How much weight is given to the resume in the admissions process generally? if you are a new grad and have good stats?

If I have a lot of student work experience, but none of it sounds really impressive, should I forgo providing one where it is optional?

Any help is much appreciated, thanks!

you need to submit it. even an unimpressive background can be made into an attractive resume. Try harder you bum.

from what I gather, the resume is there to primarily shed light on any activities and work experience for those applicants that have had time out of undergrad. If they didn't have that opportunity, there is little that would reference that. Students coming directly from school have transcripts to do mostly that.

If you have some significant softs and other work experience, then yes, include it even if it is optional. I don't think it could hurt any... just don't over-exaggerate.

A resume is required pretty much everywhere, even if they just say "We strongly encourage you to submit a resume."

Just put something together that looks halfway decent. An attractive LOOKING resume is half the battle! Most applicants aren't going to have extraordinary softs/work experience anyway.

All a resume does is allow them a "quick glance" summary of what you have been doing. It probably accounts for 1/2 of 1% of your total admissions packet.


Unless you don't submit it or screw it up.

I would say it really depends what's in the resume, and that it can only help. You need to submit one, but they won't hold it against you if there isn't much to it; most applicants are in this boat.

Hit the nail on the head.

No sense worrying about what you can't change, ie what you can list on the resume. For most people who are in undergrad or have been out for less than a year, theres probably not much on there thats going to do a ton for you. Of course, working during UG, being on a sport/club, scholarships, etc that may not show up elsewhere can go here and may do a bit for you if you are on the fence.

But for those who don't have anything that really stands out, putting together a professional looking resume with no typos or errors is all you can do, and will distinguish you from those who failed to do such. I'd imagine thats why resumes are required at most schools; if you can't spend a couple hours making a resume that looks nice, it kind of says you aren't that serious.

Sounds good. Thanks again for the advice!