Table of Contents
Honors
How to fill it out
100 character limit
Use phrases instead of sentences
Type numbers instead of spelling them out (6, not “six”)
Combine multiple years into one entry
Avoid writing out things already in the checkboxes
Bad: I got first place in the national Example Making Competition in the high school division in the science category as a junior. (104 characters)
Good: 1st place, Example Making Competition; science category (55 characters)
What order should they go in?
Factors to consider:
Level of Recognition: the higher the level, the more impressive
Exclusivity: how many people can get this award?
Relevance to your major: a Scholastic Writing award in poetry isn't as important if you're applying as a biology major
Difficulty: how hard was it to get this award?
Recency: more recent honors are better. Avoid middle school honors.
Activities
How to fill it out (basic)
150 character limit for description
Use the official title for your position
Use present tense for activities you still do & past tense for past activities
Use specific numbers whenever possible! Examples:
How much money did you raise?
How many new members did you recruit?
How many people attended the concert?
Avoid repeating verbs (even across activities if possible)
Choose specific verbs over general verbs (bad verbs: avoid made/did/led/helped)
Bad: I worked as the marketing director at a small local business. I designed social media posts, in addition to coordinating digital advertising campaigns and printed flyers. We raised a significant amount of money through these. (225 characters)
Good: Designed social media posts; coordinated digital and print ad campaigns that raised $10,000 (91 characters)
*IMPORTANT*
Job Function: the list of actions you performed. The verb is the most important part of each function. This should be centered around your role in the group.
Good Examples:
Mentored students 1:1 in calculus 2 hrs/week
Coordinate scheduling & delegate tasks to 16 jr. volunteers
Recommend frequency/quantity of restocking based on consumer interest
Raised $2k for charity via in-person and virtual events
Focus on your job function, NOT personal results.
Bad examples:
Honed leadership skills from volunteering experience
Improved time management & multitasking abilities
Gained invaluable firsthand experience from shadowing
Found my passion for grassroots activism
What order should they go in?
Meaningful engagement is relevant here. Factors to consider:
Length of time: How long have you been doing this for?
Role: Did you have a distinguished or leadership position or role?
Prestige: Did you or your group win any award, competition, or honor?
Relevance to major
Continued engagement: Will you keep doing this in college?
Activity or Honor? 🤔
Some honors can be listed as part of an activity. You should make this decision based on how many activities and honors you have total.
Examples:
“Chess” can be an activity that includes not just your high school chess club but also any individual chess awards or competitions that you won.
“Violin” can be an activity that includes being principal violin in your school orchestra, state honors orchestra, and a soloist competition award.
“Math” is a school subject, not an activity. List your AMC placement as an honor.
However, if you were in your school math club, you can list “Math Club” as an activity that includes your AMC placement.