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HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:10 am
by cgwifey
I have not updated my resume yet. When I do I will have nearly 6 years of Law Firm work as a Paralegal, so I have enough to add to my resume. However, I didn't participate much in extra curricular activities in College (working full time all the time), but a ton in high school. National Honor Society, Senior Class VP, Varsity Soccer, Varsity Cheer. Also in College I did some semi-pro Cheerleading. Is it worth it to list all of the above on my resume? or no Highschool information at all?
Please advise.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:12 am
by rinkrat19
No high school stuff unless it's on the level of winning an Olympic medal. Certainly no NHS or high school sports.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:13 am
by rabbitrun
What about national merit scholar?
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:13 am
by king3780
rinkrat19 wrote:No high school stuff unless it's on the level of winning an Olympic medal. Certainly no NHS or high school sports.
+1
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:14 am
by mrtoren
No high school activities. They're irrelevant. If you absolutely have to fill up resume space, I would only recommend listing non-school activities. If you participated in community organizing activities, church groups, or other non-profits, its better than nothing. However, it sounds like your work experience will carry you.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:15 am
by king3780
rabbitrun wrote:what about national merit scholar?
Nothing high school related short of an Olympic medal, finding a cure for cancer or a Nobel Peace Prize.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:55 am
by rabbitrun
king3780 wrote:rabbitrun wrote:what about national merit scholar?
Nothing high school related short of an Olympic medal, finding a cure for cancer or a Nobel Peace Prize.
But it was an award for college and after HS, I got pretty mediocre. I know its not really valid, but I dont think it could hurt (unlike putting high school "spirit club" or some crap like that).
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:58 am
by Flips88
king3780 wrote:rabbitrun wrote:what about national merit scholar?
Nothing high school related short of an Olympic medal, finding a cure for cancer or a Nobel Peace Prize.
National Merit Scholar should be included IMO (and I did). I put it in my college awards section since I received the national merit scholarship through the university.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:28 pm
by ladybug89
rabbitrun wrote:king3780 wrote:rabbitrun wrote:what about national merit scholar?
Nothing high school related short of an Olympic medal, finding a cure for cancer or a Nobel Peace Prize.
But it was an award for college and after HS, I got pretty mediocre. I know its not really valid, but I dont think it could hurt (unlike putting high school "spirit club" or some crap like that).
but you don't want them to think you peaked in high school and then got mediocre. so it might actually hurt you.
semi pro cheerleading in college is kind of interesting though. should probably go in the "personal"/interests section of your resume though.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:33 pm
by BlakcMajikc
Flips88 wrote:king3780 wrote:rabbitrun wrote:what about national merit scholar?
Nothing high school related short of an Olympic medal, finding a cure for cancer or a Nobel Peace Prize.
National Merit Scholar should be included IMO (and I did). I put it in my college awards section since I received the national merit scholarship through the university.
NMS goes in the college awards section (just like if you had received any other university scholarship as an entering freshman).
Keep the semi-pro cheerleading in interests or activities. (In all seriousness, it's memorable and interesting for an admissions committee.)
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:08 am
by Kolya
I won a state debate championship during my senior year of HS and am debating (haha) including that in my application. Thoughts?
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:10 am
by c3pO4
Kolya wrote:I won a state debate championship during my senior year of HS and am debating (haha) including that in my application. Thoughts?
definitely put it in. debate was explicitly mentioned on more than one of my ls acceptance letters. if you poke around, there are scores of ex-debaters all across the v100. it's valued, although debating in college would be even better.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:37 am
by Seneca
cgwifey wrote: Also in College I did some semi-pro Cheerleading. Is it worth it to list all of the above on my resume? or no Highschool information at all?
What does that even mean? Were you paid? If you plan to include it, just say "cheerleading," and only qualify it with something like (and pick one only) "competitive/college/<insert well-known collegiate squad>". Even then, only include it as a one-word point under an "interests" section, if you have extra room on your resume, and frankly, I agree with previous posters that your work experience seems like it will be a much stronger point than "semi-pro" cheerleading, and certainly much more significant than anything you ever did in high school ten years ago.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:12 pm
by Nicholasnickynic
Hs extra curricular are unnecessary. I wouldn't worry about your tiny pink lack of college extra curriculars for 2 reasons- 1. B/c ECs don't matter, and 2. Even if they did: working during college is, IMO, way more impressive then being captain of the philosophy club or volunteering with underprivileged kids or any other bs extra curricular that took 2 hours a week, max.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:45 pm
by gravityrides0
Do you think it would be worth noting an IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma? If anything, to prove I can spell "baccalaureate"?
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:03 pm
by Seneca
gravityrides0 wrote:Do you think it would be worth noting an IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma? If anything, to prove I can spell "baccalaureate"?
No.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:54 am
by seanPtheB
how about 4 state championships in high school between varsity basketball and tennis?
throwin up a prayer lol
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:46 am
by Flips88
seanPtheB wrote:how about 4 state championships in high school between varsity basketball and tennis?
throwin up a prayer lol

Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:19 pm
by subtle
I'm going to go against the grain and say that it's OK to mention high school stuff. I mentioned high school employment because it carried over into college employment (aka tutoring) as well as being National Merit. I start deleting things off of my resume from high school as newer things take their place. I delete them mostly in chronological order and then in order of importance. I don't think mentioning it will make or break you.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:26 pm
by Flips88
subtle wrote:I'm going to go against the grain and say that it's OK to mention high school stuff. I mentioned high school employment because it carried over into college employment (aka tutoring) as well as being National Merit. I start deleting things off of my resume from high school as newer things take their place. I delete them mostly in chronological order and then in order of importance. I don't think mentioning it will make or break you.
Your job continued into college and National Merit is a scholarship that you get for college. So both things aren't really high school. They are in a sense, but they're still related to college. No one gives a shit about National Honor Society or that you graduated with a perfect GPA in high school or that you won a state championship in Tennis. Leave that type of stuff off.
Re: HS Extra Curricular ?
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:38 pm
by subtle
Flips88 wrote:subtle wrote:I'm going to go against the grain and say that it's OK to mention high school stuff. I mentioned high school employment because it carried over into college employment (aka tutoring) as well as being National Merit. I start deleting things off of my resume from high school as newer things take their place. I delete them mostly in chronological order and then in order of importance. I don't think mentioning it will make or break you.
Your job continued into college and National Merit is a scholarship that you get for college. So both things aren't really high school. They are in a sense, but they're still related to college. No one gives a shit about National Honor Society or that you graduated with a perfect GPA in high school or that you won a state championship in Tennis. Leave that type of stuff off.
I suppose that's true.
OP, I feel like if you follow what I do--begin to phase things out in chronological order--your resume will take care of itself. Unless there's something so special that it belongs on there for all of eternity (or, later in life, pertains to what you're applying for), just start deleting things from your resume as new things get added.