<p>I'm applying to Yale as my top choice. I haven't made a resume yet, and I just wanted to know if it would make much of a difference for my application. The only thing I would probably do on it is elaborate on what my leadership positions entailed, but other than that, I don't have much to add. Currently, I explain two obscure activities in the "Additional Info" section on the common app, </p>
<p>I know adcoms don't look too kindly upon fat files, so I really don't know what to do.</p>
<p>So, should I write one and send it off to Yale? And if I should, how should i format it?</p>
<p>veeshul,
I have no info as to whether indeed my D's "resume" helped her early acceptance, but she did include some attachments (not really a single resume, per se), which highlighted her academic & non-academic work in ways that were not evident or as clear or as impressive as in the standard app., or even on the h.s. transcript. It was the organization that I think may have been helpful in an adcom seeing both the breadth & depth of her achievement in a variety of categories (coursework, awards, e.c.'s, & community service). Those attachments did not replace the app., merely presented the same info in a more focused & organized way. A committee would have the option of not reviewing it if they wished. But personally, I thought the attachments were easier (faster and more succinct!) to read than the info as it was asked in the app form itself. If adcoms do make their own tally lists (as I've heard they do), those attachments would only have made the tallies go faster.</p>
<p>For example, let's say you have a lot of community service. The common app or the separate college app may not invite you to highlight that in a way that makes you stand out from others. But making a chart of those service activities & what you accomplished in them (such as Michele Hernandez recommends in her book, "Acing the College Application") may make an adcom notice that aspect of you more.</p>
<p>I would advise only doing attachments or summaries if they really present information in a significantly different way than is possible on the app. itself.</p>
<p>hmm, I semi-agree with epiphany. For me, under the awards/activities on the common app, I wrote "Please refer to printed resume." and then had a nice, neat, organized resume with all my awards/activities and brief summaries where appropriate. The resume really allows you to tell the adcoms what you were doing rather than listing "Students Against Prejudice," or whatever.</p>