resume

The college resume can be a confusing thing. Do I even need to make one? What is the purpose? What should I include? In this blog post we break it all down for you.

Do I need to make a resume?
The Common Application and the Coalition Application, the two most popular application portals, allow students to highlight 10 extra curricular activities. These can be in-school activities, out-of-school commitments, volunteer work and jobs. IF you have more than 10 activities that you would like to present to colleges, it makes sense to make a resume. IF you have one or more activities that require more space for explanation, it also makes sense to create a college resume. If you’re wondering about it ask your Campus Bound counselor.

Do all colleges want or accept a resume?
The short answer is no. Colleges that will accept a resume will have a space for you to upload it right to the application.

Will I be penalized or looked down on if I don’t submit a resume?
Again, the short answer is no. There is no need to submit a resume unless you fall into the categories above. And colleges won’t penalize you for not submitting one. In fact, they may see it as unnecessary or annoying if you do submit one for no good reason.

What should be included on the resume?
Students, first and foremost, need to make sure their name and other identifying information, such as a social security number, email address or home address, are on the top. After that, all resumes look different. What you include is up to you. For more information about what your resume could look like, visit this previous blog post.

In short, it makes sense to talk it over with your parents and Campus Bound counselor to decide IF you want to include a college resume and what should be included on it. The college application is all about presenting yourself in your best light and adding a resume might be a good way to do that.