Brag sheet- keep it short and sweet or make it a biography of your life?

<p>Is it better to keep your brag sheet short (outlining only the most important and prestigious activities and awards) or make a long list of the activities you've done since freshman year (NHS, honor roll, etc ,etc)?</p>

<p>Good question. :P Any help?</p>

<p>fit it in a page i think that's the key</p>

<p>You want to convey significant information in a fashion that is well-organized, easy-to-read. You don't want the adcoms to have to wade through a lot of verbiage to find the salient points - so it should be concise - but you also need to make sure that you have conveyed the important point. </p>

<p>The exception to the length guideline of one page would be if your ec's, work experience or research work was unusual or significant enough to actually require some explanation. In this case, you might actually want to attach a separate list of acheivements rather than just completing the six or so spots you get on most apps. </p>

<p>Whether or not you attach the brag sheet (and please don't label it as such), it is useful for interviews, and for (a la copy and paste) complete on-line applications.</p>

<p>I'll say short and concise that highlights what defines you and make you unique</p>

<p>Stuff like NHS, honor roll, treasurer of XYZ club are basically not that useful because almost all the other applicants will have them/</p>

<p>The keys are 3:</p>

<p>(1) Try not to duplicate the content of your application.</p>

<p>(2) In case some duplication is necessary/desirable, make it a re-presentation & re-organization based on what you feel is important to highlight/emphasize.</p>

<p>(3) Brevity & extremely readable format that is easy to scan (with human eyes, LOL, not electronically) is important, i.m.o. Good organization & categorizing will facilitate that. So will spacing & layout.</p>

<p>My D and I realized that there was some essential academic, e.c., & award info that could not be included without clumsiness on the app. and/or did not have an appropriate category on the app. We discussed all this & did not look upon it as a "brag sheet" per se. Rather, it was a "better app," which summarized the high school record.</p>

<p>But alternatively, you could merely have an Additional Information page with absolutely no duplication of info from the app. Lots of people have been admitted without brag sheets or resumes or supplements; I'm not saying that a resume, etc. is necessary, merely that my D & I agreed in her case it would be a good idea because there were several categories which could not be handled smoothly on an application form. </p>

<p>If you decide not to submit such an attachment -- or feel it doesn't add much to your app -- a list or summary could nevertheless be helpful for your recommenders, for interviews, & sometimes even for a personal essay prompt</p>

<p>The Yale adcom at the best info session I've been to: "Thick application = thick applicant"</p>

<p>Don't do more than what is asked/ what is necessary</p>