Resume??

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi, everyone!</p>

<p>So I've filled out the common app, but I've decided that I still want to attach a resume to my application. SOMETHING seems to be missing from the common app...I'm just not sure exactly what that "thing" is. Can someone please guide me on what type of material to include in the resume? Do you normally elaborate on each activity on the resume, or simply list them? I don't want to repeat anything that's already on the common app, though. I want to stress my passion for the sciences(I want to follow a neuroscience undergrad focus offered by the colleges I'm applying to) and my attempts to spread cultural awareness. How should I divide up the sections to achieve this? Here's my resume(sorry if some of you have already seen this in my other posts):</p>

<p>(oh and should I include a picture album/ scrapbook of the activities I've done? I think this may help me stay in the mind of the admission officers. I have action shots from State Science Bowl and our team w/ our big check & trophy for placing 3rd. I also have pictures from my research/ symposiums I've done. I also have pictures from Hand-In-Hand summer camp that I co-founded to help teach children about different cultures & other pics!)
I. JOBS/TEACHING (weird title. Any suggestions?)
- Researcher (Unpaid internship): State University's laboratory. January 2011- Present
(I have started an innovative research project--groundbreaking results, maybe?-- and will continue with it this summer)
- Biology Tutor (paid): September-December 2010
- Spanish Tutor(volunteer): Spring 2011
- Mathematics Tutor(volunteer): Fall 2009- Spring 2010</p>

<p>II. EXTRACURRICULARS
-Health Occupation Students of America <a href="placed%20at%20regionals,%20state,%20%5BB%5Dnationals%5B/B%5D">/B</a>
- National Junior Honors Society/National Honors Society(volunteered a lot & Vice president)
- Mu Alpha Theta~math honors society (competitions & Secretary & president)
- **Science Club/Science Bowl/Science Olympiad<a href="placed%20at%20regionals%20and%20state%20for%20Olymp(overall%202nd%20in%20region);%5BB%5D%203rd%20in%20state%20for%20Bowl%5B/B%5D">/B</a>
- Student Government Association (Representative since junior year. senior class president)
- Spanish Club/ Spanish Honors society (volunteered. Maybe officer position senior year? I'll try to get this club more involved with things)
-FANS(served as mentor for incoming freshman since sophomore year)
- **Persian Cultural Association, 2006 (The University chapter. Involved with cultural celebrations at two universities; on the excecutive organizing committee)
- Researcher/ intern at the University (Since Jan of Junior year & I'm doing it on my own time this summer, as well)
- Hand-In-Hand: summer camp for those interested in learning about different ethnicities, 2011(co-founder & camp counselor)
-....and hopefully, will found my school's chamber for Science National Honors Society **this year! & be the president (the sponsor & principal approved). This opens the door for free **summer neuroscience program at Emory & science scholarships
-This summer, I will hopefully intern at a local neurologist's officeIV. AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS (which ones should I include in common app??)
- Many High School Distinguished Honor Rolls and Community Service awards
- Outstanding Academic Achiever- University of TN Alumni Association,
- State-level Science Bowl, Third place
- Pre-calculus competition at the Annual Math Teachers’ Association competition, Fourth place
- Science Olympiad awards at regionals and state
- Engineers' Quiz Bowl-state, Third place
- The 2010 HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) National Leadership Conference, SECOND PLACE, June- July 2010
- The 2010 HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Tennessee State Competition, Third Place, February 2010
- State Association of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), 2010 Regional Competition, First Place
- Statistics competition at the Math Teachers’ Association competition, Fifth Place
- High School Academic Excellence in Mathematics Award
- Algebra competition at the Math Teachers’ Association competition, Tenth place
- The 2009 Association of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Regional competition, First Place- , March 2009
- The 2009 HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) State Competition- Fifth Place- February 2009
- Winner of the “Published writer: Creative Communication’s Poets Contest”-
Published writer in A Celebration of Poets- Summer of 2009 <-- another national award. Hope this helps.</p>

<p>V: VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE (Summer 2009- Spring 2011)
-approx. 250 hours over the summer & with NHS, HOSA, Goodwill, American Cancer Society, and SGA. Hopefully, a neurologist will let me volunteer in his office this summer.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all the help, and I apologize about the length of this post!</p>

2

<p>FWIW, the few top tier admissions reps that I’ve heard opinions on this do not like resumes. I understand your desire to elaborate on what you have done, however their thoughts are that the common app, supplement, and essays give ample opportunity to express the things that are important to you. These along with your LOR’s and scores/GPA help to give a clear picture of what you can offer their university. If you do choose to include a resume I would skip the pictures. A college rep I followed on twitter actually made a joke about one last year with photos. It was probably extreme but I got the feeling it didn’t help the applicant. :eek:</p>

3

<p>I understand why admission officers wouldn’t want too many additional parts attached. </p>

<p>Wow, interesting information about the photo album! I first learned about it through The Gatekeeper, which is written by people who were accepted to Harvard and other top Ivy’s. The photo album worked for that person…I never knew admission officers think it is silly! Maybe I won’t include one then. Do you remember what exactly the person you followed on Twitter made fun of?</p>

4

<p>Keep in mind that Gatekeepers was written in 1999. This was well before the Common App, electronic applications, or every student being computer literate. A lot of things still hold true and it’s an important book for many reasons. My thought is that with the vast number of exceptionally talented students that are now capable of doing such things they no longer stand out. The message I got was the common app, supplement, LORs, and essays included, are the place to impress and brevity was appreciated. Certainly if you are an art student you will submit a portfolio. That’s another matter. Students send cookies, write songs, all kinds of creative things, but I believe admissions reps have a way of enjoying it without being swayed.</p>

<p>I can’t find the direct quote on twitter regarding the photos. It was during the application season. The admission reps get pretty funny and post about extreme apps, phone calls, etc. They do not have an easy job!! I would recommend looking to see if any of your target schools have admission blogs or if their reps are on twitter. You can read through old posts and get lots of information. </p>

<p>If you’re considering sending a resume why don’t you call your target schools and ask if it could help. Then you’ll know if you are putting your energy in the right place. </p>

<p>For full disclosure, my son did attach a one page resume to his common app. I found out after he sent it that his top choice didn’t like them. I never told him because there wasn’t anything he could do at that point (privately I worried it would work against him). He was accepted. Had I known I would have advised him to work harder to incorporate everything that he wanted to be considered into the app and forgo the the resume.</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much for all the information!! I had no idea the book was that old…all the information I got was from the blog for that book. I haven’t actually had time to read it. </p>

<p>I’ll take your advice and try my best to include everything in the common app & essays. My only worry was the awards b/c I have around 30 or so and the common app only allows space for 4.</p>

6

<p>While I imagine it does irk adcoms to read additional materials, they can indeed help your case. Some applicants have more awards than they are given space for, especially those who participate in awards-heavy extracurriculars (sports, debate, that sort of thing); others participate in somewhat obscure activities that require additional explanation; still others are involved only in standard activities but have done impressive things with their positions, things that wouldn’t be encompassed by the club name alone.</p>

<p>I’m all for an additional resume in cases like these. Better for an adcom to be a little annoyed but better informed about your accomplishments.</p>

<p>My recommendation is to check out Michele Hernandez’s book A Is for Admission: she has a great guide for activity lists.</p>

7

<p>Thank you so much! I’ll see if I can find that book.</p>

8

<p>I’d like to reiterate how important it is to find out if your target school appreciates resumes or not. If they don’t, then you could be shooting yourself in the foot.</p>

<p>Creating a resume, however, is helpful. For just about anything, from scholarship applications to interviews. You asked what to put into a resume. I’m sure these articles would help you out.</p>

<p>[Applying</a> to College ? Step 3: Gathering Materials- Nerld Blog](<a href=“http://www.nerld.com/blog/2011/07/08/applying-to-college-–-step-3-gathering-materials/#resume]Applying”>http://www.nerld.com/blog/2011/07/08/applying-to-college-–-step-3-gathering-materials/#resume)</p>

<p>[Applying</a> to College: Sample Resume- Nerld Blog](<a href=“http://www.nerld.com/blog/2011/07/08/applying-to-college-sample-resume/]Applying”>http://www.nerld.com/blog/2011/07/08/applying-to-college-sample-resume/)</p>

9

<p>Thank you for the links! How do I find out if the schools that I’m applying to would prefer resumes? Is there any way but calling? </p>

<p>I visited the Harvard Undergrad Admissions website, but was unsucessful in finding an answer to that question…</p>

10

<p>I’m afraid that there’s nothing for you to do but call! (but don’t worry, schools like it when you call… most of the time) Calling them won’t make them peevish–promise. :)</p>

<p>However, most schools would probably prefer you not bother them with the extra paperwork involved in sending in your resume. When in doubt, don’t do it. I’m pretty sure Harvard is one those schools who won’t appreciate it. (don’t quote me on that)</p>

<p>True skill resides in somehow fitting in everything you want to on the Common App. I know it’s hard, but you should try. You don’t know how many times I’ve had to rephrase, reorganize… haha, patience is a virtue!</p>

<p>But as I said, it’s still pretty darn helpful to have a resume handy, so whether you send them in to admissions or not, I’d most definitely make one.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the reply, Yuechen! I do have a resume ready, but I’ll try my best to fit everything in the common app. I always thought sending a resume would be good because it would show a liiittle extra effort. But the point about wasting the adcom’s time makes more sense…Maybe I won’t send the photo album either. I’ll include a research supplement & the optional essay, though. I hope that’s good enough!</p>

12

<p>It most definitely is. :slight_smile: Why? Well, just personal experience. ;)</p>

<p>Feel free to ask more questions anytime! Or even pm me. Good luck!</p>

13

<p>Congrats on your amazing acceptance!
& thank you for your kind offer. I will keep that in mind when I have a question during application season!</p>