<p>I am currently revising my CV to attach to my applications. The issue is that I am not sure exactly what is appropriate to include. My first question, which may seem slightly idiotic, is if it's okay to include things from high school. In my draft I have listed the name of my high school and year of my graduation, and have mentioned my awards and student government position. I know this is going too far back, but I thought maybe I should include these things because the awards are directly related to my desired area of study (I won the history and Spanish departmental awards, and I am interested in Spanish history). As i am graduating from a foreign university, I thought this could be appropriate to include because my GPA equivalent will be less simple for them to categorize and my position at the top of my classes may not be as apparent (sorry to brag!). As for student government, I figured that maybe letting them know I served as a student representative in high school and college would show my tendency to become heavily involved with my department and with issues related to my institution. I worry though that this may seem like a desperate attempt to be recognized for long forgotten achievements, and to compensate for having fewer awards at the university level. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>My second question concerns non-academic work. I had a couple jobs in high school, one of which I maintained full time during my college summers. Some universities ask for employment information as part of their application, and some don't. I have included this information in my CV, but am not sure if it's actually appropriate to include in a CV. In the UK the term "CV" is pretty much used to mean "resume," however I'm aware that in the US "curriculum vitae" is used specifically for listing academic achievements. Thus, is it appropriate for me to list non-academic work (such as working for a non-profit, working as a cashier) in my CV?</p>
<p>Nothing before your post-secondary education. No matter how relevant or importance they might seem to be.</p>
<p>It is not appropriate to include this information.</p>
<p>Thanks! Kind of a shame then that some universities don’t want to hear anything about your employment background. Puts those who worked through university at a real disadvantage against those who always had plenty of money and free time!</p>
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<p>It does not put you at a disadvantage. It simply does not help your application. You could slip the fact that you worked to put yourself through college into your SOP in the context of describing, say, your work ethic when it comes to your major.</p>
<p>While those who have “plenty of money and free time” always seem to have the edge (no matter what we’re talking about), you can still get into grad school provided that you’ve shown that you have the research/academic chops to succeed.</p>
<p>I do have plenty of money and free time, and as a result I have better grades than my friends who have juggled coursework and time consuming jobs throughout university (I only worked in the summers). I’m sure they could make that case in their personal statements, but still it may sound like your average excuse for having an unimpressive GPA. It also seems like a shame to me that because unpaid internships are all the rage these days, people who can’t afford to work for free all summer appear less industrious than those who can.</p>
<p>Now that I’ve read your comments, I think I may just not bother including a CV, and try to mention my university achievements elsewhere in my applications. Is it a bad thing not to include a CV, or is it common for people not to have them? If I do include a CV, what kinds of things do you recommend I include? So far I have my research internship listed (with the title of my written piece), my position as a student representative within my department, and my Deans List awards. I suppose I could include the title of the thesis I’m currently working on. Doesn’t really amount to much of a CV - anything else I should include?</p>