What should I include on a Stony Brook University resume for a college application?

For a Stony Brook University application resume, include the parts of your life that show how you spend your time and what you contribute, not just paid work. Admissions-focused resumes usually include academics, extracurriculars, leadership, jobs, service, research, summer programs, awards, and notable skills. At Stony Brook, the goal is to give admissions a clearer picture of your involvement and impact, especially if parts of your activity list feel too brief.

A strong format is one page, clean, and easy to scan. Start with your name, contact info, high school, and, if strong, basics like GPA, class rank, or coursework. Then add sections such as Activities, Work Experience, Community Service, Honors/Awards, Research or Projects, and Skills.

Under each entry, list your role, organization, dates, and short descriptions of what you actually did. Focus on specifics: leadership, time commitment, initiative, and results. For example, instead of “volunteered at food pantry,” write something like “Sorted and packed weekly food distributions for families; trained new student volunteers.”

For school activities, include clubs, sports, student government, music, theater, publications, academic teams, or anything meaningful outside class. For work experience, part-time jobs absolutely belong because they show responsibility and time management. Volunteer roles should also be included, especially if they were sustained or had clear impact.

If you have special academic experiences relevant to Stony Brook, such as STEM research, lab work, coding projects, health-related volunteering, or advanced coursework, those are especially worth highlighting.

Keep descriptions concise, use action verbs, and reverse chronological order within each section. Avoid long paragraphs, personal pronouns, photos, and overly decorative formatting. The best college resume for Stony Brook looks organized, factual, and specific, with the clearest emphasis on what you did, how often you did it, and why it mattered.