<p>I have had two interview thus far and brought a 1.5 page resume to both. My UChicago interviewer flatly refused to look at my resume, stating that I should be able to express all its main points in my own words (the interview then went on to last over an hour!) My Rice interviewer had the exact opposite reaction, he was thrilled to have a brief overview of all my activities and strenghts so that he could ask me about each individual one. So my advice would be to bring a resume with you and offer it to your interviewer, if he/she doesnt want to look at it, no harm no foul.</p>
<p>I don't think it matters one way or the other. Bring it if you want to be prepared, I guess.</p>
<p>I've only had one interview so far - MIT - brought a resume, but didn't need it. I DID however, bring two research papers I'd written, and these were VERY HELPFUL, as my interviewer was really interested in my research/had never interviewed a student who'd done research before, and with the papers, I was able to show tangible proof as well as talk about graphs, etc. So, if there's something like that that you really want to talk about in your interview, I'd TOTALLY suggest bringing it - it really helps, IMHO.</p>
<p>For Harvard, the interviewers in my city ASK that we bring a resume that includes GPA/class rank/SAT scores/awards/activities/etc. Probably because a lot of people apply from this area (it's near Cambridge) and there is not a lot of time for each interview. In general, why NOT bring a resume? </p>
<p>Idea for ecneics: I also have a two-page resume. One thing that i find helpful is splitting it into two - one for math+academics (intended major is math), and one for music. I sent the music one with music supplements to colleges. Anyway, I find it helpful to have them broken down topic-wise this way. Just an idea, if your awards/etc are similarly dichotomized.</p>
<p>Would it be ok to just bring the "additional information" pages that i added in the common app (2pg) ? It has my name and school and all the activities i have done.</p>
<p>That's also a good idea, flamingspirits. My interviewer today specifically asked if there was anything I hadn't been able to write on the application.</p>
<p>As usual, the comments are incredibly helpful - almost nobody in my small rural town applies to schools which give interviews so I'm especially grateful for the advice!</p>
<p>Two more questions though. First, instead of e-mailing the resume, is it OK to mail one (assuming there's time) before the interview so the interviewer doesn´t have to bother printing it.</p>
<p>And second, should I first ask permission, or should I simply send it and attach a note saying something like "I thought this might be helpful for you to have before our interview"?</p>
<p>To add to the above, if a student pulls together an activities list/resume for their applications, then it becomes that much easier to modify and include your name/contact info. for college interviews, and summer jobs. For those students who are reading CC that are freshmen/sophomores/juniors, now is a good time to start pulling together this "resume".
I am sure most people here have read the book; BLINK. Most will agree you have the first 15 seconds to make an impression. If you meet the interviewer with a nice folder that includes your resume, you will stand out from the crowd as someone prepared. If you are able to pull together a one page resume, then you have a better chance that it will be read and remembered. Longer than one page can be expounded upon during the interview rather than typing the additional pages. My two cents-</p>
<p>I brought an activities sheet and a copy of my essays to my interviews (I've only had two so far). Neither of my interviewers asked to see a list of my activities, so I didn't bring it up. One of them asked me about my essays, so having a copy of them with me was helpful.</p>
<p>Always have a resume. I have both a college resume and a work resume. I think it make sit much easier for the interviewer to ask you questions off it instead of the normal "fill in your ECs." And, it makes it much easier to emphasize what's important to you in terms of it...from either ECs, Work or..whatever else. I think that's the most important part of it. It represents you better than a crappy handwritten form.</p>
<p>My number one tip: ONE PAGE. DO NOT go over one page. Period. Your resume might get thrown out if it's over two pages and it makes you look pretentious. Just make your info fit in that page. The only instance you should have a two page resume: When you're 60 and you're the CEO of a corporation or something. You have to be truly accomplished as an adult to have one. No matter how accomplished you are in HS, even at 30, you still don't have the "right" to have a two-page resume. That's how it was explained to me many years ago.</p>
<p>lol they usually want to here about the stuff that they can't see from your application, i.e. your passion for your activities and other intangibles, which you should know without writing it down on a piece of paper.</p>
<p>I brought an activities sheet and art portfolio to all of my (six) interviews. Not one of my interviewers looked at the "brag sheet," but all of them looked at the portfolio. They were probably happy to have something to help initiate a discussion on my interests.</p>
<p>The other day I was talking to a family friend, the managing director of a very large company. She has seen countless resumes, and said that the one page resume limit advice is antiquated. Her advice was simply to make the resume as long as it needed to be, but not one word longer. If you have a five page resume, you probably haven't cut wisely. Some people really can't fit everything in one page though. If you've won twenty awards that each (really) need a one line explanation, what are you going to cut? It is not wise to put unneeded fillers, but it is equally unwise to remove information that would legitimately help sell you.</p>
<p>Really, though, make sure that you truly need anything that adds to a resume longer than one page. Have many people look at it. It WILL look ridiculous if you have one page of irrelevant info dispersed throughout a two page brag sheet.</p>
<p>I've done two interviews so far. I have one scheduled for this Monday with Harvard.</p>
<p>At my very first interview, Yale, I asked if I should bring in an activity summary or my resume; he respectfully declined, and so I didn't bring one. During my second interview for USC, I brought my interview and included my USC ID barcode on it thinking that he would take it and add it to my file after the interview (it was with an admissions officer). He took the resume graciously (I offered and gave it to him at the beginning) and he said that he would look at it and use it during the interview; he did not and he returned it to me at the end of the interview. He didn't make many notes either. He simply wrote down my SAT score and the AP courses that I have taken and the scores I had on my exam. He also wrote down one line that I had said, as at the end he concluded the interview by asking me to give him a blurb about myself that would allow him to remember me.</p>
<p>For Harvard, I will be bringing the supplement item that I had sent to them, a research abstract, as well as my resume and my pre-interview form just in case.</p>
<p>"Two more questions though. First, instead of e-mailing the resume, is it OK to mail one (assuming there's time) before the interview so the interviewer doesn´t have to bother printing it."</p>
<p>No, don't bother to e-mail or mail the resume in advance. It's far better to bring in the resume so the interviewer can look it over at your interview, and even make notes on it. E-mailing it or mailing it beforehand puts the burden on the interviewer of bringing it to the interview, and also assumes the interviewer will take even more of their volunteer time to read it before they go to the interview.</p>
<p>After all, it's the student who needs to be doing the background work to prepare for the interview (such as reading the college's web site, making a list of questions for the interviewer, etc.), not the person who's interviewing the student. </p>
<p>In response to people who have asked the interviewer beforehand whether they should bring a resume: I don't suggest doing that. I do strongly suggest bringing in your resume/activity sheet and offering it at the beginning of the interview.</p>
<p>Why? Some interviewers are not experienced, and may think that they don't need a resume, but during the interview itself may -- if offered it -- decide to look at it even if they turned down such an offer at the beginning of the interview. </p>
<p>When I chaired a regional scholarship committee, we didn't ask applicants to send a resume. However, one sent one anyway in addition to the essay, recommendation that we requested. If she had asked me beforehand, I would have told her not to bother. However, the committee found it so useful that subsequently we required applicants to submit resumes.</p>
<p>About the length of the resume/activity sheet: When it comes to JOBS/INTERNSHIPS, one-page is enough and will be enough until you've got considerable experience and are applying for executive jobs or professorships.</p>
<p>It's perfectly fine, though, and appropriate to have up to a 2-page brag/activity sheet/resume when you're applying to colleges. Just don't pad it with fluff.</p>
<p>I brought a copy of my 2 page resume with me to every interview. Sometimes the interviewer took it, sometimes we didn't seem to need it, since most of the things were talked about during the interview. There's no harm in bringing a copy and seeing if the need arises.</p>
<p>Northstarmom: I'd appreciate your advice.</p>
<p>Do you think it's OK to mail a resume to the interviewer (assuming there's time) so the interviewer doesn't have to bother printing an e-mailed resume? </p>
<p>Should I first ask permission to mail it or just add a note saying something like "I thought this might be helpful for our interview"?</p>
<p>I'm a current college student and an interviewer for our admissions office - so just a few thoughts.</p>
<p>Personally, if I look at a resume, its after the interview when I have to do my writeup. I take fairly extensive notes, so normally I don't refer to it that much, but it's useful to have to make sure I've covered everything (since I take my notes as we talk and they're quite scattered). As for a portfolio, I guess it depends on what you have in it. Bringing your art work, a few photographs, newspaper clippings etc is fine and actually interesting for me to see (though I'll normally look at it at the end of the interview unless someone refers to it directly mid-interview). On the other hand, please don't bring a binder of certificates for all the awards you've received (and are already on your resume). And things like perfect attendance awards in middle school really don't matter :)</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>I usually bring along a resume...but so far, only one of my interviewers has even asked to see it! I always bring a photography portfolio with me though - I think it's more fun for people to see some pretty pictures than go down a laundry list of activities? Maybe?</p>
<p>Resume is a good idea if you have enough quality stuff to put on it (not just a laundry list of ECs or list of courses and grades or SAT scores). Only put GPA, no SAT or ACT scores, since it's not stuff you can really talk about.</p>
<p>I had an interview with Cornell (hotel) and they actually recommended a resume with work experience, honors and awards, etc. I have no idea how I would've done without one, since my interviewer often used it as the outline of her questions.</p>
<p>I just brought a one-page resume to each of mine, and they all seemed to appreciate it</p>