Resume/CV

Quick Bite

 

Your Resume is the first interface between you and admission committee.

 

Need balance between highlighting your achievements & still being relevant.

 

Convert your resumes to PDF format when sending it through E-mail.

How to write a Resume for College Admissions for Studying Abroad?

A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is usually a document that is used by people looking for jobs to present their educational and professional qualifications. But resumes are not just used for applying for jobs and internships. They are also needed when you are applying for college applications and are planning to study abroad.

The terms resume and curriculum vitae are often used inter-changeably but in countries like the United States & Canada, a resume is considerably different from curriculum vitae. In these countries a curriculum vitae i.e. a CV is considerably long and is used in academic circles especially while applying for fellowships, scholarships or grants. And a resume which is a shorter version is used for job applications in the US and Canada. But in countries like the United Kingdom, a CV is short (usually up to 2 pages).

Why do you need a Resume for College Applications?

In simple words, a resume acts as your brag sheet or a marketing tool where you can let the admissions committee know what you’ve been up to in school! . So you basically need a resume during college admissions process, to show a brief summary of your background, your scholastic achievements & accomplishments.

A resume enables you to list out your skill-sets and your qualifications. You can enumerate the various awards, extra-curricular activities, events etc. that you were a part of, in school.

A well-written and well-developed resume gives you a definite edge over other applicants especially when applying for colleges to study abroad becomes so competitive.

What to include in your College Admission Resume? A step-by-step procedure:

• Heading: Start with the basics; your name, address, contact number, email ID etc.
• Academic Profile: You should mention your school name and year, marks obtained, address details of the school(s) you attended etc. Since you’re applying to study abroad, you would have taken tests like the GRE or GMAT or TOEFL. Include these scores as well.
• Awards/ Scholarships: If you have won any awards for academic or extra-curricular activities, this is the right place to talk about them! Give a description of the award if possible, mention the year you won it in and state the reason as well.
• Summer programmes/ Internships: Attending special programmes/classes that might help you in the course you’re applying for studying abroad really pays off. So if you have attended any special workshops or have done summer internships with a relevant work profile, please list them.
• Co-curricular/ Extra-curricular Activities: Add variety to your resume by showing that you work hard and play harder! List out all/any extra-curricular activities you’ve been involved in, be it at school or some youth club. Give a description of the activity, how long you’ve been into this activity/the years you were involved in the activity, your responsibilities and the number of hours involved per week.
• Work Experience/ Voluntary experience: You can state them separately if you have a lot of experience in each or club them together otherwise. Have even a little bit of work experience (even part-time) helps to make a good impression while applying to study abroad.
• Reference Section: Here you should provide names and complete contact information of people who can recommend your academic aptitude, work ethics, character, achievements etc. Your references could be a school teacher or your employer who will have something positive to say about you.

Think of your resume or curriculum vitae as your marketing brochure, when you sit down to draft it. You should paint a rosy picture of yourself, at the same time you need to write the truth! So go ahead, resume with your resume-writing!

A word of caution: Don’t over exaggerate your resume/ CV because most likely, they will cross check everything you mention in there. Also, keep in mind that they are experts evaluating your CV, and in the course of your interaction with them, if any of the things you’ve mentioned in your resume slips, then you will be hauled up and be accountable. So while, you should do everything in your power to ensure that your resume fits the bill accurately, don’t get tempted to market yourself over the top!

Share your essays tips, experience & best practices in the comments section. Let everyone benefit.