Senior Toolkit
Section 6: The College Résumé
“The biggest mistake I see students make is to write ‘please see attached résumé’ on their applications. Write a résumé for use in finding a part-time job or summer internship, or for an introduction during an interview. Keep it up-to-date with your activities and honors, and use it for reference when you fill out your college applications.”
- Nancy Meislahn, Wesleyan University
Do I need a college résumé?
Most likely. Some colleges allow a résumé to be submitted with your application, but not all of them want one. Some colleges simply want you to list your activities on the application itself.
Even if none of the schools on your list require a résumé, however, you might still need one in another context. It’s a good idea to bring one to your college interview; the interviewer probably won’t ask for one, but your résumé can help generate discussion topics. It can also be a good reference for the teachers or counselors who are writing your recommendation letters. Also, you might be filling out other applications that require a résumé: a scholarship application, for example. So in most cases, creating a college résumé is a good idea.
Some of the questions answered in this section's video:What should I put on my college résumé? Should I attach a résumé to all the colleges I apply to? What information will I need to have on hand when I fill out my applications? Should I list stuff I did before high school? |
Video: The College Résumé (2:24)
Quality Over Quantity
As mentioned in the video, the information you include on your résumé should be concise and relevant. Admissions officers will not be impressed by a résumé that is filled with activities you were only peripherally involved in. The activities you list on your résumé should reflect your genuine, long-term interests: activities you’re likely to continue in college. They’re not interested in breadth; they're interested in depth.
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