infographic Resume Template

Infographic resume templates in general use graphs and charts to illustrate the information. This template in particular uses bubbles to portray skills and level of competence, as well as icons to illustrate interests. This makes the resume quick to skim through and the information easy to understand. 

How Long Should a High School Resume Be?

The resume length discussion has been going on for ages and typically, the answer tends to vary depending on industry and years of experience. 

When it comes to a high school resume, however, there’s no room for discussion: your resume should be one-page max. 

It’s justifiable to have a two-page resume in case you have, say 10+ years of experience in the industry (which you don’t).

If your draft resume ends up being longer, revise your content with a critical eye and cut out anything that’s not relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Remember: the recruiter wants to know what your top skills and experiences are, not your entire life story!

What Should I Include In My High School Resume?

In your high school resume, include the following sections:

• Contact Information - This consists of personal and contact information like first and last name, phone number, e-mail address, or links to other profiles. Make sure everything is written correctly so the recruiter can reach you back.
• Resume Objective - This is a 3-4 sentence statement that describes your career goals and aspirations as well as mentions your skills and achievements. It’s used to grab the recruiter’s attention and ensure that they read the rest of your resume.
• Education - You can already guess what this one’s about, right? You should list down your education institution (high school) as well as any academic-related certifications or achievements.
• Extracurricular Activities - This is your resume’s selling point. The equivalent of work experience, if you will. Your extracurriculars are usually participation in high school clubs or various events and they show the recruiter you’re a competent and engaged individual.
• Projects & Gigs - In this section, you’d mention any independent projects you’ve worked on outside of academics. For example, a side-gig or your own blog - anything that shows you’re a self-starter.
• Work Experience (optional) - If you have any, you can list your work experiences. An internship or volunteer work also qualifies for this section.
• Languages - An extra language or two will definitely give you an edge over the other candidates. So, if you’re good at languages, make sure to list a dedicated section for that!
• Hobbies & Interests - Choose a few things that will give the recruiter some insight into your personality. Bonus points if these hobbies and interests are related to the industry where you’re applying - they’ll show you’re passionate and genuinely interested in the job.

And that’s about it!

How to Create a High School Resume With No Work Experience?

You’ve probably heard of the famous trope:

“You need work experience to get a job, but a job to get work experience.”

Fortunately, it’s not actually true.

If you’re applying for an entry-level position in any field, no one’s actually expecting you to have work experience.

Instead, you can focus on the experiences you do have to stand out from the rest of the applicants. Some things you can include in your resume are:

• Extracurricular activities
• Projects & gigs
• Hobbies & interests
• Internships

Key Takeaways

And that’s about it on high school resume templates!

If you want to know more about what to write and how to write it, check out our in-depth guide to writing a high school resume .

Before you go your way, let’s go over the main points of this article one more time:

• Always use a high school resume template instead of working on your resume from scratch - trust us, it’s going to save you a lot of time.
• Stick to the one-page resume limit. The recruiter wants to know about your work experience, not about your entire life story.
• Instead of work experience, focus on alternative sections like extracurricular activities, projects, volunteering experience, and so on.

Discover More Resume Templates

• Word Resume Templates
• Google Docs Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

High School Resume Example and Step-by-Step Guide

by Winning Ivy Prep Team | Feb 7, 2023 | High School Resume

Table of Contents

So, it’s time to write your first high school resume for college applications. Maybe you’re inclined to Googling high school resume examples and step-by-step guides to create your own. But templates are generic–you’re not!

Remember that ultimately, a resume tells a story–the story of you. Like all well-told stories, it must be formatted thoughtfully and clearly or the narrative is lost. 

So, let’s dive straight in. 

Do Colleges Require A Resume?

Short answer: Nope!

Longer answer: Might be a good idea, depending on your situation. 

Keep in mind that some schools don’t even allow you to upload a resume, while others do. For instance, my alma mater, University of Pennsylvania allows you to upload a resume. Many Ivy League and top tier schools also have this option, from Cornell or Johns Hopkins .

Our general rule of thumb is this: 

• If you have a ton of activities and extracurriculars that can’t be succinctly summarized in the activity list 
• If you have competitive schools in your college list — at least one of them will give you the option to upload a resume.

…then it’s not a bad idea to have a college application resume to upload, just in case. Plus, it’ll be useful to secure summer internships and receive scholarships this way. 

Ivy League College Resume Example + Resume Template

Now, take a look at this resume example for an Ivy League-bound student. We’ll be using his example throughout this post.

Also, here’s a Google Doc that links to this student’s exact resume template that you can use for your own resume!  

By the way, these templates are modified versions of UC Berkeley’s resume templates, so, obviously, they’re quite good 😉

How To Create A Compelling High School Resume For College Applications

1. clean contact information section on your college resume.

Refer to our high school resume example: Sam’s name is in bold, centered at the top of the page; his e-mail address is directly underneath. That’s it!

Your name and e-mail address are the only contact information needed. If you have a website, particularly one that showcases your personality, include that too. 

Again, the ideal high school resume is clean and simple. There is no need for a brick and mortar address or phone number. 

2. Don’t Include Coursework In The Education Section

As you can see in our high school resume example, there are only six items in the education section and none are coursework. In this instance, coursework is clutter. 

The only items needed in the education section are the following: 

• school name and location
• class rank 
• class year 
• SAT scores 

Bear in mind: you’re the narrator of your own story, so be smart about the information you include. Remember the goal of a resume is to market yourself, so paint yourself favorably. 

…in other words, if your SAT scores are lower than you’d like, leave them off! The ideal high school resume is carefully curated.

3. Relevant Experience Means Relevant To Major

Perhaps you’re a dedicated and gifted cellist. Let’s be frank, unless you’re looking to major in music theory, that does not belong in the “relevant experience” category. 

So, what do we mean by “relevant”? We mean this: relevance to major . Are you pursuing computer science and did you intern at a start-up? That’s relevant experience!

Take a look at our sample high school resume. Sam lists three internships (two political, one research.) We can surmise that his major is related to political and environmental sciences. 

Notice that dates are listed as well. In addition to being relevant, experience should be timely. That means you should only include experience attained during high school. 

Don’t go all the way back to middle school. Start with the summer before high school and proceed from there.

4. Use Active Verbs In Your High School Resume

Once you’ve compiled your list of relevant experience, create bullet points detailing your responsibilities using active verbs. Let’s check out Sam’s sample high school resume again. 

Sam’s relevant experience section includes the following active verbs that are quite strong: 

• coordinate 

A ctive verbs show what you DID and showcase your contributions. They tell a vivid story of your ability to take action and illustrate what you bring to the table as a student at your dream college.

If you need inspiration for action verbs, check out this awesome action verb list from UC Berkeley Haas!

5. Activities Unrelated To Your Major Are Extracurriculars  

Once again, reference our sample resume. Sam was a swim coach, a varsity swimmer and co-Captain of the School Science Olympiad Team.

Swimming might not qualify as relevant experience, but it’s still important because well-rounded candidates are strong candidates. 

Basically, any activities unrelated to your major or field of study go in the “Extracurricular Activities/ Volunteering” section.

6. Skills Are Optional And Technical

The skills section is optional, and only to be included if appropriate.

So what are skills? Perhaps you can juggle, for example. While it’s a good party trick, don’t list that here. 

This section is for technical skills, especially if you’re interested in computer science or engineering. For example, proficiency with C++, Java, and R belong here. 

Once again, though, the skills section isn’t applicable to everyone. Remember, there is no need to pad your resume. The ideal high school resume is straightforward and honest!

So, now it’s your turn to write your high school resume. Hint: This is a great exercise to do for your activities list for your UC application and Common Application. Let us know how your resume turned out in the comments section below!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Attend FREE, LIVE elite college admissions lightning talks!

Graduation year 2024 2025 2026 2027

Parent or student Parent Student

You have successfully subscribed, thank you!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

UC Admissions

• [2023 Updated] UC Personal Insight Essay Examples
• UC Personal Insight Essay Ultimate Guide
• UC Essay Tips

Follow Our Awesome Posts!

Sample High School Resumes for College Applications

Valerie is an experienced writer and editor with an extensive backgrounds in health, education, parenting, and nonprofit operations.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

If you want to apply to a traditional, four-year college, get a leg up on scholarship applications or make the college application process is easier, you need a high school resume. Creating a resume can help you pull together all your information in one spot so you can easily summarize your high school career.

Samples Based on Real Students

The following two samples each have a unique format and highlights based on the career and college goals of two different students. To download, click on the image of the sample you want and use. Each sample is customizable so you can create a resume that truly represents you. If you have issues, see the troubleshooting guide for online printables.

• 7 Senior Bio Examples to Help You Craft Your Own

STEM-Oriented Narrative Resume

This resume template is narrative in nature, meaning that it offers some explanation as to the nature of the activities the student engaged in. In addition, it makes a point to highlight test scores and difficult coursework - both of which are important to STEM programs.

Use this template if you:

• Want to highlight your grades, sports, coursework, or test scores
• Have awards or leadership that you want to explain
• Are a stellar writer

Liberal Arts Traditional Resume

Students going to a more humanities-based program might appreciate a resume that looks more traditional in nature. It highlights important details from the students time in high school without being too wordy.

• Have a lot of leadership experience within your extracurriculars that you want to highlight
• Have a lot of extracurriculars that will take up a full page
• Do not have a lot of categories to include but have a lot of things in one category

What You Should Include

You need to think about your resume as the prime real estate of your high school career. What is most outstanding about you as a student? The resume is a time to showcase both things that make you stand out, as well as information you think makes you an especially attractive student. You should always make sure your resume is no more than one page and include a variety of information.

• Basics - Make sure you include your name and contact information.
• Academics - You'll generally want to include your GPA and class rank and SAT or ACT scores. You might want to include the nature of your studies (ie Honors, AP, or IB) if they are essential to your intended major.
• Extracurriculars - Include things you are passionate about, spent a lot of time on, or are related to a future field of study.
• Sports Accomplishments - If sports was a major part of your high school career or if you plan to play in college, you should have a section devoted to your leadership and accomplishments.
• Leadership positions - This may or may not be a separate section. It is okay to discuss leadership and extracurriculars together if that makes sense for the formatting of your resume.
• Volunteer Service - You may want to note how many hours per week something took in addition to any initiative you took to make these things happen.
• Summer Activities - The most highly competitive programs are hoping you took the summers to engage in learning activities. Whether it's language camp, extra classes, or something else that's interesting, if you used your time off for learning - make sure and note that.
• Honors and Awards - If you won a major national award such as an Honor Society, or if the award is self-explanatory in its title (ie Principal's Award for Academic Excellent), you do not need to explain these. However, if you won something that might not be familiar to everyone reading your resume, make sure to add a brief explanation.
• Additional Skills - Fluent in German or even Elvish? Go ahead and note it on your resume. If you love to garden or took classes as a natural illustrator - note that too. Not everything on your resume has to be leadership positions held or awards won.
• Things related to your major - If you have had a major accomplishment related to something you want to study, note it separately. This could be research, field study or any other award.

Arts Majors Take Note

Arts majors, whether they are performing or visual, will often be allowed two page resumes. One page will be academic and extracurricular accomplishments, and the other page will list your most important accomplishments in the arts as a high school student. Each area of the arts frequently has a different way they handle resumes, and different schools may ask for the information differently. If you are giving the resume to a school on your application, it is best to contact them in advance and ask how they want the information formatted.

What Not to Do on Your Resume

There are not a lot of ground rules when it comes to writing your high school resume. You can and should include anything that you think is relevant to you as a student. However, there are a few things you should avoid to make sure your resume stands out. Students should be careful not to:

• Embellish or fib - It might be tempting to make yourself stand out more by embellishing a leadership position or saying you were involved in something when really you attended one meeting - but don't. Colleges want to know who you are, not who you wish you were.
• Highlight negative information - If you weren't a top student, focus on how you've improved your grades over the last few years rather than just giving a GPA. If you have high test scores but mediocre GPA, put the test scores higher on the resume.
• Include more than one page - If you have so much information that it takes up two pages, you have to choose your highlights. (Except for arts students, see above.)
• It's part of an ongoing theme (ie you are an Olympic hopeful fencer and you've been doing that since you were 8 years old)
• You won a major, nationally or internationally known award (ie you were won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 7th grade)
• Have an immature email handle - If your email address is something like [email protected] - it's time to change it. Some combination of your name or initials generally works best.
• Get too creative with formatting - Format your resume traditionally and don't get too creative. You want someone to be able to look at it quickly and feel like they have a good grasp of who you are. Fancy colors, perfumed paper, or anything similar is not appropriate.

When to Use a Resume

There are a variety of reasons why doing a resume is a great idea. You can use it in lots of places, and it's becoming the 'norm' that students have them.

• Having all of your accomplishments, volunteer work and other opportunities in one place is incredibly handy when you start filling out college and scholarship applications. If for no other reason, create one so you have the information gathered for you.
• While attending college fairs, you can give a representative your resume. You should do this only if you're genuinely interested in the school. If they accept it, they will start a file on you in their admissions office. ( Tip : Add a QR code to your resume. An admissions person is often happy to scan the information right into her phone.)
• If you are interested in playing sports or taking part of a team that represents the university (ie like Model UN or debate), give your resume to your potential coach as a way to introduce yourself.
• Asking for a letter of recommendation? Whoever you're asking knows you from one place, so giving that person your resume helps give them a better snapshot and can also ensure they get dates right. Nothing looks worse than you saying you've known your coach for three years when they say they've known you for two.
• You can give your resume to an advisor or professor at a school if you're very interested in a particular major. Only do this if you've accomplished something noteworthy related to that major.
• Likewise, give your resume, as a freshman in college, to a professor with whom you're interested in doing research. This helps give them information on your background when you don't necessarily have a lot of experience.
• Use your resume for college interviews. This often helps the interview be less awkward because now the interviewer has a sheet to refer to for questions.
• A lot of scholarship applications ask either for a resume or for all the information on it. If you plan on applying for money, keep this handy for quicker applications.

Will a Resume Get You In?

A resume won't necessarily get you into the college of your dreams. However, it shows people that you are a serious and capable person who really wants to be a contributor to the campus. Use your resume wisely, and at the very least, it will help make the process less stressful for you.

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

How To Write A College Student Resume (With Examples)

• General Resume Examples
• Resume With No Experience
• Student Resume
• College Resume
• Entry Level Resume
• Military Resume
• Internship Resume
• First Resume
• College Application Resume
• 2 Page Resume
• Blank Resume Template
• College Freshman Resume
• Work History
• Resume Templates

As a college student, a resume may seem daunting because you may not have much experience, but there are a lot of other opportunities to make your resume stand out to employers. The opportunities that you can showcase include any volunteering you did, studying abroad, any specialized classes, or internships you’ve done.

To help you write your college student resume, we’ll go over how to write a college student resume, provide a resume example, and go over some tips to keep in mind.

Key Takeaways:

Emphasize your education and honors/awards received in college.

Take advantage of the many opportunities college gives to you and use those to spice up your resume.

Make your resume job/ internship application-specific.

Include extracurriculars, volunteer experiences, certifications, publications, interesting projects, or impressive leadership experiences if you have any.

What is a college student resume?

How to write a college student resume, current college student resume example, college student resume template, tips for writing a college student resume, college student resume faq, final thoughts.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

A college student’s resume is a document that summarizes your academic qualifications and your time spent in college. You probably had to write a brief resume for your college applications. Writing a resume as a college student is similar to that, except with a more professional edge.

Since you don’t have years of professional experience, hiring managers will understand when you don’t have that, which is why they will be looking at your academic history. They will be wondering how you have applied yourself in college both inside and outside of the classroom.

As mentioned above, college is full of opportunities to have enriching experiences. Take advantage of them — they will greatly help you not only by filling out those blank spots on your resume but also by giving you something to stand out from the rest of the competition .

Hiring managers and recruiters will be looking for signs of maturity, self-motivation, and work ethic . Keep these elements in mind as you decide how best to sell yourself based on your college experiences.

To write a college student’s resume, you should start with a resume header that includes your contact information and then go into your resume objective statement. Your top claim to fame is your educational experience and the extracurricular activities you were involved with.

Here’s a more detailed list of what each section of your resume should include:

Resume header . Your resume header should include your contact information. Open with your first and last name, which should be a slightly larger size or otherwise emphasized above all else. Include your location ([City, State] is fine), phone number, and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn or an online portfolio , feel free to include a link to those here as well.

Important tip: Never put your contact information into an actual header on your word processing software. Some applicant tracking systems (robots that parse resumes to weed out unqualified candidates) can’t read the information in a header.

If the ATS can’t find your contact information, your resume will be thrown out before it even reaches a human reader .

Resume objective statement . We normally steer job-seekers away from resume objectives toward resume summary statements .

However, it’s perfectly appropriate for a college student to use a resume objective instead. Be sure to keep it short (1-3 sentences), include keywords from the job description, and state your relevant skills and career goals.

That being said, if you have substantial or impressive work/internship experience under your belt that truly makes you perfect for the position, opt for a resume summary statement that emphasizes your qualifications and expresses your value to the employer.

Education . Depending on how valuable you find your education section as compared to your experience section, you can swap the order around. We put education third based on the assumption that it’s your most valuable asset at the moment.

Your education section should always include the following information:

Name/Location of the school you attended

Dates attended, date graduated, or anticipated date of graduation

Name of your major/degree

The rest of the information is optional, but more is usually better (especially if the rest of your resume is light):

GPA (if it’s over 3.5)

Minor (if relevant)

Academic honors (Latin titles, Dean’s List , Honors Programs, etc.)

Merit scholarships

Publications and/or research

If you really want to beef up your education section, you can also include more details about relevant coursework . This can be a great way to incorporate keywords from the job description and showcase that you have solid foundational knowledge.

Experience . Once you’ve progressed in your career, this will be a history dedicated to your work history, but for now, keep the heading more open-ended by calling it something like “Relevant Experience.” The reason why this heading works is because it allows you to put down a whole host of experiences in just one section. Items you can put here include:

Work experience (summer jobs, part-time work, etc.)

Internships

Volunteer work

Freelancing experience

Relevant coursework (if you didn’t include it in your education section already)

Study abroad

Club membership/leadership positions

In general, you should keep things in reverse chronological order (the most recent stuff first). Always be sure to quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. Make it easy for a reader to see what value you added to each experience you were a part of.

Extracurriculars. If you’re a part of one or many extracurricular activities, it might be worth including a separate section detailing your involvement with each. Be sure to highlight the key skills you picked up from each experience to show how it relates to the job you’re applying for.

Skills . You’ve certainly acquired some skills during your time in college. Try to give a healthy mix of hard skills and soft skills . Hard skills are those you must be taught, and be tested or measured in some way. Soft skills refer to the intangible, interpersonal qualities that make you great to work with.

Where you can, add a bit of detail to flesh out each skill more fully. For example, if you put down “HTML” as a skill, give a brief description like “wrote webpages during a 3-month internship with XYZ Inc.”

Also, try to make sure that each soft skill you list comes with a correlating piece of data in your experience section. For instance, if you write that you have excellent communication skills , there better be some proof of those skills in action elsewhere on your resume.

Hobbies and interests . If you’re still not at a full page , you can consider adding relevant hobbies and interests. Even something seemingly irrelevant, like a love of working on miniature models, can paint a picture of a candidate who regularly hones her attention to detail in her free time.

Remember, every resume should be job-specific . You should b e tailoring it to each job you apply to. This will help you get noticed by hiring managers.

With that in mind, check out this current college student resume example:

Prateek Student

102 University Blvd. | University, CA 33409 | (555) 555- 5555 | [email protected] CAREER OBJECTIVE Dedicated outdoor education student with extensive teaching experience seeking hands-on internship opportunities.

PRE-PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE The Pool Pros, University, California Lifeguard Senior Manager and Educator (June 2015-May 2018

• Managed over 100 lifeguards at three public pool locations.
• Completed 20 training classes for lifeguard certification and recertification each season.
• Organized and implemented water conservation and education classes for 50 students per season.

Outdoor Leadership Liaison and Leader, (August 2017- May 2018)

• Organized outdoor excursions for 200+ university students.
• Led training workshops for outdoor skills monthly to 20 students per workshop.
• Kept communications between outdoor nonprofit leaders and university officials to ensure the safety of university students while on excursions.

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Lander, Wyoming Wilderness Medicine and Rescue Semester Team Leader, (August 2018- May 2019)

• Led 15 students on two semester-long wilderness immersion school expeditions.
• Trained students in wilderness safety, leave no trace principles and each student completed Wilderness EMT certifications.

EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONS California State University , University, California Bachelor in Outdoor Education and a minor in emergency medical response GPA: 3.90 Graduated May 2018 Received NOLS scholarships for a semester abroad in India. Dean’s List all semesters.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) , California Licensure Wilderness EMT certificate expiration date May 2020 EMT certification expiration date May 2020 BLS Healthcare responder expiration date August 2021

Here is a college student resume template to help you get started on yours. Be sure to tailor your resume to fit your needs and the position you are applying for:

Your name [Address, City, State ZIP code]| [Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [LinkedIn Profile (optional)] CAREER OBJECTIVE Dedicated and motivated college student seeking [Internship/Part-time] EDUCATION [Degree Pursuing, e.g., Bachelor of Science in Computer Science] [University Name, City, State] [Expected Graduation Month, Year] [GPA: X.X/4.0] Relevant Courses [Course Name] [Course Name] PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE [Job Title] [Company/Organization Name, City, State] [Dates of Employment] [Brief description of responsibilities and achievements] [Job Title] [Company/Organization Name, City, State] [Dates of Employment] [Brief description of responsibilities and achievements] EXTRACURRICULAR [Club/Organization Name, Position held, Dates] [Brief description of your role and contributions]

When writing a college student resume, you should include action verbs to help show what you did and be sure to keep your resume relevant to the job you are applying to. Here are some more tips to keep in mind when writing yours:

Use action verbs. Action verbs help you show a potential employer what you did. Some example action verbs to use are:

Proofread. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is sending your resume in without proofreading it first. Take an extra couple of minutes and read through your resume for any spelling or grammar mistakes. You can even have a friend or a professor look over it to catch anything you might have missed.

Choose the right format. You want your resume to be easy to read so make sure you choose a format that won’t get tossed aside because it has a million different fonts and colors. The top resume formats to use are chronological, functional, and combination.

Keep it relevant. You only want to add the relevant information. They won’t want to hear about your pottery club if you are applying for a tech company. Rereading the job description is a great way to know what relevant information you should include. This will

Get help. If you are completely stuck, ask for help. They have centers at most colleges that help with this kind of thing. They won’t judge you for having the wrong format or too much information. The entire point of college is to learn and get prepared for the workforce, and getting help is doing that.

Getting help will also give you feedback on how to improve your resume. Career centers are the best places to get help with resumes and cover letters .

Keep it to one page. Since you don’t have much experience, your resume should be one page long. If your resume is too long, potential employers will pass yours over. Keeping your resume to one page will also help you keep it relevant and concise.

Select the right font. The font that you use should be professional and easy to read. The most professional fonts are sans-serif or serif fonts and examples of those include Calibri, Helvetica, and Georgia .

What should be on a college resume?

A college resume should include education history, relevant jobs, extracurricular activities, leadership experience, and any skills relevant to the job.

Since college students may not have much work experience, it’s important to emphasize your education history and any relevant jobs that may have armed you with skills for the job you’re applying for.

You can also demonstrate your abilities by including volunteer work, internships, or extracurricular activities.

How do you write a resume for a college application?

The five things you need to write a resume for a college application are:

Your relevant contact information

Detailed education history and test scores

Experiences

Awards/honors

Any additional skills you’d like to share

These are the different sections required for a resume for a college application. Most sections are self-explanatory, but your experiences section might be a little tricky for some.

In this section, you have the opportunity to differentiate yourself because you’ll want to articulate more than your responsibilities. Focus on your accomplishments and provide numbers for context and scale.

Do you need a resume for college?

No, you don’t need a resume for college, unless a school specifically requests one. The items typically requested on a college resume are typically things that are asked on your college application.

However, resumes can be used to streamline this information and can be advantageous for those with extensive leadership achievements in and outside of the classroom.

A resume can also be used to tell a story, rather than just a list on an application, and can allow applicants to expand on experiences not mentioned in other places.

How can a college student make a resume for a first job?

A college student should include contact information, a resume summary, education, experience, skills, and any additional achievements on their resume for a first job. The candidate should have the relevant experience to draw on for an entry-level job by including all of this information.

Many managers hiring for entry-level jobs understand that college students may not have extensive work experience and will be looking for certain keywords throughout the resume that highlight education, experience, and skills.

Education can include your degree or any special training, experience may include work, volunteer, or internship experience, and skills may include anything that highlights a good fit for the open position.

How long should a college student’s resume be?

A college student’s resume should be one page. Resumes should be this length so that employers and hiring managers can review them quickly. Typically those looking to hire a candidate only have a few minutes to review a resume, so you should make sure it’s relevant and succinct, with all of your impressive information listed early.

Once you gain more experience, your resume may become longer but is typically only recommended for those applicants with over ten years of experience in the workforce.

How do you write a resume for college with no experience?

When writing a resume for college with no experience, be sure to emphasize your education instead. Your education and experiences in school will be key in helping you craft an effective resume for college. Be sure to include relevant internships, any soft or hard skills you possess, and projects you may be proud of.

You may also want to include hobbies, interests, certifications, languages spoken, or any additional achievements you may have received, whether they were in or outside of an academic environment.

What makes a college resume stand out?

Any relevant experience you have will make your college resume stand out. Your relevant experience may include any internships, volunteer positions, or extracurricular activities. To get an idea of what relevant experience you should include, reread the job description. This will include any keywords that you can add to help make your resume stand out more.

Adding any relevant awards or achievements can help your resume stand out. Awards and achievements help show any potential employer that you have the skills and abilities to do the work.

Writing a resume as a current college student is exciting because of the flexibility you have in crafting it. Every college student will have a unique resume and that’s a great thing because it helps you stand out from each other.

When writing a resume as a current college student, keep in mind that the best way to make your resume stand out is by taking advantage of the many opportunities being in college gives you.

Try new things: take on a new project or volunteer opportunity. It not only will help your resume but will also give you great pre-professional experience that will help you decide which career path you should take .

Harvard Extension School – Resume and Cover Letters

University of Pennsylvania – Undergraduate’s student resume samples

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Heidi Cope is a former writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog. Her writing focused primarily on Zippia's suite of rankings and general career advice. After leaving Zippia, Heidi joined The Mighty as a writer and editor, among other positions. She received her BS from UNC Charlotte in German Studies.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

How To Tailor Your Resume For A Specific Job

How To Write A Resume Profile (With Examples)

How To Write An American Resume

How To Make A Resume (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• College Student Resume Examples Guidelines

High School Teacher Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples

How To Write a High School Teacher Resume

• Resume Text Examples

An effective high school teacher’s resume must prove to the school board you have the classroom management skills to engage students of all backgrounds. Hiring managers must know you can create a positive and inclusive learning environment through sound teaching methods and subject expertise. This guide will walk you through the resume-building process and equip you with tools to write a document showcasing the most impressive aspects of your teaching career.

• Entry-level
• Senior-level

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your high school teacher qualifications

Convince school districts, private schools, and other learning institutions that you’re an excellent educator with a compelling resume profile. Start with your job title, followed by years of experience and three to four outstanding specialties or skills. Establish yourself as a professional dedicated to educating high schoolers through leadership and empathy.

You can shift the focus from tenure to training if you’re an entry-level teacher. Mention your recent education and licensing accomplishments and if you earned any honors. You can also switch up the formatting of your profile by using bullet points instead of a paragraph.

Senior-Level Profile Example:

A senior high school teacher with over 10 years of experience specializing in curriculum design, team leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). A strong history of enhancing curriculum development and leading initiatives to facilitate cultural awareness and understanding across school campuses.

Entry-Level Profile Example:

A certified high school teacher with entry-level experience specializing in curriculum development, student engagement, communication, and classroom management. Adept at building positive relationships with students to drive personal and academic growth.

2. Add your high school teacher experience with compelling examples

Show potential employers you achieve results in the classroom by using bullet points with your accomplishments. If you already have plenty of experience in a high school setting, there’s no need to detail every responsibility you had. Instead, list your achievements, using numbers and metrics to quantify your contributions. For example, if you improved average test scores or grade point averages, include this data in a bullet point.

Beyond what you accomplished alone, speak to your ability to work within a team setting. Schools are run by a collection of educators and support staff working for the good of the students. Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, faculty, and interdisciplinary teams.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example:

High School Teacher, Charleston High School, Charleston, SC | September 2016 – present

• Teach history courses to classes of up to 30 high school students, tailor lesson plans to student strengths and weaknesses, and provide tutoring to prepare for SATs
• Partner with teachers and the school administration to implement virtual learning and ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols during the transition back to in-person classroom instruction
• Deliver mentorship and guidance to students to prepare for college applications, including letters of recommendation, tutoring, and academic advising

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example:

High School Teacher, San Diego High, San Diego, CA | August 2021 – present

• Deliver instruction to classes of around 30 high school students in science courses, including chemistry, biology, and environmental science
• Coordinate with department faculty to develop and refine curriculum and tailor lesson plans to student needs, resulting in a 15% increase in test scores for science
• Communicate with parents, teachers, and students during conferences to discuss academic performance, behavior, and learning strategies
• Provide tutoring services to students struggling with course material and deliver support for SAT prep workshops

3. Include high school teacher-related education and certifications

As a teacher, your education and licensing credentials are essential to your resume. First, list your highest degree, where you earned it, and when. Beyond your required post-secondary education, you must show hiring managers that you’re licensed or certified to teach in your specific state. In addition to any required training, include certifications in specific subjects or specializations.

For example, First aid, CPR, and Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications are all excellent additions to your resume. Or, if you’re interested in teaching overseas or working with English as a Second Language (ESL) students, a Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) certification would be beneficial.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Secondary Education
• Boston University, Boston, MA | 2016

Certifications

• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
• Single Subject Teaching Credential, Science: Chemistry, State of California, 2021
• Single Subject Teaching Credential, Math, State of Massachusetts, 2016

4. List high school teacher-related skills and proficiencies

Stay ahead of applicant tracking systems (ATS) by including appropriate key skills from the job description in your resume. It could get overlooked if your resume lacks the keywords and phrases hiring managers seek. Your skills list, professional experience section, and resume profile are great places to include these terms. Study the list of examples below to get a better idea of what you could include on your high school teacher resume:

How To Pick the Best High School Teacher Resume Template

Set hiring managers up for success with a resume template that’s easy to navigate. Look for a template with a simple structure and an organized layout. Prioritize readability above visual appeal to help readers capture essential information quickly. Although personal style is important, keep colors and graphics to a minimum. The template’s design should highlight your accomplishments and skills, not detract from them.

High School Teacher Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Alex Santos (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 123 Your Street, San Diego, CA 12345

A certified High School Teacher with entry-level experience specializing in curriculum development, student engagement, communication, and classroom management. Adept at building positive relationships with students to drive personal and academic growth.

Professional Experience

High School Teacher, San Diego High, San Diego, CA August 2021 – Present

• Deliver instruction to classes of up to 30+ high school students in science courses, including chemistry, biology, and environmental science

Student Teaching Internship, Santa Cruz High School, Santa Cruz, CA September 2020 – December 2020

• Taught Chemistry I and Environmental Science courses to high school students in collaboration with a certified high school teacher
• Identified student learning needs and provided academic support to aid them in overcoming challenges and improving grade point average

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Secondary Education University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, September 2016 – December 2020

• Classroom Management
• Curriculum Development
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Student Assessments

Sarah Collins (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 123 Your Street, Boston, MA 12345

A High School Teacher with five years of experience specializing in differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, student assessments, and education technology. A proven track record of coordinating with interdisciplinary teams to enhance curriculum design and drive student success.

High School Teacher, Amherst High School, Boston, MA September 2018 – Present

• Teach high school math to classes of 25 to 35 students, including Algebra I, Algebra II, and Calculus
• Tailor curriculum and lesson plans based on student needs and incorporate differentiated instruction to enhance academic performance, resulting in a 25% increase in GPAs
• Conduct student assessments, perform behavioral analysis and utilize cooperative learning techniques to drive student success and personal growth
• Coordinate with faculty and administration to implement E-learning for students during COVID-19, including delivering training sessions for teachers, parents, and students

High School Teacher, Boston High School, Boston, MA September 2016 – September 2018

• Provided instruction to 20 to 25 high school students for math courses, coordinated with the math department to evaluate curriculum, and created lesson plans
• Attend meetings with students and parents to discuss academic progress, goals, and develop strategies to facilitate academic growth

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Secondary Education Boston University, Boston, MA, September 2012 – May 2016

• Differentiated Instruction
• Curriculum Design
• Lesson Planning
• Education Technology
• Behavioral Analysis

Lisa Hagen (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 123 Your Street, Charleston, SC 12345

A senior high school teacher with 10+ years of experience specializing in curriculum design, team leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). A strong history of enhancing curriculum development and leading initiatives to facilitate cultural awareness and understanding across school campuses.

High School Teacher, Charleston High School, Charleston, SC September 2016 – Present

• Partner with teachers and the school administration to implement virtual learning and ensure compliance with Covid-19 safety protocols during the transition back to in-person classroom instruction

High School Teacher, Burke High School, Charleston, SC September 2011 – September 2016

• Taught a wide range of history courses to five classes per day with 20-35 students, conducted lesson planning, and utilized differentiated instruction to provide an optimized learning experience based on student needs
• Coordinated with students, faculty, and parents to plan events and workshops to raise awareness on issues related to discrimination, inequality, and cyberbullying

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Secondary Education College of Charleston, Charleston, SC September 2007 – May 2011

• Student-Centered Learning
• Academic Advising
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
• Single Subject Teaching Credential, History, State of South Carolina, 2011

Frequently Asked Questions: High School Teacher Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for high school teacher resumes -.

Action verbs are a great word choice for your resume because they keep your writing concise. You can use them to describe job duties, achievements, and responsibilities in your professional experience section. If you run out of words as you write, return to the list below. Use these action verbs to liven up your writing and enhance your high school teacher resume:

How do you align your resume with a high school teacher job description? -

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth for high school teachers is really dependent on state and local government budgets. The BLS does, however, predict a 1% increase in high school teacher employment between 2022 and 2032. Although there will be little to no change over the decade, about 67,000 positions will become available each year as teachers retire or transfer occupations.

Given that most teacher opportunities will come from other people leaving, competition for the best teaching jobs will be stiff. Your resume must align with the job description and the educational institution's needs if you want to stand out.

For example, if a school is looking for a teacher to take over their accelerated science track, you would highlight your proficiency in advanced science curricula and talk about your history of inspiring students to participate in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs.

What is the best high school teacher resume format? -

The reverse chronological format is usually the best choice for teachers. This resume emphasizes a stable and steady career, highlighting your progression over the years. With a natural flow from profile to experience and key skills, the school board will understand what you’ve accomplished and how you did it. A combination resume can also be an effective choice for teachers who would rather highlight their skills and training before their work history.

Craft your perfect resume in minutes

Get 2x more interviews with Resume Builder. Access Pro Plan features for a limited time!

Sending a cover letter with your resume is a great way to improve your chances of landing an interview. Customization is key when it comes to writing a strong letter. Check out our teacher cover letter guide to learn how to tailor your document to the school you’re applying to. See our elementary teacher and special education teacher cover letter guides for more examples.

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

Check Out Related Examples

School Counselor Resume Examples and Templates

Special Education Teacher Resume Examples and Templates

Daycare Teacher Resume Examples and Templates

Build a Resume to Enhance Your Career

• How To Include Licenses and Certifications on Your Resume Learn More
• The Best Questions To Ask in a Job Interview Learn More
• Why Do You Want To Work Here: Interview Question & Answers Learn More

Essential Guides for Your Job Search

• How to Write a Resume Learn More
• How to Write a Cover Letter Learn More
• Thank You Note Examples Learn More
• Resignation Letter Examples Learn More

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

How to complete any task on USAJOBS, step by step.

Manage Account

• Create a login.gov account
• Use login.gov if you have limited access to a phone or cell service
• Change the phone number you use to sign in
• Enter an international phone number when creating a login.gov account
• Update your primary email address
• Change or reset your password
• Sign into your account if you can't access your primary email
• Create a profile
• Delete a profile
• Fill out your education
• Answer questions about federal service
• Choose hiring paths in your profile
• Add languages in your profile
• Answer questions about military service
• Fill out your work experience
• Make your resume and profile searchable

Job announcement

• Understand a job announcement
• Understand announcement closing types
• Save a job announcement
• Remove a saved job announcement
• Contact an agency

Application

• Create an application
• Save an application
• Update an application
• Continue an application
• Check on the status of an application
• Archive an application
• Cancel an application
• View job applications
• Create a resume
• Build a resume
• Edit a resume
• Upload a resume
• Make a resume searchable
• Print a resume
• Upload documents
• Manage documents
• Fax documents
• Search by your preferences
• Save a search
• Sort search results
• Understand search results
• Unsubscribe from a saved search

Filter results by...

• Appointment type
• Hiring path
• Mission critical career field
• Security clearance
• Travel percentage
• Work schedule
• Zero job openings

Keyword and location

Get started.

USAJOBS posts all federal job opportunities with a position description and instructions how to apply. With USAJOBS.gov tools and resources, you can find the right federal job faster.

About USAJOBS

As the federal government's official employment site, USAJOBS has attracted over 16 million job seekers to create accounts to date.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab (the Purdue OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The On-Campus and Online versions of Purdue OWL assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue OWL serves the Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

Social Media

Facebook twitter.