Ace your resume for college

Extracurricular activities can help you get better placements than you think. To create the perfect one, join Inner Universe's boot camp

Laying on the beach, having ice cream, catching up on reading, or attending family reunions are indeed fun activities for the summer. But did you know that developing your extracurricular activities and creating your CV could also be fun and fulfilling at the same time?

Most students in high school scour through endless lists of opportunities and possibilities to craft the perfect résumé.

And the most obvious reason to do so is that they shall soon be applying to colleges, and colleges will want to see what they have done outside of their classrooms as much as within them.

But do you know why colleges want a résumé? While your school record can tell your academic story, it is the activities beyond the classroom - the 'extracurricular activities' that can tell about your talent, character, and contribution. These elements along with your curricular performance, define the student, the star, and the citizen in you.

Shyamala Elango, Director, Inner Universe

Inner Universe, the Dubai-based educational consultancy, offers sound advice for the résumé-building process.

What are the first things one should keep in mind while building a résumé

Debunking myths: "I don't have sports, or I have not done any service" - these are worries that students sometimes have. But remember, colleges do not have a prepared checklist that they want every applicant to follow blindly. The activities you are engaged in must be because you want to do them, not because you have to do them. There is a difference.

No clutter: Your résumé is your chance to show your growth, your contribution, and what you have learned through these activities. So, include activities that you really want to be part of - those that can hone your talents and help you create a legacy.