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How To Create A Brag Sheet

By Eric Eng

By Eric Eng

a female student studying in a library

How To Create A Brag Sheet

The schedules of high school students are often full of extracurricular activities, clubs, and volunteer work on top of their schoolwork. All of these things make up who you are as a person, and colleges want to admit students who stand out. You’ve put in the time and effort, and it will pay off in the end; now you just need a brag sheet to keep track of all your impressive achievements.

What is a brag sheet?

So, what is a brag sheet? A brag sheet is a document or folder that lists your accomplishments, skills, experiences, and other relevant information that showcases your strengths. It’s essentially a personal marketing tool that allows you to highlight your achievements and abilities in a concise and organized manner.

The purpose of a brag sheet is to help you remember and showcase your accomplishments, particularly those that are easily forgotten. These might include academic achievements, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, work experience, leadership roles, awards and honors, and any other relevant information that can demonstrate your skills and abilities.

How to use a brag sheet?

How to use a brag sheet? Many things can be done with your brag sheet.

A guide to writing a recommendation letter: Share your brag sheets with your public high school teachers, coaches, or any other adults from whom you want letters of recommendation. Even if a teacher has you in class, they might not know about all the clubs and activities you do, both inside and outside of your school district.

a student studying beside a glass window

The brag sheets will help them easily reference your accomplishments, activities, and skills, should they need help. Remember, many of these adults have hundreds of students to keep track of, so it’s difficult to reference each student’s accomplishments without help. If you make it easy for them to do so, they will find it easy to write a letter of recommendation, which is good for you.

A college application supplement: Putting your sheets with your college applications can also give college admissions officers a better idea of who you are outside of school.

Even though a good GPA and high test scores are great, colleges also want to see students who give back to their communities and do things outside of school. If you decide to fill out the Common Application, you might also want to keep these sheets close by.

A tool to help with scholarship applications: Use your sheets to list the activities and projects you have done. This will also give you a place to start if you need to write an essay for a scholarship. Each semester, you should update your sheets.

How to create a brag sheet?

So, how to create a brag sheet? Creating these sheets is relatively easy, and there is no one “right” way to do it. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Choose your format: These sheets can be created in a variety of formats, including a Word document, spreadsheet, or even a physical folder. Choose the format that works best for you and that you’re most comfortable with.

List your accomplishments: Start by listing your accomplishments, both big and small. Include academic achievements, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, work experience, leadership roles, awards and honors, and any other relevant information that showcases your strengths.

Include details: For each accomplishment, include details that demonstrate your skills and abilities. For example, if you received an award, including information about what you did to earn it and what impact it had.

Update regularly: Make sure to update your sheet regularly with new accomplishments and experiences. Set aside time each month to review your progress and add new items to your list.

Be honest: While it’s important to highlight your strengths, it’s also important, to be honest about your experiences and accomplishments. Don’t exaggerate or lie about your achievements, as this can backfire in the long run.

What to include in brag sheets?

What to include in brag sheets? A brag sheet doesn’t have to look like a typical resume. Your grade point average (GPA) and any test scores should be on it (such as the PSAT, SAT and ACT). But keep in mind that your brag sheet’s main purpose is to show off your high school career and personal achievements.

Include everything you’ve done since the ninth grade. In an ideal world, you would have been keeping track of all the time you spent on extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, trips, volunteer work, and so on. If you haven’t been keeping track, you should start making a “brag sheet” now. You’ll be glad you did it when you’re a senior in the spring of your last year.

Put your name, address, and a way to reach you at the top of your brag sheets.

liberal arts students studying together outside

Some brag sheets also have a question-and-answer format, which you can use if you want to. Some students answer questions, but they don’t give them to potential colleges. Instead, they give them to people who will write them letters of recommendation. You will have to figure out what the best choice is for you.

When should I write a brag sheet?

When should I write a brag sheet exactly? You should get started on your brag sheets right away. Keep all of this information in a binder or folder once you start doing things or getting awards.

This will help you remember the details of the experience and make your brag sheets more specific.

Relevant information and accomplishments help recommenders write about you in their letters, which gives an admissions committee a clearer picture of who you are. Everyone benefits!

Keep in mind that a brag sheet is a document that is always being changed.

You will need to keep it up-to-date as you join clubs, get awards, get jobs, and do other things. Sitting down every so often to see if any changes need to be made is helpful.

This can keep you from having to make a lot of changes to the document before you send it out.

Brag sheets are a great way for you, as the applicant, to make things easy and clear for the people who will be recommending you. A complete and accurate brag sheet can help a recommender write a letter that shows who you are as a person, is specific and relevant to what you want to do, and will help you get into the school of your dreams.

Learn more about college by consulting with college admissions specialists like the ones found here in AdmissionSight. At AdmissionSight, we have over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process to get accepted to the top universities in the world. Feel free to set up an appointment today to book your initial consultation.

 

 

 

 

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