With the college application process in full swing, many students find themselves wondering what exactly belongs in the Common App’s Honors section. This section, while brief, is a prime opportunity to highlight significant achievements and recognitions.
In the competitive world of college admissions, the Honors section of the Common App is a valuable space to highlight your most meaningful achievements. By thoughtfully selecting honors that reflect your strengths and interests and crafting a clear, concise ‘honors title’, you can create a powerful snapshot of your dedication and success. However, with limited space, fitting each entry into a brief 100 characters can be tricky, and choosing the right honors and describing them effectively can feel challenging.
Here’s a breakdown of what counts as an “honor,” how to prioritize your most impactful achievements, and make your entries stand out.
What Counts as an “Honor”?
The term “honor” on the Common App covers many recognitions. Here are some types of accomplishments you may want to consider including:
Academic Awards
Recognitions that showcase intellectual and academic excellence, such as being named an AP Scholar, receiving National Merit commendations, or earning high placement in academic competitions like the Math Olympiad, all belong in this section. These honors highlight a student’s academic commitment and achievements on a competitive level, often serving as indicators of a strong academic foundation.
Extracurricular and Arts Distinctions
Many students have talents outside the classroom, and here the awards they include could be regional music competition placements, sports titles, or arts achievements. For example, being named MVP on a varsity sports team or winning a state-level speech contest can emphasize your versatility and dedication.
Leadership and Community Awards
For students who have contributed to their communities or shown leadership, honors in this area are equally valuable. These could include awards like “Outstanding Volunteer” in a community service group or recognition from a youth leadership program. Such honors underscore qualities like initiative and compassion—attributes that admissions committees value.
Special Certifications or Recognitions in Niche Fields
Certifications or awards in specialized areas like technology, language proficiency, or creative fields can also be worth including. If you earned a high-level programming certification or completed a rigorous creative program, these types of recognitions demonstrate a commitment to developing specialized skills.
Choosing the Right Honors to Include
With only five spaces, it’s crucial to choose honors that will make the strongest impression. Here’s how to approach this:
Prioritize High-Level Awards
Recognitions that are national or state-level tend to carry more weight than those given at the school or club level. For instance, a national honor in science or math might be more impactful than a school-level award, as it indicates excellence on a larger scale.
Select Honors Relevant to Your Academic Interests
If possible, include honors that align with your intended field of study. For instance, if you’re applying as a STEM major, emphasize achievements in math or science to reinforce your strengths and interests in that area.
Highlight Consistent, Sustained Efforts
If you’ve earned repeated recognitions in a particular area, like a multi-year honor in a specific club or subject excellence, this can showcase your long-term commitment. It’s a subtle way of showing admissions officers that you’ve invested sustained effort in a particular passion or skill.
Examples of Honors
The Honors section asks for the name of the honor, the type of honor, and the grade(s) in which you received this honor. To give you a clearer sense of effective entries, here are some examples
International
“AP Scholar with Distinction – Achieved in Junior Year”; Grade- 11
National
“Gold Medal, National Science Olympiad - Biology Division”; Grade - 9,10,11
State
“Captain, Debate Team – 1st Place in State Championship”; Grade 10
School
“Community Impact Award – 200+ Hours of Volunteer Service” Grade - 10, 11
What to Avoid in the Honors Section of the Common Application
When completing the Honors section of the Common Application, it’s important to avoid several pitfalls to ensure your achievements are presented effectively.
Firstly, avoid including awards that are not widely recognized, as they may not carry much weight in the eyes of admissions officers; instead focus on significant accomplishments and be concise—omit excessive details and vague descriptions.
Additionally, steer clear of repeating information found in other sections of your application. It is crucial to be honest about your achievements; misrepresenting your role or the honor's prestige can be detrimental.
Finally, avoid using acronyms. Though acronyms seem like a perfect solution to constricting character limits, their use should be avoided if possible: No admissions committee knows that CHEMUN is the Chennai Model United Nations. Your job is to balance the need for a brief character count with clear, effective descriptions of each award.
Conclusion
Lastly, with a careful approach to choosing and describing each honor, you can make this section a standout part of your application with lasting impressions that can strengthen your profile. Remember, each entry offers admissions officers insight into what you value and how you’ve excelled—so choose wisely and write with precision.
EZ Scholar is a premium admissions consultancy and test prep organization which works with bright and ambitious students seeking admissions to Ivy Leagues, Oxbridge, and other top global universities. Our experts have mentored thousands of students with their profile building, research papers, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, test prep, and admissions essays.
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