How to Write an Activities Résumé for College (+ Free Template)

Your high school résumé isn’t just for jobs—it’s a powerful tool to show colleges what makes you unique. While many applications include a section for extracurriculars, a separate résumé helps you organize your achievements, stand out, and stay prepared for interviews, scholarships, and more.

Follow this step-by-step guide to build a strong activities résumé for college, and download our free template to get started.

📄 Download Activities Résumé Template

📌 What Is an Activities Résumé?

An activities résumé (also called a student résumé or college résumé) is a one-page document that summarizes your extracurricular involvement, achievements, leadership roles, service, skills, and work experience.

It’s commonly used for:

College interviews or competitive programs
Scholarship applications
Letters of recommendation (to help your teacher or counselor speak to your involvement)
Staying organized when completing college applications

🧱 What to Include in Your Résumé

Here are common sections to include—use what’s relevant to you:

Contact Information: Name, phone, email, city/state, optional LinkedIn or portfolio
Education: High school name, graduation year, GPA, class rank (if known)
Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, sports, music, theater, etc. (include roles and accomplishments)
Honors & Awards: Academic, athletic, artistic, leadership honors
Community Service: Volunteer work, projects, number of hours
Work Experience: Jobs, internships, family businesses, babysitting, etc.
Skills & Certifications: Languages, software, leadership trainings, CPR, etc.

Want help deciding what to include? Bring this guide to your next meeting with your counselor and check out our College Counseling Checklist.

📝 Example Entry Formats

Leadership Role Format:

President, Student Government — 11th–12th Grade
Led a team of 8 students to organize school events and weekly meetings. Raised $2,000 for senior prom.

Work/Volunteer Format:

Volunteer, Humane Society — 9th–12th Grade
Cared for animals, helped with adoption events, and organized donation drives. Over 200 service hours completed.

Skills Format:

Skills: Fluent in Spanish, Adobe Photoshop, CPR Certified, Google Sheets

✅ Tips for Making Your Activities Résumé Stand Out

Colleges want to see what you’ve done in the past 3–4 years. Leave out middle school achievements like the 8th grade spelling bee.
Organize by category and be consistent. Group activities (like clubs, service, or work) and use consistent formatting for bold text, dates, and titles.
Use clear, universal language. Avoid abbreviations or inside terms your school uses. Spell out acronyms and briefly describe what each group or activity does.
Be concise—but specific. Try this format:
– Describe the activity
– Describe your personal involvement
– Mention any honors or outcomes
Your résumé doesn’t replace the activities section on applications. Always complete both unless the application says otherwise. You can note “see attached résumé” as a supplement.
Don’t copy your essay. Avoid repeating your personal statement. Use your résumé to highlight different strengths and expand on other areas.
Keep it to one page. Admissions officers don’t have time to read more—edit for clarity and impact.
Save and send as a PDF. It’s the cleanest and most professional file format unless a school specifies otherwise.

📎 When to Submit Your Résumé

Most colleges don’t require an activities résumé, but many accept or appreciate them. Submit one if you’re:

Applying to competitive programs or scholarships
Doing an optional interview or portfolio submission
Sending supplemental materials to admissions or a specific department

🎯 Ready to Build Yours?

We’ve created a free résumé template to help you get started. Use it to keep track of your accomplishments and submit polished applications with confidence.

📄 Download the Résumé Template

Looking for more planning tools? Create a free account and check out the Free College Resources tab on your My Schools page.

Written by Tyson Schritter, College Advising Contributor at Colleges of Distinction.
Last updated: April 2025

Preparing for College

Tyson Schritter

Chief Operating Officer

With an impressive fifteen-year tenure as a member of the Colleges of Distinction qualification and research team, Tyson has extensively toured campuses nationwide and conducted interviews with their staff. This wealth of experience is clearly reflected in the insightful resource articles he contributes to Colleges of Distinction. His written work has been featured on reputable platforms such as Huffington Post, Higher Ed Revolution, and Campus News.

Notably, he is also the author of “Reaching Beyond Rankings: How to Use College Evaluation Systems to Find Your Dream School“. Tyson’s multifaceted expertise, blending hands-on campus assessment and extensive writing, underscores his commitment to helping students navigate the complexities of college selection and find their ideal educational fit.

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How to Write an Activities Résumé for College Applications