FAQ: What is an academic resume for college admissions?

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An academic resume is simply a summary of your high school “career.” It will include the same information that will be requested on most college applications-GPA, test scores, activities, awards, etc. In that respect, an academic resume isn’t necessary since the admissions office will be getting the information from the college application.

However, taking the time to create an academic resume has several benefits. Having all the information already collected in one place will make completing college and scholarship applications much easier.

Why create an academic resume?

An academic resume also allows you to decide which accomplishments to highlight. This can be an advantage if you have the opportunity to give your resume to an admissions officer before you actually submit your application. Her first view of your information will be how you choose to frame it.

Taking an academic resume with you to a college interview can be helpful to the person conducting the interview, especially during alumni interviews. Often, the alumni have no specific information about the individual before the interview and may ask for a resume to help focus the questions.

Academic resumes can be critical for the scholarship application process. Private scholarship applications often don’t offer the opportunity to provide the same amount of information college applications do. Therefore, an academic resume can be the perfect way to supplement the application information. However, before you submit a resume, contact the organization to be sure they will accept it and read it.

Academic Resumes aren’t Required

Ultimately, an academic resume is not necessary for college admissions. Given that a resume should only be a page long, all of the information should also be part of your official college application. I haven’t heard of an academic resume being required as part of the official college application.

However, if you are submitting a resume as part of your application be sure to pay attention to any requirements listed by the college. Furthermore, you should use the opportunity for your resume to include any information that isn’t already on your college application. Otherwise, what’s the point of going through the trouble of submitting it and having an admission’s officer reading it?

Don’t worry if you show up to an admissions interview without one. You can use the points you remember to start conversations. Basically, the academic resume should be a tool that makes the college admissions process easier for you.

The academic resume is not the same thing as an athletic profile which is a necessary part of the athletic recruiting process.