To get into graduate school, you need to have exceptional undergraduate grades. However, some graduate programs are more competitive than others, requiring more than good grades.
One of the best ways you can get the attention of your graduate school is by providing an exceptional resume that showcases your skills.
Writing Your First Resume for a Graduate School Application
To learn how to write fresh graduate resume, you need to understand what is required of you. Typically, graduate resumes are divided into several parts.
The critical parts contain your education, objectives, skills, and accomplishments. Consider your resume as a summary of what you offer if you are awarded admission.
Most students focus more on their essays and personal statements but must put the same effort into their resumes. Below, you will find details about how to write a compelling resume.
Write an Engaging Introduction
The introductory part of your resume should be engaging enough to keep the admissions officer interested in reading more about you.
It should contain three to four statements. The first statement should tell the reader about your undergraduate studies.
Mention your undergraduate major and promote any experience you may have gotten in that field. The second statement should contain details about what you want to accomplish in graduate school.
For example, if you wish to pursue a master’s degree in computer science, state it clearly. Finally, you can make a third sentence explaining why this graduate degree is essential to you.
Get Specific about Your Education
While the introduction should contain your undergraduate major, you need to write more specific information about your education in the following part of the resume. Mention the name of the school or schools, the type of degree, and your graduating GPA.
To get more specific, mention relevant coursework, awards, and scholarships. If you were an honors student, this would be a great place to write about it.
Don’t Forget Your Work Experience
Most graduate programs will demand some work experience from applicants. It may be two to four years, depending on the program. In this section of the resume, mention all the places you have worked and volunteered over the years.
Volunteering in prestigious places will always look good on your resume. When filling out the experience section, add more than just the job description.
Ensure you add the place’s name, the timeline, and the job title during each stay. It would help if you got specific about how you contributed to overall productivity in each place you worked or volunteered.
Bottom Line
As a bonus tip, highlight your skills and provide references from professors from your undergraduate school. It also helps to look at a resume example before you start writing your graduate resume.
Finally, information will only matter if the grammar and format of the resume are up to standard. Do research to find out if the graduate school has specific formatting requirements before you start writing. When you finish, ask the third party to read it and offer an honest review.
