Resume Help Forum

[ScoobySkills]

I've been out of school for two years, and I have my post-school work experience, law internships, and volunteer experience all able to fit on one page. But on some applications, schools have asked to list employment during undergrad. If I added those jobs to my resume, it would definitely go over one page, and I want to try and keep it at that. So would it be okay to list those jobs in the application and leave them off my resume?

Also, should I use my undergrad gpa or lsac gpa?

And is it important to list key courses?

Thanks.

[escapefrom]

I've been out of school for two years, and I have my post-school work experience, law internships, and volunteer experience all able to fit on one page. But on some applications, schools have asked to list employment during undergrad. If I added those jobs to my resume, it would definitely go over one page, and I want to try and keep it at that. So would it be okay to list those jobs in the application and leave them off my resume?

Is it going over one page because you had too many jobs, or because you're putting too much description in your resume to bulk it up? You need to have those jobs on your resume.

Also, should I use my undergrad gpa or lsac gpa?

Neither. It just bulks up your resume, and they already have that information.

And is it important to list key courses?

No. That adds nothing.

Don't forget to add honors or awards that you've won.

[JenDarby]

I think that you should absolutely include your gpa on your resume. I went with my UG gpa, because I do not mention the other school that affects my lsdas gpa (a JC where I took classes during HS) on my resume.

I have a lot of post-school work as well, so I just have an education section at the very bottom of my resume. It mentions my schools, major, gpa, and honors. I do not see why "GPA: XX" is a space waster, as you can place it on the same line as your major if necessary.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/ ... urces.html

Here are examples provided by Harvard which are frequently posted as examples on here. They all include gpa, and manage to have a condensed education history area.

[merichard87]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

[BrownBears09]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

If you had 20+ activities in UG, then surely some of those are not worth mentioning. Truncate what doesn't matter imo.

[merichard87]

What's not worth mentioning? I'm going to think they're all worth mentioning - they're my activities, HA! But in your opinion what are some things worth mentioning and not worth mentioning.

[BrownBears09]

What's not worth mentioning? I'm going to think they're all worth mentioning - they're my activities, HA! But in your opinion what are some things worth mentioning and not worth mentioning.

Only you know what activities are truly significant. It's easy to rifle out and list every, single 3-week "internship" or "experience." But when your date range is relatively short, does listing it really add any value?

Succinct and direct is the name of the game when it comes to resumes imo.

[merichard87]

Every activity is pretty much a year long.

[JenDarby]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application. Unless they specifically ask, I would not include any "insignificant" undergraduate undertakings on your resume. I seem to remember an application or two that specified wanting all undergraduate jobs, also saying they only wanted ones that with a duration of 6+ months. Could you consolidate your 7 on campus jobs, i.e. were any within the same dept, program, etc.? Also, if you feel compelled to list them, you likely could do so without going into excessive detail about each position, saving space.

[BrownBears09]

Every activity is pretty much a year long.

Come on man, use some common sense. I'm going to assume you're coming straight out of UG. Your limit should be 1-page (I'm sure others will have different opinions.) If you participated in 20+ UNIQUE internships and experiences, cut out the ones that do not add value to your resume. View your resume as a law school or employer. Does this activity add value to the person? Or does it look like a "filler" (aka fluffed up description of a lesser role?)

Or, you can completely ignore the regular conventions of resume building - and list out every single accomplishment, experience, or event - thereby submitting a resume 2+ pages long.

[BrownBears09]

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application.

Of course you are allowed to go over 1 page. In reality, you could make your resume 5 pages long. Does that mean you should?

Resumes are resumes are resumes. There is a reason for the generally standardized page length. However, I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death on these forums, so I'll /rant here.

[JenDarby]

Every activity is pretty much a year long.

Come on man, use some common sense. I'm going to assume you're coming straight out of UG. Your limit should be 1-page (I'm sure others will have different opinions.) If you participated in 20+ UNIQUE internships and experiences, cut out the ones that do not add value to your resume. View your resume as a law school or employer. Does this activity add value to the person? Or does it look like a "filler" (aka fluffed up description of a lesser role?)

Or, you can completely ignore the regular conventions of resume building - and list out every single accomplishment, experience, or event - thereby submitting a resume 2+ pages long.

Agreed. Straight out of UG really doesn't warrant more than a page.

[merichard87]

Of course I could cut out lesser shit but lesser does mean crap work. I'm still in UG right now but when I apply for LS I will have 2 years of technology consulting work which will of course add to the resume so I was simply asking for a more experienced opinion. Chill out before you shit yourself.

[jeremysen]

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application.

Of course you are allowed to go over 1 page. In reality, you could make your resume 5 pages long. Does that mean you should?

Resumes are resumes are resumes. There is a reason for the generally standardized page length. However, I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death on these forums, so I'll /rant here.

2 pages is reasonable if you have great things. OP is not arguing the practicality of 5 pg versus 1, so your extreme example is pointless...

[jeremysen]

Chill out before you shit yourself.

+1

[BrownBears09]

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application.

Of course you are allowed to go over 1 page. In reality, you could make your resume 5 pages long. Does that mean you should?

Resumes are resumes are resumes. There is a reason for the generally standardized page length. However, I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death on these forums, so I'll /rant here.

2 pages is reasonable if you have great things. OP is not arguing the practicality of 5 pg versus 1, so your extreme example is pointless...

OP is straight out of UG. Now envision how many "great things" he would have on his resume. Let's use some reason in this situation, no?

[jeremysen]

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application.

Of course you are allowed to go over 1 page. In reality, you could make your resume 5 pages long. Does that mean you should?

Resumes are resumes are resumes. There is a reason for the generally standardized page length. However, I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death on these forums, so I'll /rant here.

2 pages is reasonable if you have great things. OP is not arguing the practicality of 5 pg versus 1, so your extreme example is pointless...

OP is straight out of UG. Now envision how many "great things" he would have on his resume. Let's use some reason in this situation, no?

I know a handful of ugrads who worked at multiple places and volunteered in Africa. This is in addition to leading student orgs & winning campus-wide competitions.

Brownbear don't shoot down someone when you might not be familiar with where he/she comes from - it's very difficult to understand the availability of OP's extracurricular activities/WE when you don't live in the same city/go to the same school as OP.

[jeremysen]

A harsher way of putting it:

Don't push your own mediocrity onto others.

[BrownBears09]

A harsher way of putting it:

Don't push your own mediocrity onto others.

I should have looked your join date and post history before responding to you.

[jeremysen]

A harsher way of putting it:

Don't push your own mediocrity onto others.

I should have looked your join date and post history before responding to you.

Oh because you are a Veteran.

[NayBoer]

I know a handful of ugrads who worked at multiple places and volunteered in Africa. This is in addition to leading student orgs & winning campus-wide competitions.

Depending on the competitions and organizations in question, none of these are particularly impressive, unique or game-changing. UGs will inflate the importance of them because they don't have anything else to put on their resumes, but some of these could probably be taken out without diminishing the overall impact of the resume. A law school resume doesn't have to be one page, but writing down everything you've ever done isn't TCR, either.

Also, merichard said he'll have two years of work experience before applying to law school. Will all seven of his on-campus jobs need mentioning after two years of solid work experience? Edit, people. If you have 7 on-campus jobs and the university was your employer for each one, then just condense them under one bullet point. You don't need to go into detail about how you were a cashier at the bookstore or a busboy at the student union.

[merichard87]

I know a handful of ugrads who worked at multiple places and volunteered in Africa. This is in addition to leading student orgs & winning campus-wide competitions.

Depending on the competitions and organizations in question, none of these are particularly impressive, unique or game-changing. UGs will inflate the importance of them because they don't have anything else to put on their resumes, but some of these could probably be taken out without diminishing the overall impact of the resume. A law school resume doesn't have to be one page, but writing down everything you've ever done isn't TCR, either.

Also, merichard said he'll have two years of work experience before applying to law school. Will all seven of his on-campus jobs need mentioning after two years of solid work experience? Edit, people. If you have 7 on-campus jobs and the university was your employer for each one, then just condense them under one bullet point. You don't need to go into detail about how you were a cashier at the bookstore or a busboy at the student union.

Thank you for some actually useful advice!

[JenDarby]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application. Unless they specifically ask, I would not include any "insignificant" undergraduate undertakings on your resume. I seem to remember an application or two that specified wanting all undergraduate jobs, also saying they only wanted ones that with a duration of 6+ months. Could you consolidate your 7 on campus jobs, i.e. were any within the same dept, program, etc.? Also, if you feel compelled to list them, you likely could do so without going into excessive detail about each position, saving space.

Not to be THAT person, but I think I gave you basically the same advice already.....

[BrownBears09]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application. Unless they specifically ask, I would not include any "insignificant" undergraduate undertakings on your resume. I seem to remember an application or two that specified wanting all undergraduate jobs, also saying they only wanted ones that with a duration of 6+ months. Could you consolidate your 7 on campus jobs, i.e. were any within the same dept, program, etc.? Also, if you feel compelled to list them, you likely could do so without going into excessive detail about each position, saving space.

Not to be THAT person, but I think I gave you basically the same advice already.....

True story. It was said the entire thread. People will hear what they want to hear.

[merichard87]

This is going to become an issue for me as well. If I include every job I had during undergrad there will be 11 - 3 engineering internships, 1 semi important job and then 7 on-campus jobs. Including those and even some of my activities would put me well over 1 page. What should I do?

You are most certainly allowed to go over 1 page for law school app resumes, especially if you are complying with their requested guidelines. That being said, I think that it depends on the application. Unless they specifically ask, I would not include any "insignificant" undergraduate undertakings on your resume. I seem to remember an application or two that specified wanting all undergraduate jobs, also saying they only wanted ones that with a duration of 6+ months. Could you consolidate your 7 on campus jobs, i.e. were any within the same dept, program, etc.? Also, if you feel compelled to list them, you likely could do so without going into excessive detail about each position, saving space.

Not to be THAT person, but I think I gave you basically the same advice already.....

You definitely did. I just went back and read it. Thanks. I was referring to the other advice given in this thread as useless to me.