Should I Put High School on My Resume? An Expert‘s Perspective
Crafting an effective resume is an art and a science – determining what to highlight and what to leave out depends on both strategic formatting to catch hiring manager‘s attention as well as understanding what content will best evidence your qualifications. As a Higher Education Reform Expert and Thought Leader, I have evaluated thousands of resumes over my career. This comprehensive guide will leverage insider expertise and statistics to analyze when including high school details can strengthen (or potentially dilute) your resume‘s impact.
The Case For Highlighting High School Achievements
Under certain circumstances, showcasing standout high school accomplishments can powerfully differentiate you as a top candidate:
Recent Graduates Have Few Alternatives
For those in the early stages of their career, high school achievements may form the bulk of their measurable accomplishments so far outside of part-time jobs. With college extracurriculars and internships still limited, detailing rigorous course loads, leadership positions, and demonstrable skills gained before college can showcase promising potential.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median weekly earnings for high school graduates in 2020 was only $781, compared to $1,305 for those with bachelor‘s degrees. As such, strategically evidencing relevant experiences can give recent high school grads an edge when competing with more educated candidates.
Average Weekly Earnings by Education Level (2020)
| Education Level | Median Weekly Earnings |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | $1,885 |
| Professional degree | $1,836 |
| Master‘s degree | $1,497 |
| Bachelor‘s degree | $1,305 |
| Associate‘s degree | $887 |
| Some college, no degree | $865 |
| High school diploma | $781 |
| Less than high school diploma | $576 |
Data source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020
As this data shows, advanced degrees confer substantial salary advantages. Highlighting high school thus remains vital for those still working towards higher education.
Relevant Coursework or Skills Stand Out
Even for bachelor‘s degree holders and above, directly applicable high school experiences can powerfully reinforce your qualifications.
For technology roles, noting advanced computer science, programming, data analytics or engineering courses establishes foundational proficiency. In creative fields like graphic design, illustrations samples prove artistic flair. For teaching and childcare jobs, coaching sports teams or tutoring in academic subjects provides credibility.
Quantifying these types of relevant achievements where possible takes them a notch higher, whether it‘s:
- Number of code languages learned
- Art portfolio samples created
- Books read for tutoring sessions
Awards Programs Offer Prestige
Having the validation of competitive scholarships and program acceptances also enhances your reputation. Internationally recognized awards like the International Baccalaureate Diploma or prestigious scholarship acceptances like the Gates Millennium Scholarship program confer distinction, even years later.
What About Associations or Community Service?
Memberships in high-profile student associations like the National Honor Society, community initiatives coordinated, and long-term volunteering efforts also demonstrate well-roundedness and dedication. These should be included if (and only if) directly relevant to the position or indicating leadership development.
Overextending high school community involvements risks suggesting you peaked early. Be judicious with extracurricular additions and keep the focus on transferable skills gained instead.
When Should You Leave High School Off Your Resume?
While high school experiences can powerfully supplement early career resumes, often your achievements later in college and in full-time jobs quickly supersede them.
College Degrees Confer More Weight
Once you have a 4-year college degree or higher, spotlighting higher education takes clear precedence for recruiters and hiring managers:
- Relevant major GPA
- Applicable course/capstone projects
- Undergraduate honors like cum laude distinctions
- Relevant extracurriculars like case competitions
Unless your high school background directly strengthened these college experiences, focus on the latter over dated high school activities.
Bachelor‘s Degree Holders Unemployment Rate vs. High School Graduate Rates (2022)
| Education Level | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| Bachelor‘s degree | 2.0% |
| High school diploma | 4.4% |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022
With half the unemployment rate, showcasing bachelor‘s level credentials clearly takes priority for college graduates. Only highlight niche high school skills still applicable to the role.
Extensive Work Experience Overrides Earlier Achievements
Once you move into mid or later-career with 5+ years full-time experience, recruiters are vastly more interested in your:
- Career progression
- Breadth/depth of hard and soft skills
- Industry connections/referrals
- Professional development
Early potential matters far less than proven performance at this stage.
According to top resume writer Bill Holton:
"By 10 years into your career, hiring managers expect to see increasing authority in decision-making and strategy. High school offers useful backstory but focusing 80% on professional achievements is key."
Unless a clear throughline exists like founding an organization in high school you still preside over, emphasizing formative achievements over intervening career development raises eyebrows.
Key Best Practices for Formatting High School Details
If including select high school accomplishments can serve as strategic advantages as detailed above, adhering to best practices in presentation radically enhances your likelihood of success:
Order Chronologically Under Education Section
List high school under the education section after higher degrees achieved, accompanied by:
- Name, City/State
- Graduation Month/Year
- Optional GPA if very high such as 3.8+
Seeking to lead with high school achievements over say, an MBA, undermines perceived credibility as a seasoned professional.
Tightly Tailor to Role Relevance
Any extracurricular activities, course samples, or accolades included must tie directly into required or preferred skills for the target position. Avoid fluff that inadvertently raises questions on your judgment or maturity.
Quantify Impacts Where Possible
Vague or conceptual descriptions fail to move the needle compared to quantified metrics demonstrating excellence:
✅ "Published 12 articles in student newspaper with 2 featured as Editors‘ Pick"
❌ "Frequently wrote for school paper"
The former illustrates rising leadership, productivity, and subject mastery over time.
Call Out Truly Rare Honors Only
Being elected Treasurer of the Debate Team may have built financial management skills. But unless explicitly relevant, omit roles and awards that thousands of students obtain each year.
Prioritize internationally competitive scholarships, state/national titles won, or student government president as a stronger evidence of standout achievement. But use discretion – confidence can sometimes cross over into arrogance on paper.
Cut Old Graduation Dates After a Decade
Once high school was 10+ years ago for senior applicants, listing graduation years can inadvertently emphasize age over experience. Unless the school itself offers name recognition, omitting graduation date avoids potential bias.
Proofread Extensively
Typos or grammatical mistakes undermine student government president or newspaper editor claims by hinting at ongoing carelessness. Spelling errors in particular correlate highly with instant rejection. Enlist eagle-eyed friends to double check!
The Bottom Line
Should you put high school details on a resume? In most cases for college students and above, relevant work achievements outweigh dated high school glories. But for rising freshmen and sophomores, early highlights help substantiate credible potential in the absence of longer-term feats.
Even advanced degree holders may benefit from selectively including relevant early foundations that augmented later accomplishments – but only with careful, metrics-driven formatting tied directly to role needs.
Ultimately crafting an outstanding resume requires balancing the science of data-backed achievements with the art form of persuasive writing. Master both across all life stages, and accelerate your career progression!
