A ONE Institute
Aug 10, 2024
In the first part of our guide on writing a resume, we discussed how to structure the format and categories. In this part, we'll explore the order and method of presenting your information.
One key point to remember is that the order in which you present your resume might differ slightly depending on the college. The first thing to consider is the order of the supplemental essay prompts provided by each college. When you look at these additional essay prompts, pay close attention to the sequence in which they are listed.
Common Themes in Supplement Essays Across Colleges:
While many colleges ask for essays on similar themes, the order of the questions often reflects what each institution values most. Common themes include:
- How your personal experiences might impact the college or the world.
- The influence of your intellectual experiences on others.
- The external activities that have shaped who you are today.
- Your role within your community or what you’ve learned from people with opposing views.
- Introducing yourself to a future roommate.
Despite these common themes, the first question varies between schools, indicating what each school prioritizes. When you review the essay prompts, note the sequence of the questions to understand what the school values most.
To summarize:
- Personal experiences → College, world
- Intellectual experiences
- Activities that shaped you or what you are passionate about now
- Your role within the community
- How others perceive you
Let me explain this more clearly with an image. This explanation is not just for current 12th graders but also for younger students who are actively participating in activities.
Example Schools and Their Priorities:
- Yale University emphasizes the importance of community and personal interactions. Therefore, when writing your resume for Yale, prioritize experiences that showcase your involvement and influence within a community.
- Brown University places intellectual experiences at the forefront, reflecting the pride they take in their Open Curriculum. When applying to Brown, it’s effective to highlight your intellectual pursuits first.
- Harvard University has been significantly impacted by the elimination of affirmative action, yet they continue to emphasize diversity. When applying to Harvard, it’s important to showcase experiences that reflect your diverse background.
- Stanford University highly values intellectual curiosity, making it essential to lead with your intellectual experiences when writing your resume for Stanford.
While there are similarities, each school has slightly different priorities. When writing your resume, use the sequence of the Supplement Essay questions to guide the order of your content. However, remember that your resume and essays don’t have to match exactly; they can complement each other.
How to Tailor a Resume for Different Schools:
Let’s consider how to structure a resume for different schools based on the activities of a sample student with the following experiences:
- Student Council
- Model Congress
- Leadership Seminars Camp
- All-State Orchestra
- Environmental Research
- NSLI-Y
- AATSP
- For Yale: Since Yale values community involvement, it’s not advisable to list research as your top activity. Instead, highlight activities that demonstrate your interpersonal skills and influence within the community.
- For Brown: Given Brown’s emphasis on intellectual curiosity, placing Research or Model Congress at the top of your resume is effective.
- For Harvard: Since Harvard prioritizes diversity, listing activities like NSLI-Y or AATSP at the top is strategic.
- For Stanford: Given Stanford’s focus on intellectual curiosity, it’s best to list Research as your primary activity.
How to Describe Your Activities:
When describing your activities, it’s important to consider how to effectively convey your experiences in a way that captures the admissions officer’s attention. Instead of simply listing what you did, focus on the outcomes and how you achieved them.
For example, if you’re writing about Model Congress:
- Students often describe the duration of their involvement and the tasks they completed. While this is common, it’s more impactful to describe the outcomes of your participation and how you contributed to those outcomes.
Admissions officers want to know:
- The outcome of the experience
- How that outcome was achieved
Drawing a parallel with marketing, consider how Lululemon successfully branded itself as “the Chanel of yoga wear.” This simple, memorable concept made the brand attractive. Similarly, your resume should highlight two key activities that will leave a lasting impression.
For instance, the student’s most significant achievements could be:
- Successfully leading their school’s Model Congress team to join a competitive league after three attempts over two years.
- Doubling the number of team members through effective promotions.
Including specific numbers and clear outcomes helps to make your resume more memorable.
By linking these key resume activities to your essay, where you can further elaborate on how these experiences impacted you, you’ll create a compelling application.
In conclusion, we’ve discussed how to complete your resume by structuring categories, determining the order, and detailing specific content. Remember these tips as you aim to craft the perfect resume.
If you have further questions or need assistance, feel free to contact A One Institute.