<p>Should I attach a separate resume to the Common App? I don't want to be pushy or force them to slog through yet another laundry list, but I'm not sure the little box conveys my involvement in each. What are your thoughts on this?</p>
<p>Also, should I attach a piece of paper detailing the writing awards I've won? Writing is something significant for me and is reflected in at least one of the recs, as well as my essays.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone!</p>
<p>Yes, attach one, but do not attach a "resume." Call it an Activity List or Sheet because apparently it's presumptuous for high schoolers to write resumes or something. Activity sheets are very important, though, so be sure to include one! They can help flush out an activity a lot!</p>
<p>By flesh out, do you mean I should describe what each one is and my role in it?</p>
<p>Yes, that's exactly what to do :). If you can, pick up a copy of Michelle Hernandez's Acing the College Application. It has all the information you need about the application, in particular the activities sheet. It helped me a ton and I'm sure it'll have lots of great tips to you...it's like the college-bound kid's bible!</p>
<p>i think theyre extremely superflous</p>
<p>You mean the activities sheets? Not at all! According to Hernandez, who was actually a Dartmouth Admissions Assistant Dean, they can be the little thing that tips the odds in a person's favor. Obviously grades and SAT scores are more important, but they can really help.</p>
<p>I would argue that ECs are almost more important than SAT scores. Sure you'll need an SAT or ACT that is in the ballpark, but most schools will take the person who is very active with a slightly lower score than someone with the scores and nothing on the side. They understand that once you get up into the 30s range everyone looks the same. It is the ECs that let the admissions officers know who you truly are and should ultimately set you apart from the crowd.</p>
<p>You're totally right. The SATs and grades get you into the competition and your ECs and essays set you apart. Perfect conclusion reached :).</p>
<p>thats not what i said</p>
<p>obviously you need to have ECs, everyone knows that, what im saying is that the space they give you to talk about your ECs is sufficient. they only give you little space for a reason, they dont want to hear about that time in ninth grade when you helped a blind person walk across the street...</p>
<p>I've read Katrherine Cohen's book. The brag sheets outlined in her book Rock Hard Apps does NOT add ANY insight into an applicant's activity. So I don't see how they are not redundant. So, it lists what the activities are, how long you spent, and what grades you did them in. They are all part of the common app, so what are you adding?</p>
<p>I don't mean just putting in every little thing I ever did, just using some more space to give a sentence or two about important achievements within the activity. I don't know if this is necessary or not, and I definitely don't want to be overbearing.</p>
<p>thats not bad
but how many activities did you do it for?</p>
<p>some people have like 7 pages of stuff...</p>
<p>I would leave on the major activities from freshman year. It shows the adcoms that you were willing to try new things. I would also attach a sheet that briefly defines some of the recent activities. For example... If you're in charge of a yearly food drive that raises 10,000 cans and you spend 100 hours on the project it would be to your advantage to elaborate. If you don't tell the adcoms what is going on they have no choice but to compare you to the next guy who only put in 5 hours and raised 100 cans... </p>
<p>As for jrcho88... look on pages 137-140... each activity is briefly outlined.</p>