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Student Brag Sheets

When you ask a professor or supervisor for a letter of recommendation, they want to write you a good endorsement. However, even if you were a top student in their class, they often do not know what you do outside of their specific course or department.

A brag sheet bridges this gap. It is a comprehensive, informal document that gives your recommender a better idea of your entire college career. It is different from your resume because your resume is often shorter and designed specifically for recruiters with short, more striking bullet points.

A brag sheet is a document designed specifically for mentors. It allows you to write in full sentences, explain the context or impact of your experiences, and share your personal motivations. It gives your recommender the narrative details they need to write a more compelling and personalized letter.

What to Include

A strong brag sheet should be 1 to 2 pages long and broken down into clear, scannable sections. Below is a good outline to follow:

Academic Profile

  • Full Legal Name (and preferred name if it is different)
  • Pronouns
  • Expected Graduation Date (e.g., Spring 20XX)
  • Major(s) and Minor(s)
  • Cumulative GPA (and Major GPA if it is higher)

Your Career and Graduate School Goals

Write a short paragraph explaining your immediate and long-term goals. If a recommender knows you are applying to a Master’s in Urban Planning, they will highlight different skills than if they know you are applying to Law School.

Example: “After graduation, I plan to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a focus on juvenile justice. My long-term goal is to work as a clinical social worker in a youth diversion program, helping redirect at-risk youth away from the formal carceral system and toward community-based services.

Relevant Coursework

Instead of attaching your entire transcript, list 4 to 6 upper-division courses that directly support your career goals. Include the term you took them and the grade you received.

Example:

  • Adolescent Development (PSCI 112D): Fall 20XX (A)
  • Developmental Psychopathology (PSCI 153C): Spring 20XX (B+)
  • Juvenile Delinquency (PSCI 193B): Spring 20XX (A-)

Field Study and Internships

Explain where you completed your Field Study (or other internships) and explain what you learned.

  • Site Name
  • Title of Your Position
  • Dates
  • Core Responsibilities (what did you do in your position?)
  • Key Takeaway (what did this experience teach you about your field?)

Research & Technical Skills

List any hard skills or programming languages you have acquired through your coursework or labs.

  • Research Labs: Name the lab, the Principal Investigator (Professor), and your role.
  • Methodologies: List any relevant methods you learned (e.g., qualitative interviewing, survey design, literature reviews, etc.)
  • Software: List specific tools/programs (e.g., SPSS, R, Python, GIS, Qualtrics, etc.)

Campus Involvement and Leadership

Include any student organizations, peer mentoring, volunteer work, or awards. Briefly explain your involvement.

Example: “Events Coordinator, Pre-Law Society (20XX-Present). In this position, I organized three alumni panels and managed a budget of $500.”

Personal Context (optional)

Here, you can explain anything that isn’t obvious on your transcript or resume/CV. Potential things to mention:

  • Working many hours to put yourself through school
  • First-generation college student
  • If you had a quarter where your GPA dropped, it could be a good idea to mention that and why it happened
  • Anything else that makes you a diverse student

Best Practices for Formatting

  • Keep it organized: Use bold headings, bullet points, and a lot of white space. This should be an easy document for your letter writer to scan in a couple of minutes.
  • Save as a PDF: Make sure not to send a Word or Google Doc. Save your brag sheet as a PDF so that the formatting stays the way you want it when the open it.
  • Update it regularly: You can start working on your brag sheet now, even if you are not a senior! This will make it easier for you later on.