College Application Resumes

College Application Resumes

When I was an incoming freshman, writing a resume for my college application was optional, and though it still is, I think it’s beneficial to have one. From working on projects around the Undergraduate Admissions Office, I’ve had the opportunity to glance briefly at some resume layouts, and they’ve inspired me to write a blog with some of my personal tips on how to make your application resume as outstanding as can be:

  1. Make it as clear and to the point as possible. Mention your achievements and describe them, give all the relevant information, but don’t feel the need to write a paragraph for each achievement if there is information that can be left out. Give as much detail as you feel is important- things that you don’t feel are as relevant (such as volunteering for three hours one time somewhere) probably aren’t.
  2. Going along with the one above, clear and concise resumes should be just that. There is no page limit on application resumes because counselors want to know as much information about you as possible, but if you’ve only worked one job or volunteered at one place or participated in one extracurricular activity all through high school, it’s okay to just write this information. There isn’t a need to find minor things to write to make your resume longer. Remember, quality over quantity.
  3. This is regarding something interesting I observed, and that’s the fact that several resumes I noticed were in a chart format. This is neither wrong nor right, and some high schools (some schools actually format resumes this way for students) may tell you to submit a resume in this format, but there’s one thing to keep in mind. When making a chart resume, make sure it is neat and aligned, both on the computer and in print. It’s very easy for lines to overlap with words, for things to get cut off, etc.

Remember, the resume is a representation of you, and it can be one of the best ways to tell Loyola more about yourself. So if you decide to submit a resume (which I personally encourage), keep these three points in mind and know that if you follow at least this much, you can’t go wrong.

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