Here’s what to include:
They are trying to get to know you better. Your resume may include information not present within a standard application. Some schools limit the amount of information you can include, so use this opportunity to include information about your work, volunteer and educational experience.
College/university admission representatives know how your commitments each weekday during school hours. They want to learn about how you choose to spend your time outside of the classroom; how you develop your passions and your interests.
Your resume is a one page synopsis of who you are beyond classes, grades and scores. This is an opportunity to highlight honors, work experience, community service. By collecting all of this information on one document, the college doesn’t have to go hunting for information on your extracurricular life. There are no right or wrong “answers” to be included on a resume, it is simply a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table.
High Grade Point Average. Challenging College-Prep Courses. Leadership Positions in a Few Organizations Community Service. Strong Scores on SAT/ACT.
Some colleges, generally state schools, are not particularly interested in a resume and make decisions mainly on the basis of GPA and standardized tests. However, for schools that are interested in extracurricular activities, your resume should show that your activities were long-standing and showed some depth and possibly leadership qualities. Don’t just be a serial joiner of clubs. Join one or two clubs and try and become an officer or lead a project. If you feel that the leadership of school clubs is often a popularity contest, start your own school club or outside project. Schools like to see that an applicant has taken advantage of existing opportunities and maybe even created new ones. Engage in meaningful community service. If your school has a community service requirement, go beyond the hours required. This will show that you really cared about a project or population and weren’t just doing it because of a school mandate.
Passions, passions, passions. Colleges want kids who will actively engage in all campus activities. From your academics to your activities, you will be evaluated based on your commitment to what you do and you leadership and initiative. Some kids are outliers with outstanding athletic, artistic, scientific, or other talents. The rest of us try out things but try to make a difference through our commitments. Please do not sit still. Be active. Find out what you like to do. Experiment. Get a job. Volunteer. That’s what colleges are looking for: authentic, active resumes.
Most colleges that use the Common Application do not accept uploaded resumés and rely on the CA Activities section to evaluate your interest in and commitment to activities over time. Some notes on creating a resumé if you do decide to create one:
If a college requests a resume, it is your opportunity to showcase more of your “fit” for that school. Make sure your resume is comprehensive and includes sections for education, academic awards, athletic achievement, extracurricular activities and any paid work experience or volunteer work. Perceive the resume as another chance to shine!
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