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What should I put on my college resume to boost it up
Starting to compose my resume for college #college
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Terence’s Answer
Resumes are a widely interpreted thing, but it's always good to get opinions on them. Just keep in mind that they can be edited and revised to infinity as people will always have opinions on every little detail. In short, take advice, but take it with a grain of salt (including this advice!).
Resumes should convey what YOUR work and professional experience has been. I think of each bullet emphasizing a specific skill or an accomplishment, whether it's a job, a club, or project that you have been involved it. The opposite is just stating your role and the tasks you have, which doesn't show what makes you different from the other candidates.
1) "Lead a team of 5 students in a quarter-long project in building a recommendation for (the customer) with the goal of 5% process optimization. Using a collaborative approach with each of the team members strengths, we determined that recommendation "A" would yield a 8% improvement in target KPI's"
2) "Worked on a project where we used our analysis and met the deadline of the project, with good remarks from our professor"
Example (1) above, shows specifics on the challenge and the work that your team did, your role (as a leader), and that you over-achieved on the goal (8%). It better articulates what your team has done and the achievements in context. Example (2) does cover what you were supposed to do and what you did, but it doesn't show what your specific role was, or the accomplishments.
One trick I do is write up my resume and read it, I should be able to note what specific skills/accomplishments I'm trying to highlight. In the example above, I would write "Leadership" over bullet #1 above.
Resumes should convey what YOUR work and professional experience has been. I think of each bullet emphasizing a specific skill or an accomplishment, whether it's a job, a club, or project that you have been involved it. The opposite is just stating your role and the tasks you have, which doesn't show what makes you different from the other candidates.
1) "Lead a team of 5 students in a quarter-long project in building a recommendation for (the customer) with the goal of 5% process optimization. Using a collaborative approach with each of the team members strengths, we determined that recommendation "A" would yield a 8% improvement in target KPI's"
2) "Worked on a project where we used our analysis and met the deadline of the project, with good remarks from our professor"
Example (1) above, shows specifics on the challenge and the work that your team did, your role (as a leader), and that you over-achieved on the goal (8%). It better articulates what your team has done and the achievements in context. Example (2) does cover what you were supposed to do and what you did, but it doesn't show what your specific role was, or the accomplishments.
One trick I do is write up my resume and read it, I should be able to note what specific skills/accomplishments I'm trying to highlight. In the example above, I would write "Leadership" over bullet #1 above.
Updated
Doc’s Answer
So you're working on your college application. Congratulations are in order Sophia. By now, we all know that grades and standardized test scores play a big role in getting accepted to college. More and more, though, admissions officers are looking at other factors when they assess candidates. It takes hard work to guarantee your college application stands out. Make it rise to the top of the pile by becoming familiar with the application process and getting organized. A lot of moving parts go into applying to college— tests, essays, recommendation letters, transcripts—and each element has a deadline attached. Make careful note of deadlines for each school you're applying to so you don't miss them!
• GPA – Always matters to potential colleges. If you have a high GPA, it shows them that you have a strong work ethic — something they hope will carry over into your college education. They want you to do well at their school, because successful students are more likely to make an immediate impact post-graduation. A high school GPA is used as an indicator for how well you can handle the rigor of college education.
• ESSAY – A good college essay is a critical part of the application process. The essay can often be a distinguishing factor for an applicant, so you want it to be well-written. However, don't be intimidated; the most important element of a college essay is that it's about you. Even if a topic is chosen for you already, a college essay is really just a way for admissions advisors to get to know you more intimately, hear your perspective and relate to you on a personal level. This is one area you know a lot about, so just remember to infuse as much of "you" as possible into your essay.
• RECOMMENDATIONS – Letters of recommendation are a super important part of a student’s application This letter is basically written proof coming from a credible adult who has witnessed and can vouch for your triumphs, skills, and character. Find a teacher, guidance counselor, or member of the community outside of your school, who is willing to rave about how great you are. It is also important to find a reference who is not a teacher or a guidance counselor, so that the college can validate that the student is great at more than just school. This point of contact can be a coach or a boss, but never a family member or friend.
• INVOLVEMENT – Colleges want to know that their prospective students are well rounded. They aren’t just looking for a student with straight A’s. Standout applicants have diverse interests, a distinct personality, and commit themselves to things they are passionate about. Involvement in extracurricular activities is a huge benefit. This also shows that a student has good time management, because they have to juggle academics along with their other activities. If you have leadership positions in some of your groups, that’s even better. For example, Captain of the volleyball team, or Treasurer of their Class Committee looks very impressive to those reading your application.
• COMMUNITY SERVICE – Community service is an important thing for colleges to see on your application because it says a lot about the kind of person you are. Community service speaks volumes about your morality, compassion, and awareness of social issues. It shows that you care about more than just yourself, and you are actively involved in helping your community. Colleges want overall good people, not just smart people.
Hope this was helpful Sophia
Early Decision and Early Action are options that allow you to apply to a college early and receive the admissions department's decision in advance of traditional applicants. Many colleges now offer early admission programs because they present significant advantages; applicants can receive increased consideration since colleges tend to admit a higher percentage of early applicants than they do normal applicants. There's also the obvious benefit of advanced peace of mind if accepted and more time to plan for the move to the school. Colleges enjoy the benefit of enrolling students who really want to go to their school and meeting enrollment goals early.
Check in Regularly. You don't have to send off your application and then twiddle your thumbs while you wait to hear. You can stop by campus for a visit, call the admissions office or send in a thank you note to make your presence felt from time to time. This shows the admissions officers that you care and you're passionate about attending their school.
Be Careful with Social Media. Admissions officers might not spend a ton of time digging into yours social media accounts but it's a tool many of them use. Posts that show a lack of judgment, poor character or anything that contradicts the persona you present in your application can count against you. Before you send your applications out, it might be a good idea to scrub your social media accounts for questionable content.
• GPA – Always matters to potential colleges. If you have a high GPA, it shows them that you have a strong work ethic — something they hope will carry over into your college education. They want you to do well at their school, because successful students are more likely to make an immediate impact post-graduation. A high school GPA is used as an indicator for how well you can handle the rigor of college education.
• ESSAY – A good college essay is a critical part of the application process. The essay can often be a distinguishing factor for an applicant, so you want it to be well-written. However, don't be intimidated; the most important element of a college essay is that it's about you. Even if a topic is chosen for you already, a college essay is really just a way for admissions advisors to get to know you more intimately, hear your perspective and relate to you on a personal level. This is one area you know a lot about, so just remember to infuse as much of "you" as possible into your essay.
• RECOMMENDATIONS – Letters of recommendation are a super important part of a student’s application This letter is basically written proof coming from a credible adult who has witnessed and can vouch for your triumphs, skills, and character. Find a teacher, guidance counselor, or member of the community outside of your school, who is willing to rave about how great you are. It is also important to find a reference who is not a teacher or a guidance counselor, so that the college can validate that the student is great at more than just school. This point of contact can be a coach or a boss, but never a family member or friend.
• INVOLVEMENT – Colleges want to know that their prospective students are well rounded. They aren’t just looking for a student with straight A’s. Standout applicants have diverse interests, a distinct personality, and commit themselves to things they are passionate about. Involvement in extracurricular activities is a huge benefit. This also shows that a student has good time management, because they have to juggle academics along with their other activities. If you have leadership positions in some of your groups, that’s even better. For example, Captain of the volleyball team, or Treasurer of their Class Committee looks very impressive to those reading your application.
• COMMUNITY SERVICE – Community service is an important thing for colleges to see on your application because it says a lot about the kind of person you are. Community service speaks volumes about your morality, compassion, and awareness of social issues. It shows that you care about more than just yourself, and you are actively involved in helping your community. Colleges want overall good people, not just smart people.
Hope this was helpful Sophia
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Thank You Amanda. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Meighan Middleton
Former College Advisor and Admissions Professional/Surface Warfare Officer
38
Answers
Updated
Meighan’s Answer
While resumes are helpful to college admissions board members, they are not the first thing we look at. Often times, if you spend the appropriate amount of time providing explanatory details of your accomplishments in your college application itself, the resume is simply a summary of what we already know. If you realize that your resume is providing new information you did not capture already in your application, you may want to go back and edit your answers on your application to provide more details. Many colleges do not even require a resume in their application process, but it is becoming a more and more common practice to see students include one. It certainly cannot hurt your application, but there are much better ways to stand out than simply attaching a resume.
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
An important pointer I'd been given on resumes is to have multiple different versions of my resume that highlight different parts of my experience. It helps to practice updating the resume based on who you're applying to. Some versions of my resume speak more about my education and which classes I took while others went into deeper detail about my volunteer work and hobbies. For business and colleges, it can help to survey their website and skim for buzz words and examples of ideal employees/students. Getting an idea of what they're after can give you a better idea of which parts of your resume to spend time giving more detail on. Also, any experiences that are unique to you can give you an edge if you can figure out a way to include them in your resume. Often, the reviewer having a grin on their face from a cool fact about you is all it takes to stand out from hundreds of applications in a big stack.
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Jim’s Answer
I actually just took a workshop on resumes. One of the big take aways for me was that employers love seeing volunteer work. It doesn't necessarily have to be something huge either. Think of things you may have been involved in that were a benefit to others. It could be something that was organized by your school or church. If you don't have anything specific, look into doing a couple of things. Again, it doesn't have to be something big. Employers like to see applicants that can show empathy towards others, and aren't strictly driving for a paycheck or a promotion.
I recently started doing work for Every Name Counts through the Zooniverse website. The group is digitizing all the personal records of World War II German concentration camp prisoners. It's a great cause, and something you can do online in your spare time.
I hope this helps. Good luck to you!
I recently started doing work for Every Name Counts through the Zooniverse website. The group is digitizing all the personal records of World War II German concentration camp prisoners. It's a great cause, and something you can do online in your spare time.
I hope this helps. Good luck to you!
Updated
Laura’s Answer
Hi there!
If you have done any community engagement or volunteer opportunities, those are great items to put onto your college resume. If you did any extracurricular activities or sports in high school, that can also be great to input. If you already know what you are going to major in and have done anything related to that field of study, that can be important to put on as well. You can also put on your GPA, accomplishments (scholarly or extracurricular), etc. I wish you the best of luck in finding your dream school!
If you have done any community engagement or volunteer opportunities, those are great items to put onto your college resume. If you did any extracurricular activities or sports in high school, that can also be great to input. If you already know what you are going to major in and have done anything related to that field of study, that can be important to put on as well. You can also put on your GPA, accomplishments (scholarly or extracurricular), etc. I wish you the best of luck in finding your dream school!
Updated
Matt’s Answer
Your resume should note your accomplishments, not tasks. The most common professional resumes have is that they list tasks. Generally, hiring managers know what tasks are required for the position being hired for and, thus, don't need this data. Rather, they need to know about the outcomes and accomplishments the candidate can reasonably claim.
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Jesse’s Answer
I've always felt it was good advice that your resume should tell a story. It should relay to whoever is reviewing it what your passions are and where you proudly spend your time. Ideally, these additions should be complimentary to your academic success. Any accolades gained while on a sports or scholastics team, or a prize won for an art competition. They don't also necessarily Ideally any achievement in a personal passion would be a prime candidate.
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Jaycee’s Answer
How exciting! Here are a few tips :)
- Volunteer and community work seems to catch college eyes.
- Intern experience that is also great
- AP Classes and projects associated
- School accomplishments, leadership roles
- job experience can show responsibility!
- Volunteer and community work seems to catch college eyes.
- Intern experience that is also great
- AP Classes and projects associated
- School accomplishments, leadership roles
- job experience can show responsibility!