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When applying to colleges, you might wonder whether submitting a resume on the Common App is necessary or even possible. While not all colleges require a resume, including one can significantly enhance your application by providing a comprehensive overview of your high school experiences, achievements, and personal growth. This guide will walk you through why submitting a resume matters, how to prepare it, and step-by-step instructions on uploading it on the Common App platform. By following these tips, you can ensure your resume supports your application and helps you stand out in a competitive admissions process.
Why should you submit a resume to Colleges or Universities?
A high school student resume provides colleges with a comprehensive overview of your academic journey, personal achievements, and unique qualities. This additional document can significantly enhance your college application by offering insights that may not fit into standard application forms. Submitting a well-crafted resume to colleges offers several important advantages:
Comprehensive Activity Documentation: College application forms often have limited space for listing achievements and activities. A resume allows you to provide detailed information about your extracurricular activities, projects, and accomplishments that gives admissions officers a more complete picture of your high school experiences.
Showcasing Professional Experience: If you’ve gained internship or work experience during high school, a resume is an excellent method to highlight these opportunities. You can elaborate on your roles, responsibilities, and the valuable skills and knowledge you acquired, demonstrating your growth and professional potential.
Revealing Your Unique Personality: Beyond grades and test scores, a resume can showcase your individual skills, interests, and talents. For example, if you’ve developed video editing skills through creating TikTok content or have unique hobbies that demonstrate creativity or leadership, your resume is the perfect place to share these highlights.
Beyond the college application process, your resume can serve multiple practical purposes:
- Application Preparation: Creating a resume before filling out the Common App can help you organize and streamline the information you’ll enter in the honors and activities sections.
- Interview Preparation: The resume can be a reference point when preparing for college interviews, helping you communicate your experiences and achievements confidently.
- Recommendation Letter Support: Providing this document to teachers writing your recommendation letters gives them additional context about your achievements and personal growth.
By investing time in crafting a thoughtful, comprehensive resume, you can effectively communicate your strengths, experiences, and potential to college admissions officers, setting yourself apart in a competitive application landscape.
Creating an Impressive College Application Resume
Writing a resume can be a challenging task for high school students. To help, Aralia has created a comprehensive article with step-by-step instructions on how to write an impressive college resume, along with a free resume worksheet.
Here’s some helpful guides from the article to assist you in creating an effective college resume.
Length and Format Guidelines Your college resume should typically be 1-2 pages long, as recommended by US News. While fitting all your high school accomplishments into this space may be challenging, a concise presentation is key. For students with significant achievements in specific areas like arts or athletics, consider creating separate one-page specialty resumes to highlight these accomplishments in detail.
Essential Components A strong college resume should include:
- Contact Information: Full name, email address, phone number, and links to other profiles (portfolio, website, projects, etc.)
- Resume Objective: Brief statement of your educational goals
- Education: High school name, graduation date, GPA
- Academic Achievements: Awards, honors, publications, research
- Extracurricular Activities: Leadership roles, clubs, sports
- Community Service: Volunteer work and impact
- Work Experience: Jobs, internships, significant projects
- Skills & Interests: Technical abilities, languages, relevant hobbies
Key Tips for Maximum Impact
- Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: Focus on describing 2-3 meaningful experiences in depth rather than listing numerous brief involvements. Demonstrate sustained commitment and growth in your chosen activities.
- Include Essential Details: Put yourself in the admission officer’s shoes and consider what information they would be looking for when reviewing your resume. This way, you can ensure you include all the key details, such as project duration, leadership responsibilities, measurable impacts, and the skills you’ve developed through each experience.
- Professional Formatting: Create a visually appealing document with:
- Consistent font styles and sizes
- Clear section headings
- Well-organized bullet points
- Strategic use of white space
- Uniform formatting throughout
Keep in mind that your resume is a comprehensive view of your achievements. Make it impactful by showcasing your experiences clearly, professionally, and thoughtfully.
Can You Submit Your Resume on the Common App?
The process of submitting a resume through the Common App varies significantly by institution, as not all colleges and universities have the exact requirements for supplemental documents. While a resume can be a valuable addition to your application, showcasing your achievements and experiences in a concise format, it’s essential to understand that not every school requires or even accepts this document. Before submission, carefully review each school’s application requirements through their admissions page or the Common App’s college information section to determine if and how they accept resumes.
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Step-by-Step Resume Submission Guide
Step 1: Verify Requirements and Guidelines
- Research each school’s specific resume policies
- Check the Common App college information section
- Note any particular formatting requirements
- Confirm whether electronic submission is accepted
- Look for any school-specific deadlines for supplemental materials
Step 2: Prepare Your Resume
- Update all information to reflect current achievements
- Tailor content to align with each school’s values and programs
- Proofread thoroughly for errors and consistency
- Save in PDF format to preserve formatting
- Use clear file naming conventions (e.g., “LastName_FirstName_Resume”)
Step 3: Navigate the Common App Platform
- Log into your Common App account
- Locate the appropriate section for each school
- Familiarize yourself with different submission options
- Review any size or format restrictions
Step 4: Upload Location Options:
Based on colleges’ instructions, there are several options available to upload your resume on Common App
- Additional Information section
- Supplemental Materials area
- School-specific tabs: Some universities have dedicated resume upload sections (Example: Cornell University places the resume upload under Activities in Application Questions)
Step 5: Review and Confirmation
- Preview the uploaded document to ensure proper formatting
- Review all application sections for completeness
- Verify resume attachments for each school
- Take screenshots or save confirmation numbers
- Print or save digital copies of completed applications
Best Practices
To ensure successful resume submission:
- Start early to allow time for formatting adjustments
- Keep track of different submission requirements for each school
- Maintain a master list of submission deadlines
- Save confirmation emails or screenshots of successful uploads
- Follow up with admissions offices if you encounter technical difficulties
Remember that some institutions may require alternative submission methods outside the Common App platform. Always follow each school’s instructions carefully to ensure your resume and other supplemental materials are properly submitted and received. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to contact the school’s admissions office directly for clarification on their resume submission policies and procedures.
Submitting a resume through the Common App is an effective way to elevate your college application by providing a detailed snapshot of your high school journey. It allows you to highlight not just your grades and test scores, but the skills, leadership, and unique experiences that define you as a candidate. By following the step-by-step process and carefully considering each school’s specific guidelines, you can maximize the impact of your resume and set yourself apart in the admissions process.
Boost Your College Resume with Aralia
Ready to take your college resume to the next level? At Aralia, we provide valuable resources to help you stand out. Our free articles cover a wide range of international competitions across various fields and topics, giving you the chance to expand your portfolio with impressive achievements. In addition, we offer expert-led competition prep courses with award-winning teachers to ensure you’re fully prepared for success. Start building a standout resume today with Aralia’s guidance and unlock new opportunities for your future!
