<p>My daughter also graduated high school after her junior year (which was sorta her junior/senior year like you) and went there for just three years. For every activity, she listed which grades she did them in using "9, 10, 11" or whichever of those three grades or all of them. She also noted at the top of her annotated activity resume that she was an early graduate and thus there were not "grade 12" activities listed. Further, with every application, she sent in a one page statement explaining her decision to graduate early from HS and her guidance counselor also spoke to that in his report. It was very clear she was an early graduate, and of course her transcript showed that too. Again, her resume had no 12's for any activity. But she noted that at the top to be clear why no 12s were on it.</p>
<p>Great. I noted in a small paragraph at the bottom of my theatrical resume about my early graduation, is that enough? My guidance councelor (also sponsor of the club I am co-president of) is writing one of my teacher recs, so should I also ask her to mention that?</p>
<p>I didn't put them on my applications for one reason or another, is that a big deal?</p>
<p>I wouldn't have a paragraph on the resume about early graduation. The resume is not truly about academics like GPA, test scores, early graduation and what not. The ONLY academically related thing I would have on an activity resume are academic honors/awards/achievements (just like the application asks you to list) or if you are involved in some academically oriented activity or summer program (math club, summer academic enrichment). The only thing about early graduation on my D's resume was a small one line note with an asterisk under the heading of the resume that asked to please note that she is an early graduate and so there are no grade 12 activities noted. On the application, where you must fill out an activity chart, she also wrote one line that she had no grade 12 activities on it as she was an early graduate. But the resume is not the place to explain anything academic. One place you could have explained early graduation is many apps have a question to the effect of "anything else you want us to know?" or "anything that has affected your academics that we should know about?" or something like that. As I mentioned, my D included a one page statement with the rationale for her early graduation that addressed her academic, social, personal, and artistic reasons. As an early graduate, your admissions will be more scrutinized than the typical applicant and in fact, it is harder to get in as an early graduate. Admissions officers will want to determine if they feel you are ready academically, personally, and socially for college and your application will be furthered reviewed due to this circumstance. Remember, the resume itself is for your activities and achievements and that's it, not for other things to do with academics which are on the application itself.</p>
<p>As far as the guidance counselor report (which every school my Ds applied to all required in addition to teacher recommendations) most certainly addressed her early graduation and their support of that path. Wouldn't you want someone to speak on your behalf who can validate your readiness for college and the path you chose which is not the typical path? My D wrote letters to all of her rec writers and guidance counselor discussing highlights and what she hoped colleges would know about her and within that context, ONE thing she mentioned to every rec writer (guidance counselor, academic teachers and artistic rec writers) was asking them to speak to her readiness to pursue a BFA as an early graduate. So, yes, I suggest that you ask all of your rec writers to do that and particularly your guidance counselor who is the one who speaks about your academic record in particular. You should have REASONS for graduating early that you can articulate and justify. Hopefully, these are supported by other documents such as the school report and recommendations. </p>
<p>You will not be seen as a typical applicant and adcoms will be taking special additional care in determining if they feel you are academically, socially, and personally ready for college and in this case, perhaps also artistically ready for this level of training. Before we ever let our D pursue the early graduation route which was never our plans but she asked us to do it in mid tenth grade, we called each school on her list and asked a blind question, not related to her, but simply if they accept early graduates with a diploma, just to make sure she wasn't knocking herself out of contention for these schools. All said that they do if she had a diploma and I recall one school (I think it is the one she is attending!) suggesting she include a statement about it. This was not one of her regular essays. But this statement went in with every application. That is my suggestion to you and I would not write a statement on an activity resume. You can put a one line note as to why there are no "12's" on the resume or the activity chart but those are not the places to get into early graduation itself which is more of an academic and social issue, than an activity one.</p>
<p>Thanks, great advice. I wish I would have thought about the statement on early graduation earlier, but I have already sent in most of my applications and can't turn back anymore, this is why I was wondering about the short paragraph. I really don't have a whole lot of stuff for the academic resume. My guidance councelor (also former admissions officer for the College of William and Mary) said that making it look like you have a lot of stuff on your resume looks good, even if in reality you don't have a lot. I kinda disagree with that, but I thought I should listen to her since she was an admissions officer for a very prestigious college. This is what I have on my academic resume so far:</p>
<p>Academics
*I am an early graduate, so there are not any 12th grade activities listed</p>
<p>Extracurricular Activities
Gay- Straight Alliance 9th - 11th
Co-president
Drama Club 10th - 11th
Treasurer
German Club 9th - 11th </p>
<p>German-American Partnership Program (GAPP) 10th Summer
Foreign Exchange. Stayed in Hamburg, Germany for 3 weeks.</p>
<p>Academic Honors
International Thespian Society 11th
German National Honor Society 11th </p>
<p>Work/ Volunteer Experience
Summer/Saturday Enrichment Program Assistant Theater Teacher 2005-present
Teach elementary to middle school students basic theatrical vocabulary, acting techniques, improvisational skills. Includes producing tableaus, improvs and a small- scale play. Volunteered in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Received payment in 2006.
Backstage Productions acting classes Assistant Theater Teacher 2005-2006 Helped teach elementary to middle school students basic acting skills with the local community theater. Received minimal payment.
Gap Outlet 8/2007-present Sales Associate/ Cashier
Wythe Candy & Gourmet 2/2007-8/2007 Sales Associate
Captain George’s Seafood Buffet 1/2006-2/2007 Host
Williamsburg AIDS Network 2007 Office Volunteer</p>
<p>Also, is it alright to list productions yet to be performed on the theatrical resume? I heard that as long as you have started rehearsing, then you can list it. For instance, I've got:</p>
<p>Jekyll and Hyde (Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde) Backstage Productions 2008
Little Moon of Alban (Patch Keegan) Backstage Productions 2008
Fanny (Marius) Backstage Productions 2008
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Linus) Backstage Productions 2008</p>
<p>Should I still list those? We've started rehearsals for everything BUT Jekyll and Hyde, but by the time my first audition rolls around we'll be underway</p>
<p>I feel bad for hijacking the thread :/</p>
<p>Freedom, on your German exchange program, I would choose a more active verb than "stayed" in Hamburg. Studied & explored, traveled throughout....something that gives the feeling of an exciting cultural adventure.</p>
<p>I also don't see a problem putting (currently in rehersals) after the plays that have not been produced.</p>
<p>You may [put things on your resume that are upcoming. If you have not yet performed the show you may want to put the date next to it.</p>
<p>Example: Jekyll and Hyde (3/08)</p>
<p>My S always put: Jekyll and Hyde role name currently in rehearsal</p>
<p>StickerShock, I agree about the word "stayed." It's the first thing that jumped out at me. I wasn't going to post, but since you noticed it also, I thought it important for Freedom to know at least two people caught it.
Freedom, I would use a stronger word as StickerShock suggested.</p>
<p>Freedom, </p>
<p>I can't give you the kind of individualized feedback with specifics about your activity resume on the forum. I volunteer and post here in a way to help many at one time as much as I can but have to reserve the specific individualized help to my advisees. So, I am sorry to not give your resume questions the kind of attention you may need. </p>
<p>Very general comments as I didn't want to ignore your reply here.....</p>
<p>If your apps have already been submitted (first.....congrats!! I don't know anyone who has all their apps done), then I am not sure why you are discussing the activity resume. The activity resume is for admissions and would go in with your application and it is DIFFERENT from a THEATER resume. A THEATER resume would go to auditions and so I am not clear what it is you are doing with this activity resume. </p>
<p>Next, I do not agree with your counselor that you need to "fill up" the resume. It is not about quantity but about depth of committments and the significance of your contributions to activities and then showing adcoms about who you are. </p>
<p>I see one mistake with your activity resume that I have seen others make and that is that they think that "extracurriculars" ONLY mean school related ones but that is NOT the case. Colleges want to know of any activities you have done outside of academics, whether through your school or ouside the school system. So, since you are a MT applicant, I am GUESSING you have been doing theaterical productions, voice lessons, dance classes, possibly other theater programs like acting classes, choral groups, etc. I don't see those activities listed on your resume. This is the part that overlaps with the theater resume but just doesn't list the specific roles. </p>
<p>I would also separate out community service or volunteer work from your employment. </p>
<p>The other thing is to annotate your resume and make your activities come alive and show what your contributions were, what you got out of it, etc. </p>
<p>Your activities should each include hrs/wk and wks/yr. </p>
<p>On your THEATER resume....I do think you should put the roles you have been cast in which will be rehearsing over the period of college auditions. My D usually does that, though come to think of that, none of the things she is currently cast in have been put on her resume yet but I imagine if she had an audition, she'd be adding them. I also want to congratulate you on being cast as Jekyll/Hyde!! That is an incredible role and you must be talented to have landed it. My D played Lucy in a production of that musical when she was 16 and I had never seen it before but I think there is some great music in that show. Your part is an amazing learning opportunity when it comes to acting. Break a leg!</p>
<p>Thanks Sooz, I am really excited to get more underway with Jekyll and Hyde. It's my second favorite show of all time (next to Les Mis :D).</p>
<p>As for the academic resume, I read on the old post about resumes (on the 3rd page of this forum, I think) that at your audition you should have 1 page for your Theater resume, another for your academic resume and then your headshot.</p>
<p>Also that was just a sample of my Academic resume that I posted. I have a whole 'nother page for my theater experiences, including shows, training, experiences, awards/honors and other experiences and talents.</p>
<p>Is there a specific order that shows should be listed? I have them organized by companies from most to least recent (shows from '08-'04 only) then by importance of character</p>
<p>I would not give anything but the Theater/Artistic Resume (and head shot) at auditions. Activities/Academic stuff is more meant for the application process. </p>
<p>I would list your credits from the most sigificant to the least......sorta leads, then supporting, then ensemble, with the exception that if a credit is older, such as when you were 13 and a lead, I'd likely put it lower. I think if you have significant credits even if prior to age 14, they are worth listing if just age 17.<br>
As you get more credits and/or more significant ones, then start to eliminate older ones and/or less signficant ones. If you have professional credits, you may wish to separate those from other theater credits. Some have a category just for school credits but that is not entirely necessary. There are ways to organize and categorize the credits and it sorta depends what you have. I can't be more specific unless I were truly helping you with YOUR resume and I can't do all that on a message board.</p>
<p>So...even in the College Theatrical Resume, you should not go in strict chronological order? If I understand you, the dates should jump around? Should there be dates? What should the criteria be: show, role ? ? ?</p>
<p>Here's another related question: If my D is part of an organization that puts on semi-professional theater with mostly kids, but the shows are in theaters that generally have equity shows, should we list the theater or the organization? I don't want to be misleading, but she did perform at that theater!</p>
<p>My D's theatrical resume for college auditions listed roles in order of importance with no dates. She also listed the organization and not the theater. The venue really is not important, I don't think. But if your high school choir performed at Carnegie Hall or the White House, then you might put that somewhere. :) After she got into college, it was suggested by a professor that the credits should be grouped by category: musicals, straight plays, commercials, television work, etc.</p>
<p>Agree with musicmom.....no dates for credits. Listed roles in order of importance. Gave the theatrical organization, NOT the actual theater name. (example...my D has done shows with a very large group in our state but they perform at a theater where National Tours, etc. also perform but we used the name of the theater company, not the venue). The only time my D has ever listed the venue is The Kennedy Center where she was in a show and the organization was the National Symphony but this time she listed the org. and the venue, but otherwise does not (only lists the theater group). As well as musicmom, sometimes, depending on one's credits, they may be grouped in categories that makes sense.....which may vary among resumes but such categories sometimes are professional theater, regional theater, school/educational theater, youth theater, community theater, film/TV, recordings, etc. (Not saying to use any or all of those but they are just examples if credits are broken down)</p>
<p>I remember that specific schools requested dates for each credit on the resume, and it surprised me because it is unorthodox in the real world to do that.
My D's credits read chronologically and listed the venue with the Theater organization if the theater was more well known than the organization. (this included the youth performance company of an Equity theater on the mainstage vs. some other venue).
Interesting how many ways there are to do this. It would be nice if schools all had one format.</p>
<p>These days, in the golden age of computers, with the capacity to print headshots off your personal computer using a digital file and a good printer, is it becoming acceptable to use 8 1/2 x 11 standard size paper for headshot/resume, rather than the traditional 8 x 10?</p>
<p>I saw this done once, and it surprised me, but then I thought why not? Eliminates cutting those darn resumes down and gives you a little more room to work with! :)</p>
<p>In the "real world" many initial submissions are online, anyway. I doubt they are being printed out and then cut down to 8x10 size by the agency/casting director.</p>
<p>I use a printed, 8 x 11 headshot with, on the back, six smaller photos of me in various guises. I print directly onto the back of the resume photo. Everyone I know does the same thing. I have never had any professional director complain.</p>
<p>Having said that, we're not talking about professionals here. We're talking about college theater departments. I'd ask Kat or Coach if I were you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the speedy response! Actually I was hoping for advice from the working professional as well as the college reps, so that is great news! Anyone else care to comment?</p>
<p>Professionally, I don't know because I have always read that the headshot and resume should be the standard size so as not to stick out in a file of resumes. For college, not a problem. </p>
<p>I'm not talking about online submissions but the kind when you show your resume/headshot at the audition.</p>
<p>Correction: I meant 8 x 10 headshot. Standard size for photos. Got mixed up with paper size. My bad.</p>