What Does Your Resume Say About YOU?

Are you an artist and an activist or a researcher and a writer? The types of activities you choose to spend time on and include in your resume tell a great deal about your interests, strengths, and values. In a holistic admissions process (when a college considers more than simply grades and test scores), these aspects of your personality can reflect character traits that colleges consider when reading your application. 

When you review your resume with a critical eye, does it tell your whole story? Make sure you provide a complete picture of all your involvements throughout high school by including part-time jobs, summer activities, and hobbies (like playing the guitar). Since the pandemic, many students have found it difficult to get involved in clubs and volunteer opportunities. Don’t let this hold you back. It’s never too late to step up and step into activities you are passionate about; there’s still time to get involved over the summer and into next year.

Are your activity descriptions reflective of your authentic interest and impact? In reading about your activities, admissions officers will note why the activity is important to you as well as your impact on others. For instance, describing your participation on the varsity baseball team with your stats and the team’s state championship title is admirable, but including what you’ve learned from being a member of that team or how you’ve acted as a role model and leader for younger players on the field leaves more of an impression. Describe your involvement with precise action verbs that show your depth of involvement, responsibilities, and character, giving application readers a complete picture and make you stand out. 

So make sure the depth of your involvement in all your activities jumps off the page as admissions officers read your application so they have no choice but to accept you!!