Writing an Academic Resume
Students may encounter situations in which they need resumes that highlight their academic achievements rather than their job experience or work skills. Some of these occasions might be
- applying for scholarships
- applying for special academic programs (such as an undergraduate teaching assistantship)
- applying to professional or graduate school.
In these cases, the reader(s) will be concentrating on the student's academic performance as a basis for making a decision that will probably impact the student's academic/professional future.
Students need to be able to organize their academic experience in a way that will highlight their strengths in the classroom as well as any involvement in or contribution to the campus community or a larger community. An academic resume approaches the student's experience from this perspective.
An academic resume also serves as a map for people who will be writing letters of recommendation for students in various application processes. Generally the writer knows that the student does solid classroom work, but may not know the extent to which the student has achieved or may not know the other ways in which the student contributes to the academic community. An academic resume gives an overview of the student's academic success as well as other ways in which the student invests his/her time.
Headings for an academic resume could include (but are not limited to):
- Education
- Academic Honors, Awards and Scholarships
- Study Abroad Experience
- Honors Thesis
- Research Experience
- Language Skills
- Internships
- Volunteer Experience
- Campus Activities and Positions Held
- Work Experience
[ Note: Some graduate/professional school applications request a copy of the student's resume. Even when not required, students may include an academic resume as part of their application packet unless the instructions state that no extra materials should be added.]
