Admissions Advice: Resumes

The third topic I will be covering in this admissions advice series will be resumes! Your resume serves as a critical component of your application. It provides a quick snapshot into your academic, extracurricular, and professional achievements. A standout resume can enhance your chances of being noticed and remembered by the admissions committee, so I have put together some key strategies to improve your resume and make it more appealing.

When applying to Fletcher, your resume should first and foremost highlight your professional experience. We look for professional experience in all of our applicants, whether they have just graduated from undergrad or are mid-career. Your professional experience provides a path through the flexible curriculums here at Fletcher, giving a better sense of what knowledge gaps need to be filled in order to participate in classroom discussions from both an academic and real-world point of view. When listing these experiences on your resume, make sure to focus on how you applied your academic knowledge in a real-world setting. If your experiences are not directly related to the program you are applying for, focus on the transferable skills that align with the career path you are choosing.

Your academic qualifications are also a major part of your application. While we do ask for transcripts, it is important to include academic awards, honors, Dean’s List recognition, scholarships, and more on your resume as well. Research is a critical component of many programs, so be sure to emphasize any projects you have worked on, and include the scope and skills you developed in the process. If you have authored or co-authored any research papers or have presented your findings at conferences, be sure to include these in your resume. We want to know what you have done up until now so that we can understand what kind of student you will be here at Fletcher.

Lastly, make sure to keep your resume concise and well-formatted. It should be easy to read and appealing to look at. Keeping your resume to one or two pages allows you to focus on your most impactful experiences and gives the admissions committee an idea of what you believe to be your most important achievements. Be consistent in your formatting, such as use of bullet points, headings, dates, and fonts. Avoid using too many different fonts and colors; at most you should use 3 colors (color, black, and another neutral like gray), and 3 fonts (serif, sans serif, and heading). Most importantly, check your resume for spelling or grammatical errors before submitting.

The freedom of creating a resume in addition to adding employment and academic history in the application allows you to show yourself authentically. We want to know how you view your achievements and experiences and get a brief understanding of the skills you took from them. While we don’t want you to put together a document that checks off the boxes of what you think our requirements are, you should tailor your resume to the program in which you are applying to show your academic potential and readiness for advanced studies. With a well-crafted resume, you can make a lasting impression on the admissions committee and improve your chances of securing a spot here at Fletcher.

’til next time!

Emma Stevens