Crafting a compelling honors and awards section can significantly boost your applications. Here are seven key tips to make your achievements shine:

1. Prioritize by Significance: Arrange your awards with the most impactful ones at the top. If you’re unsure about personal significance, use a hierarchical approach: begin with international, then national, state, regional, school-wide, club, and finally, team-wide recognition.
2. Clarify the Award’s Meaning: Don’t assume your reader understands an award’s context. For example, if you received the “Beacon Award,” briefly explain its purpose and what it signifies. Similarly, for an “academic excellence” award, define the criteria for achieving that excellence.
3. Highlight Selectivity: Quantify the competitiveness of your awards. Was your team the best among four or 400? Providing these numbers demonstrates the true scope of your achievement.
4. Demystify Acronyms: While some acronyms like TEDx or AP are widely recognized, others, such as “Future Business Leaders of America” or “California Scholarship Federation,” may not be. When in doubt, spell out the full name to ensure clarity.
5. Group Related Awards: If you’ve received multiple honors from the same organization or for related achievements, consider grouping them to save space and show a broader impact. For instance: “SkillsUSA, Best of Show: (1st) Interior Design; (1st) Employment Portfolio; (2nd) Web Design Technical.”
6. Include Monetary Value: If an award came with a scholarship, grant, or prize money, include it! For example: “TEDx NYC Student Startup Competition Winner: granted $1,500 in seed funding.”
7. Mention Unique Perks: Did your award include special benefits like travel or mentorship? Be sure to highlight these unique experiences. For example: “Google ‘Young Changemaker’ Winner: all-expenses-paid trip + mentoring @ Google HQ.”