How to Write a Brag Sheet for College

When it comes to college applications, there’s more to your story than grades and test scores. Recommendation letters are your chance to show who you are beyond the numbers—and a brag sheet makes that easier. It’s a simple but powerful tool that helps your teachers and counselors highlight your accomplishments, character, and career goals in a way that feels personal and aligned with your application. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a brag sheet that’s thoughtful, well-organized, and ready to support your next big step.

What Is a Brag Sheet?

A brag sheet is a one-page document that highlights your accomplishments, experiences, and future goals to help teachers, counselors, or mentors write personalized letters of recommendation. Unlike a resume, it offers more context and reflection to briefly explain key achievements, personal growth, and your high school journey beyond test scores. When used well, it gives recommenders the insight they need to speak meaningfully about your potential.

Who Should Use a Brag Sheet (and When)

Students Applying to College

If you're a student preparing for college applications, creating a brag sheet before senior year is a smart move. It helps you reflect on your high school career, organize your achievements, and present a clear picture of who you are. When shared with teachers or school counselors, it supports stronger, more personalized letters of recommendation. Even if your recommender knows you well, they may not see the full scope of your accomplishments or the goals you’re working toward. A brag sheet fills in those gaps and helps them write a letter that aligns with the story you’re telling in your college application.

Recommenders Writing Letters

Teachers, school counselors, and coaches often write many recommendation letters each year and may not remember every detail about every student. A brag sheet provides a helpful snapshot of your abilities, goals, values, experiences, and high school journey, making it easier for them to write personalized letters that reflect your unique strengths. It also saves time by delivering the key insights they need to complete your letter without guesswork, helping them speak more confidently on your behalf.

Scholarship and Internship Applicants

Beyond college, brag sheets can support scholarship and internship applications that ask for recommendation letters or require you to explain your skills, work experience, and career goals. Having a completed sheet template on hand allows you to quickly share additional information or guide adults writing on your behalf. Whether you're applying for a job, grant, or early-career program, a brag sheet shows that you're prepared, thoughtful, and ready to take the next step.

What to Include in Your Brag Sheet

Basic Information & Academic Highlights

Start your brag sheet with your basic information: full name, email, high school name, and expected graduation date. Then provide a snapshot of your academic background, such as GPA, class rank (if available), and test scores like the SAT, ACT, or PSAT. You can also list advanced or standout classes such as AP, IB, honors, or dual-enrollment courses, along with any academic awards or recognitions you’ve earned. Together, these details give your recommender a quick, structured look at your academic accomplishments and performance.

Extracurricular Involvement & Leadership

This section highlights how you’ve been involved outside the classroom, whether through clubs, sports, the arts, or community service. Include your role, the length of your involvement, and any leadership positions you held, such as captain or president. You should also note any awards or honors received in these settings. These high school experiences reflect your accomplishments, interests, and how you’ve contributed to your school or broader community.

Work, Internships, & Special Projects

Include any work experience, internships, or independent projects you've taken on during high school. For each, briefly list where you worked, your responsibilities, and what you learned or achieved. These experiences show initiative, time management, and real-world skills that complement your academic record and can also speak to emerging career interests.

Personal Insights & Future Goals

Round out your brag sheet with a few short reflections that show who you are beyond the bullet points. Mention your intended major, a potential career goal, or something meaningful you’ve worked toward. You can also briefly explain a personal accomplishment or answer a prompt like “What’s something you’re proud of that doesn’t show up in your resume?” These details give recommenders added insight into your character, values, and the kind of student and person you’re becoming.

How to Organize and Format Your Brag Sheet

Keep It Clean and Skimmable

Your brag sheet should be easy to scan, especially for busy teachers and counselors. Stick with a clear, professional font like Calibri in 11- or 12-point size, and use consistent spacing and margins to keep your layout organized. Aim for one page, or two max if you truly need the space. Think of it as a streamlined sheet template that shows an overview of your achievements, not a full autobiography.

Group Content by Category or Theme

Organize your brag sheet into categories like Academics, Extracurriculars, Leadership, and Work Experience to make it easy to follow. Start each section with your most recent or impactful items. You can also tailor the order based on who you’re sharing it with. For instance, move relevant STEM accomplishments to the top if your science teacher is writing your letter. Grouping content this way helps your reader quickly find the relevant details they need to write a strong recommendation.

Use Bullet Points and Avoid Paragraphs

Instead of long explanations, use bullet points to share key achievements. Keep each one short and focused on what you did and the result. For example: “Volunteered weekly at local food bank; helped serve 100+ meals per shift.” These concrete examples give your recommender useful material and make your brag sheet more helpful and impactful. Aim for clarity and precision; every word should earn its place.

Tips to Make Your Brag Sheet Stand Out

1. Be specific: Use numbers or clear outcomes where possible

To make your brag sheet stand out, highlight your accomplishments with measurable results. Instead of saying you participated, briefly explain what you achieved, for eg, "leading an event that increased participation by 40%". These will give a clearer sense of your impact.

2. Show, don’t tell: Back up traits with examples

Rather than listing traits, show them in action. For instance, instead of “good communicator,” write, “Presented our robotics project at regionals.” A few focused details go further than general claims.

3. Stay honest and avoid exaggeration

Confidence is great, but stick to the truth. Inflated claims are easy to spot and can hurt your credibility. An honest brag sheet builds trust and reflects your real work ethic and growth.

4. Update regularly as you gain new experiences

Your brag sheet should evolve with you. Each time you gain new achievements—a job, an award, or a leadership role—add them in. Regular updates save time and help you keep everything fresh and ready when needed.

Brag Sheet vs. Resume: What's the Difference?

While a brag sheet and a resume might seem similar at first glance, both showcase your accomplishments and experiences, but they serve different purposes and follow distinct formats. A resume is a professional document typically used when applying for jobs, internships, or specific programs. It’s more formal, polished, and concise, often limited to one page and structured with clearly defined sections like education, work experience, and skills. A brag sheet, on the other hand, is more personal and flexible. It’s usually created to support letters of recommendation, giving teachers, counselors, or mentors deeper insight into who you are as a student and person. Brag sheets often include reflections, personal goals, or context behind achievements—details that wouldn’t usually appear on a resume. Where a resume is about showing qualifications for a role, a brag sheet is about helping someone else write about your character, potential, and story. If you're applying for a job, reach for the resume. If you're asking for a recommendation or preparing a college application, a brag sheet will better support your goals.

Examples of Strong Brag Sheet Entries

A strong brag sheet highlights your experiences with clarity and purpose, giving recommenders an easy way to understand your strengths, accomplishments, and potential. The examples below show how to keep entries specific, reflective, and aligned with your voice.

Example 1: Academic Achievement

National Honor Society Member (11th–12th grade)Maintained a 4.2 weighted GPA while taking four AP courses, including AP Biology and AP Literature. Earned the highest class average in Chemistry two years in a row. Selected by teachers to lead peer study groups, helping classmates prepare for exams. These experiences reflect a strong academic foundation and leadership in learning environments.

Example 2: Extracurricular Leadership

Student Council Vice President (12th grade)Led the “Week of Service” campaign, recruiting 150+ student volunteers and partnering with six local nonprofits. The initiative resulted in 500+ community service hours in one week. Coordinated logistics, secured funding, and managed promotion efforts, demonstrating initiative and collaborative leadership.

Example 3: Personal Growth or Overcoming Challenges

Overcame a sophomore-year slump in confidence after struggling in Algebra II. I sought extra help from my teacher, committed to weekly tutoring, and raised my grade from a C to an A by the end of the semester. That experience taught me resilience and how to advocate for myself when I need support. It also inspired me to become a peer tutor the following year, helping others push through similar academic challenges.

These examples don’t just list what happened—they give context, show your thinking, and help your recommender understand what each experience meant to you. That’s what makes a brag sheet memorable.

How and When to Share Your Brag Sheet

Once you’ve created a brag sheet you feel confident in, the next step is knowing when and how to share it. Timing and delivery can make a big difference both in how helpful it is to your recommender and how prepared you come across.

When to Send It

Aim to send your brag sheet at least three to four weeks before your first recommendation letter deadline. This gives your teacher or counselor enough time to review it, ask questions if needed, and write a thoughtful letter. If you’re requesting during a busy time like senior year fall semester, even more notice is better. It’s a small step that shows respect and gives them the space to do their best work.

Who to Send It To

Share your brag sheet with any adult writing a recommendation letter—typically teachers, school counselors, coaches, or mentors. If you’re applying for scholarships or internships, you can also send it to program sponsors or supervisors. The key is choosing someone who knows you well and can speak positively about your abilities and accomplishments.

What to Include in the Message

Include a brief, polite message that explains what your brag sheet is and how it might help. Keep it short, warm, and professional. For example:

“Hi [Name], thank you again for agreeing to write me a recommendation letter. I’ve attached a brag sheet with some background on my accomplishments, goals, and experiences in case it’s helpful as you write. Let me know if you’d like any additional details.”

Clear communication makes it easier for your recommender to write a complete, personalized letter on your behalf.

Conclusion

Your brag sheet is a powerful tool that helps others see the full scope of your high school career, from academic growth to community involvement, personal strengths, and emerging career goals. By putting thought into what you include and how you organize it, you make it easier for teachers, coaches, and school counselors to write compelling letters of recommendation that speak clearly to your character, abilities, and potential. Whether you’re preparing for college applications, scholarships, or early job opportunities, a well-crafted brag sheet brings together the relevant details that help your story stand out. Take the time to reflect, create a clear structure, and keep it updated to give others the insight they need to help you take the next step in your journey. As you prepare your brag sheet for college, it’s also a good time to update your resume and get organized—sign up to Huntr for free to do it all in one place.