<p>For an early decision application, due a few days, we noticed that he should have a "resume." Since he has never done a resume, I did help him with formatting and language, so it sounds pretty formal - more adult like than his essays which are in his voice. I'm not sure what "his voice" would be on a resume. Any thoughts on this? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Hmm, that’s an interesting question. I have personally never seen resumes as things that really have ‘voices’. (Caveat - I work in a very East Coast, relatively formal industry; I realize that more creative places such as liberal arts colleges might have different expectations). My experience with resumes are that they are almost designed to be read by computers, not people. </p>
<p>My take is that it is OK/expected for the resume to be more formal than the essays since it’s just a record of the student’s career in terms of volunteering, extracurricular services, and other achievements rather than something emotional, thoughtful, or reflective. They have more in common with transcripts than personal essays in my opinion.</p>
<p>(EDIT: For example, in terms of voice - when I pull together resumes for proposals at work, the senior manager with 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 countries’ resume has the same “voice” as the 23-year old staff person who just graduated from college and started with us as an intern last summer. You can’t tell anything about who these people are on a human or emotional level just by reading the resume; even the age is obscured unless you sit and crunch the numbers for graduation years).</p>
<p>Hopefully someone else will have more insight though on what the colleges want with this.</p>
<p>Here’s a resume that UT provides as a sample. I think it’s perfectly age-appropriate. Doesn’t need to be “stuffy.”
<a href=“http://webfc.ahisd.net/~lvargaslew/FOV1-0002055E/College%20Resume%20UT%20Example?Plugin=Loft”>http://webfc.ahisd.net/~lvargaslew/FOV1-0002055E/College%20Resume%20UT%20Example?Plugin=Loft</a></p>
<p>Are you sure it is r equired? Some just have an optional upload on the common app, but are not listed on the website as required and in that case I would not do one except in rare circumstances. Yes resumes are just straightforward and succinct. It is not a job resume but a student one.</p>
<p>If you MUST do a resume (I think they are repetitive with the app most of the time, especially if the additional info section has been used appropriately to add detail as needed), then formal is probably fine. This is the one area where I feel like optional IS optional in the college application process because it is hard to do a resume that doesn’t just repeat what was already put in the app. Some GC (old school, IMHO) are still big on them. I just think it is more paper for admissions unless it truly adds info that isn’t in the resume already.</p>
<p>Resume is helpful for interviews. My kid’s GC asked all students to do one.</p>
<p>My daughter’s HS required a resume (or brag sheet) of all seniors for them to graduate.</p>
<p>Intparent it is optional and allows us to provide some additional information. We feel mixed but think we’ll include it. </p>
<p>Resume is supposed to be formal. I ask my kids to update their resume every year.</p>