Start Early
Begin working on your bragsheet well before application season. This gives you time to reflect and refine your responses without pressure.

Be Honest and Specific
Use real examples of your experiences—such as specific projects, leadership roles, or challenges you’ve overcome. Avoid vague statements.

Highlight Your Unique Qualities
Focus on what makes you different—your values, aspirations, or personal journey. This helps recommendation writers add depth to their letters.

Include Both Academic and Extracurricular Achievements
Capture a well-rounded picture: include not only grades or honors, but also sports, volunteering, part-time jobs, and hobbies.

Reflect on Your Growth
Colleges value growth and self-awareness. Share moments where you learned something important or changed your perspective.

Use Complete Sentences
Write in full, clear sentences rather than bullet points. This makes your responses easier to use when writing recommendation letters or essays.

Get Feedback
Ask a teacher, counselor, or parent to review your bragsheet and suggest improvements. They may remind you of accomplishments you forgot to include.

Keep It Organized
Use headers or sections to separate academics, extracurriculars, awards, goals, and personal insights for easy readability.

Update Regularly
As you participate in new activities or earn new achievements, revisit and update your bragsheet so it stays current.

Leverage Tools
Help your counselor support you better—use the Cialfo platform to respond to surveys they send. Sharing your achievements, interests, and experiences through these surveys helps them write stronger, more personalised recommendations for you.