Why do graduate schools require a resume?

Question:

Why do graduate schools require a resume?

Answer:

Graduate schools often want to see that you can excel in areas besides being a student. Resumes paint a more complete and detailed picture of your background and provide better insight into the likelihood of your future success. They are also an opportunity to see your professional writing skills used in a more practical way.

Explanation:

First off, not all grad schools do require a resume or CV. But those that do ask for one are likely looking for a few things. First, they want to see how engaged you’ve been with your field and if you’ve already experienced any success in it. Second, they’re trying to predict, without the benefit of a crystal ball, how well you’re likely to succeed in the future. Third and finally, they want to see another side of your writing skills. Let’s examine these in more detail one by one.

When you apply to graduate school, you’re indicating a desire to commit more fully to a chosen field or career path. A resume will showcase that commitment. If you’re applying for an MBA with a concentration in finance, showing a 10-year career in the banking industry assures the school you’re going to actually use that degree. It also suggests that you already possess some of the skills needed to succeed in the field. Similarly, if you’re applying for a PhD program in French Literature, your CV will hopefully include publications, presentations, and teaching experience (student or otherwise). This background demonstrates your commitment to your field in the past, indicating, albeit imperfectly, that you’ll be committed to it in the future. It also demonstrates how much you’ve contributed to the field, in the form of research, writing, or passing on knowledge to the next generation.

Next, a resume provides the school with insight into your likelihood of future success. A trend toward measuring and emphasizing post-graduation success has been sweeping the higher education world over the last decade or so and increasingly schools are expected to open doors professionally for their students. Metrics surrounding post-graduation employment are now included in rankings. This emphasis on outcomes means that schools have to consider how well their graduates will succeed after graduation and they’re incentivized to admit those who they think have the greatest chance of success in the real world. To put it more bluntly, they don’t want to accept candidates who might harm their ratings later on. Showing you’ve succeeded in your field at a lower level is indicative that you’ll continue to succeed as you climb the ladder.

Finally, and most mundanely, a resume is a great way for the admissions committee to see your writing skills utilized in a way other than essays or answers to canned application questions. A resume is difficult to write. Writing in a professional manner is a skill every graduate will need and a resume will provide insight into that skill in an organic and applied way. Additionally, resumes are balancing acts. You want to sell yourself without sounding like a salesman. And space is an issue (although not with CVs), so you have to be extremely judicious in choosing what to include and precise in your word choice. Asking for a resume is a great writing exercise that will actually have real-world implications.