Crafting an Effective Resume for Ivy League Admissions
Students who apply to Ivy League and other top-tier universities in the US often overlook writing a resume, which is mostly an optional document. The Common Application has made it difficult for students to understand the importance of a resume, and it is often the least discussed component of a college application. However, when applying to prestigious schools where most applicants have high grades, leadership roles, and achievements, submitting a resume becomes an essential factor in standing out from the competition.
Writing a resume allows students to go beyond what is required, even if it is optional, as it gives admission officers an insight into the student's personality, interests, and accomplishments that might not have been mentioned in the other parts of the application. A resume also provides admission officers with an easy-to-reference resource that further illustrates the student's strengths, relevant to the admission process.
There are some rules to follow when creating an Ivy League resume, such as being succinct, using clipped language and incomplete sentences as long as they do not sacrifice clarity, and following the one-page rule. The one-page rule requires the student to keep their resume to one page, with a font size above 11 and standard or narrow margins.
The Ivy League resume has four core sections that include an objective, education, relevant experience, and other interests. The objective section comes at the top of the resume, right after the student's name and contact information. This section summarizes what the student aims to do with their resume.
The education section follows the objective section, and it needs to list the student's high school and college or community college, if applicable. Additionally, it should include the student's GPA, any academic awards of note, and the location of their high school and college.
The relevant experience section is the most critical part of the resume as it gives admission officers an insight into the student's experiences and accomplishments that are relevant to what they want to study in college. This section requires the student to list between three to five experiences that highlight their skills and interests, include a title that states the student's role, a short description of their responsibilities, and the start and end years of the experience. The student needs to write a brief but clear description of their experience, highlighting the skills and responsibilities they gained while also giving context to their involvement.
Finally, the other interests section allows the student to list their hobbies or extracurricular activities that might not have been mentioned in other parts of the application. This section should be brief, consisting of a heading and three bullet points highlighting the student's interests, such as "Competitive Scrabble player, Avid Drummer, Bonsai Enthusiast."
In conclusion, submitting a well-crafted Ivy League resume is an essential factor in standing out from the competition when applying to top-tier US universities. By following the rules of being succinct and keeping the resume to one page, students can effectively communicate their academic achievements, relevant experiences, and personal interests to admission officers. A well-written resume can provide admission officers with a deeper understanding of the student's personality and accomplishments, setting them apart from other applicants.
