<p>I asked about this a couple of years ago and there were mixed opinions. Still curious about it...what if the picture has something to do with an extracurricular activity? For instance, what if your kid does theatre, and the picture is of he/she is a particular role? Or what if it's a picture of them at their job?</p>
<p>Any thoughts on this?</p>
<p>Thank you!!</p>
<p>No, it is not a good idea to put your picture on your resume.</p>
<p>Don’t do it. If there’s something important that can only be expressed through a photo (such as a talent for theatrical makeup design), it belongs in a supplement, not the resume.</p>
<p>I also would not include a photo with the regular application/resume. </p>
<p>However, I noticed you recently were asking about headshots for your daughter who is a theater applicant over on the Theater/Drama Majors forum. </p>
<p>If your daughter applies to any audition based theater programs, she will need to bring a headshot and theater resume to the audition. This is not a photo of her in costume in a role. As well, a theater resume is not the same as the activity resume one would send to admissions with the application.</p>
<p>If your daughter applies to non-audition theater programs and opts to send an arts supplement, a headshot and theater resume would be good to include in the supplement along with a DVD sample and artistic recommendation. Again, this would not be a photo in costume.</p>
<p>Here’s the thing. A photo such as described in the OP doesn’t add anything to a college application. Affixing an unsolicited picture puts the admissions process under pressure that isn’t good for you. What are the AdComs supposed to understand from that picture? That the student is physically attractive? That’s no criterion for admission. That a student is an URM? List that elsewhere with a checkmark. </p>
<p>Someone reviewing a supplemental arts application will almost surely know of every play s/he might have been in. Showing him or her in costume says no more than just listing the name of play and character portrayed. It doesn’t need to be proved with a photo.</p>
<p>SoozieVt’s headshot information is a whole other aspect; yes, that’s needed later for auditions, but as SoozieVt noted, it’s not a full-figure in costume. It’s a professional headshot. It is relevant because, in the theater industry, physical attributes of facial appearance, height and weight all influence – but don’t determine – casting. So there, it’s relevant and new info. </p>
<p>A photo to a general college application adds nothing and IMO suggests a certain insensitivity to the entire selection process. Keep on topic. How the student looks is not the topic.</p>
<p>A photo on the job - again, we all know what someone looks like behind a desk, holding a lab beaker or waiting tables. I can’t see that it adds anything to show it in photographic form.</p>
<p>On the other hand, why would a college ask for a photo? My niece failed to check off racial identify on her SATs and college apps. A curious college asked for her to send a photo, likely to determine if she was a URM. She did not comply, continuing to assert that race should not matter, only merit. She of course was denied admission to this ivy league college.</p>
<p>You can’t determine URM status from a photo. So that could not have been the reason for the request unless she was applying to college in Brazil, where skin tone rather than identity is used to promote diversity.</p>
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<p>What Ivy League college asks for photos? I don’t believe it.</p>
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<p>My DS is an URM and even if I sent a photo, it wouldn’t show that he is or is not a URM. He also applied to several ivys and is going to one…no photo asked for. Sounds odd.</p>
<p>A long time ago colleges including my grad school often asked for photos and probably used them for nefarious purposes. I believe it was specifically not allowed in the State of Massachusetts, but it might have been Rhode Island. That was a long time ago!</p>
<p>When my D1 applied to Brown in fall of 2003, a photo was optional. She sent one. She did not send one to any other college, however. She attended Brown.</p>
<p>(unrelated to that, D2 had to bring a headshot to every college she applied to as they were by audition and required)</p>
<p>PS…I no longer see anything about a photo on the current Brown application, but it is now 8 years later.</p>
<p>^^ Well it makes sense that they’d want headshots for theater, dance, or other performing arts. But other than that, I can’t for the life of me see why any college would need it. In fact, it seems a little creepy.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is any reason a regular college (non-theater program) NEEDS any kind of photograph. But I don’t find it creepy. Back when D applied to Brown, it was optional and not necessarily meant to be a portrait type photo. For example, I think D’s roommate said she sent a picture of herself hiking to the top of some major mountain (I forget which) with her dad. It is not unlike, for example, at Tufts, it is optional to send in (or link to YouTube) a one minute video to show something about yourself. It’s like a snapshot of something meaningful to show a side of you. As an optional piece, I don’t have a problem with it. But it is not needed and I would definitely not send one if not asked (except for a theater or dance arts supplement).</p>
<p>I think the Georgetown application requested a photo a few years ago.</p>
<p>I’ve heard from reps that it just makes it easier to read an app and think of the person, not the stats. But I won’t send one if not asked. Don’t send anything unless asked.</p>
<p>When D1 applied to Columbia 5 years, they asked for her picture. I don’t remember if it was optional or not. </p>
<p>D2 completed her application. She included a dance resume with a picture for her art supplement.</p>
<p>Not a good idea not only for the reasons cited by other commenters, but also because photos were used historically by Ivy and other elite college admissions for discriminatory purposes. Recalled reading in US history class how undergrad applicant photos were once an integral part of the application for the express purpose of excluding racial and religious minorities. </p>
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<p>It is optional. </p>
<p>Columbia of all places were pressured to make it optional as that request for an applicant’s picture originated as a means to use the discredited pseudoscience of phrenology to exclude “undesirable” applicants…namely racial and religious minorities. Not surprising considering Columbia University was one of the more prominent Ivies involved in a conference of university presidents to discuss ways to discriminate against those “undesirable applicants” whom they feared would supplant their preferred applicants*. </p>
<p>Considering that sordid history, I’m actually shocked Columbia still requests a photo…even on an optional basis in the 90’s when I applied and still does so in the present judging by what I’ve heard from current Columbia undergrads. </p>
<p>It was also a reason why athletics has been emphasized as a highly desired EC.</p>
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<li>Scions of wealthy WASP families.</li>
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<p>I have heard of instances in which people with ambiguous last names (like Lee) included a photo to show that they were NOT Asian.</p>
<p>My S was applying to college in 2007. He attached a page to his essay which had 3 smaller pictures showing him involved in his major passion, which was the subject of his essay. It tied together very well and I felt really gave his essay extra life. He has very good admission results. Who knows if it helped? It certainly didn’t hurt, in his case.</p>
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What she said -
When my D applied to Georgetown in fall 2007 for fall 2008 admission, they requested a photo be attached to the application.</p>