Academic Résumé

Dance sculpture in front of FPAC

In the world of nationally competitive awards, the academic résumé that highlights academic achievements over job experience or work skills is prioritized. For the academic résumé, organize your experience to demonstrate your strengths in the classroom and include any involvement or contributions to the campus community and the larger community.

Start with name and contact information, and be sure to include a reliable e-mail address. Most scholarship offices or employers rely heavily on e-mail. Be sure the address is appropriate. An e-mail address like iamsmarterthanyou@yahoo.com may be fun to share with friends, but it could actually hurt you in a scholarship competition. Employers may also be wary, so be sure to have an address that is not off putting to what may be a stuffier, older group.

Organization is important. Use headings that help make the information more accessible to the reader. Some common headings include (but are not limited to):

  • Education
  • Honors and Awards; Academic Scholarships; Recognition
  • Research
  • Language Skills
  • Performance/Theatre/Music
  • Internships
  • Campus Activities
  • Community and Volunteer Activities; Community Involvement; Community Outreach
  • Conference Attendance
  • Presentations
  • Public Speaking Engagements
  • Study Abroad; Experience Abroad; Cultural Experience
  • Work Experience

Sample Academic Résumés:

Do

  • Include current university and college, major(s) and minor(s), expected graduation date, cumulative GPA, and name of honors thesis under Education heading
  • Provide relevant dates for your scholarships, awards, internships, activities, and conferences, etc
  • Choose quality paper: white, off white, beige, or light gray
  • Select a font that is easy to read (Old English is not one of these)
  • Bold or italicize heading
  • Choose an 11 or 12 point font size
  • Use black font color
  • Be consistent
  • Extend your résumé to a second page as necessary
  • Explain abbreviations of organizations or scholarships

Don't

  • Use a paper with designs
  • Put your resume in a binder
  • Vary the font type
  • Assume the reader will know the importance of a particular group or activity on your campus
  • Assume the reader will understand acronyms
  • Exaggerate your accomplishments
  • Imply that you have spent more time or more effort in a project than you have
  • Say that you worked for the Red Cross, when you gave blood once
  • Provide materials (slides, photos, newspaper clipping) if not required