The Student Resume, Part 2

How to Build a Student Resume

It's never too early to begin building your student's resume. Collect information relating to the student's activities and accomplishments by searching through the following:

• calendars
• e-mail messages
• permanent records
• notebooks
• certificates
• trophies
• scrapbooks
• journals
• ticket stubs
• event programs
• photos
• websites
• newspaper clippings

The student resume may not be limited to the high school years. In fact, entries may be included from the elementary and middle school years, especially to document participation, achievement, and excellence at an early age. Soon after you begin compiling your student's resume you will be pleasantly surprised at how many educational opportunities your student has participated in during the homeschool years.

Blank Forms

Many high school student resume forms are available online. I developed the two forms listed below that you are welcome to use, too. Tips are included in italics.
High School Student Resume - pdf
High School Student Resume - doc

Section Tips

Underneath each section of the resume, list entries chronologically by year with the most recent entries listed first.

• Education
  List the name of each school and the years attended. Specify homeschool, umbrella school, private school, public school, college or university, or online program.
  
• Honors and Awards
  Include contests, competitions, winnings, special recognitions, trophies, and placing at qualifying events.
• Organizations
  List local clubs and homeschool support groups, as well as local, state, regional, and national organizations. Include any leadership positions held.
• Extracurricular Activities
  May include field trips, museum and art gallery tours, special events, recitals, competitions, fundraising, and independent projects.
• Employment, Internship, and Apprenticeship
  Include part time jobs, summer jobs, and assisting parents with home based businesses.
• Certification and Training
  List certification and training in areas such as CPR, first aid, and EMT training.
• Contacts
  List teachers, instructors, tutors, mentors, professors, coaches, coordinators, and employers. These key individuals may be asked to write letters of recommendation for the student when needed. 

Entry Wording Tips

Resume entries consist of short phrases rather than complete sentences. Begin entries with action words, concrete nouns, and positive modifiers to precisely describe your student's active involvement and achievements.
 
action words
accomplished, achieved, assisted, attended, coached, completed, conducted, contributed, coordinated, created, developed, demonstrated, designed, directed, discussed, established, evaluated, facilitated, generated, implemented, initiated, instructed, interpreted, improved, launched, led, maintained, managed, mastered, operated, organized, participated, performed, planned, presented, programmed, proposed, provided, scheduled, set up, solved, spoke, supervised, taught, trained, translated, utilized, and won.

concrete nouns and positive modifiers
ability, actively, capacity, competent, consistent, effective, pertinent, proficient, qualified, resourceful, rigorous, significant, substantially, technical, versatile, and vigorous. 

Length

Typically a resume is only one page long, but for homeschooled students in the college and scholarship application process, the more detailed information that can be provided the better since the abundance of information helps to accurately describe, confirm, and validate the student's unique homeschool experiences to the reader. 

Update

Update your student's resume on a regular basis. Make entries as soon as possible so they are not overlooked or forgotten later. Carefully proofread for typos and correct them. Double check all dates and other information for accuracy. When updating a resume file on a computer, save the current file as a new file with the current date. Be sure to back up important files often. Keep a printed copy of the resume with your homeschool's permanent records.

Final Copy

Print final copies to submit with applications on heavy resume paper. A professionally prepared document makes a good impression.

Helpful Links

How to Create Your Resume' by the College Board
Resume's for High School Students by Money-Zine
Student Resume' by My College Calendar
High School Resume' Examples - Job Searching, About.com
Resume' Tips for High School Students - About.com
Your High School Resume' by College Confidential
Top 12 Tips to Perfect your College Application Resume' by Accepted to College
High School Student Resume: Building a winning resume by StudyPoints
Examples of Resume's for High School Students at eHow

 

Extra Tip

When people ask you about what your homeschooled student does, show them a copy of the resume! They will be impressed, with both the student's active involvement and with your detailed record keeping.