How to Complete the Common App Honors Section

Do your parents have one of those “MY CHILD IS AN HONOR STUDENT” bumper stickers? Have you ever had a student citizenship award stuck to your refrigerator? Perhaps you racked up a shelf in the garage full of shiny trophies from your sports tournaments?

I have good news for you!

Those merits are worth more than just a high-five. The honors section of the Common App is a rare opportunity to showcase your accomplishments. This is your chance to highlight the significant achievements you’ve earned throughout high school. When filling out this section, don’t hold back—be proud of your accolades!

You’ve already done the hard part; don’t waste the chance to get some extra mileage out of your awards. Read on for tips on completing the honors section to make sure your college applications pop.

Many students are familiar with the Common App Essay Prompts, but they often seek clarity on the “honors section.” This part of the Common App allows you to list your academic honors and awards.

It’s important to note that “academic” is broadly defined here. While this section is primarily for scholastic honors, you can also include extracurricular accolades such as art awards or debate team rankings. However, reserve athletic awards for the Activities Section, unless they have an academic or character component (e.g., “Scholar Athlete” or “Integrity Award”).

For each award, you’ll need to specify the name of the honor, its significance, and the years you received it. For younger students, it’s helpful to know that your applications will want this information so that you can keep track of it from the start! Aside from the details, however, describing your accomplishments concisely can be challenging, so we’ll provide more tips for that later.

The honors section provides college admissions officers with insights into your strengths. While the activities section showcases your extracurricular involvement, the honors section highlights your areas of excellence. Properly utilizing this section can help you stand out in a competitive applicant pool. 

In other words, it makes you shine a little extra brightly.

You can list up to five honors, each with a brief description (100 characters or less). Therefore, some of you high-achievers will need to select which five you want to highlight. Choose your top five most impressive or impactful experiences. 

A common misconception is that only prestigious, well-known awards are worth listing. In reality, any academic achievement, regardless of scale, can be included. The Common App categorizes awards as:

• National/International
• School-wide
• Local
• State/Regional

While you should aim to complete all five entries, it’s not mandatory. Listing even one or two awards is better than leaving the section blank. 

However, for those of you applying for highly selective institutions, you’ll want to emphasize only the highest honors in State, Regional, or National/International arenas.

If you’re unsure what types of awards to include, here are some examples of the different tiers:

These are instances in which you have earned recognition within your high school student body.

• Honor Roll / Principal’s List: Recognizes consistent academic excellence.
• Membership in your school’s National Honor Society chapter: Indicates leadership, service, and scholarship.
• Athletic character recognition awards: Such as “Scholar Athlete” for balancing sports and academics.
• Outstanding achievement in a particular subject: Awards like “Best in Math” or “Excellence in English.”
• Student of the Month / Year: Highlighting overall outstanding performance.

There may also be times in which you achieve recognition outside of your school, in the wider community.

• Extracurricular awards: Such as winning a local science fair or a debate competition.
• Publications: Being published in a local or state magazine or journal.
• Arts awards: Receiving accolades in community art shows or theater competitions.
• Music performances: Winning regional music competitions or being selected for all-state band or choir.

The most prestigious awards are earned on a large scale, demonstrating how you stand out from your peers.

If you’re planning to apply to the Top 25 or Ivy League schools, you will need to primarily emphasize your awards in this category to be considered competitive.

• AP Scholar: Recognizes high scores on multiple AP exams.
• National Merit Scholar: Based on PSAT/NMSQT scores, awarded to top performers.
• The President’s Award: For outstanding academic achievement or excellence.

Honors courses demonstrate your academic potential, but they shouldn’t be included in the Common App honors section. The honors section is for specific awards or recognitions, while honors courses are higher-level classes shown on your transcript.

To make the most of your honors section, consider the following strategies:

1. Be Mindful of Order: Lead with your most impressive achievements. National awards should be listed first, followed by state, local, and school awards.

2. Don’t Waste Space: The 100-character limit requires efficiency. Use phrases instead of sentences, spell out each number, and abbreviate well-known organizations.

3. Include Necessary Info: Being concise doesn’t mean omitting important details. Ensure each entry clearly describes the award and its significance, especially for lesser-known honors.

• Too short: "Jake M. Perella Community Service Award."
• 100 characters: "Jake M. Perella Community Service Award for 100+ hours of volunteer work at local food bank."

• Too long: “Scholastic Art and Writing Competition Gold Key (2022); Scholastic Art and Writing Competition Gold Key (2021); Scholastic Art and Writing Competition Honorable Mention (2020).”
• 100 characters: “Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Gold Key (2022, 2021); Honorable Mention (2020).”

To recap, here are the basic do’s and don’ts for the Common App honors section:

• List your most impressive achievements first.
• Be concise by using phrases instead of sentences.
• Brag about what you have accomplished!

• List lesser-known distinctions without explaining the award.
• Abbreviate lesser-known organizations.
• Leave the section blank if you have legitimate high school awards to include.

Yes, universities and colleges do care about honors when reviewing applications! Honors, whether academic, community-oriented, or related to extracurricular activities, indicate that a student has made a significant impact. They show potential that goes beyond grades and test scores. Be sure to list any honors you’ve received on your applications to maximize your chances of acceptance.

Looking for more nuanced guidance? If you want an expert to look over your application, Empowerly can help. Reach out to learn more about how we can level up your college chances.