<p>The common app has levels of recognition in school, state, national, and international. What if your award was give by a city? What do I mark? Will it even be worth marking? </p>
<p>Also, consider this situation: you are attending a summer camp and you and some other camp members are elected to a special order within the camp based on achievements, merit, and other good stuff. It doesn't seem much on paper, to me at least, so I didn't think it would be worth putting down since it was an honor specific to a camp. But I have been told to put down any kind of honor or distinction, however small. What are your guys' opinions? Put down? Don't bother? From the looks of the common app and the general attitude of admissions officers, it seems that they really only care about high level awards such as 1st place science fair in blah state or country.</p>
<p>The summer camp thing belongs on your resume, which you should include in the “Additional Information” section (part of the Writing section).</p>
<p>Putting down honors and distinctions - however small - is generally a good way to go, but it’s key to make them sound like they’re actually important. If they sound like you just threw them on your resume even though they’re meaningless, they’re not going to help you. Make them sound good (but be truthful). It’s all about the spin.</p>
<p>As for the city award, is it possible not to mark a level? If so, do that. If not, skip it and put it in your resume.</p>
<p>I think you have to mark something, I read somewhere that one should never leave anything blank on the common app. Also, how would one make an “honor” small as it may be, seem worth while?</p>