Note on length: Try to make the resume one page. Only if you have over 6 full years of work experience should you have a two pages resume.

Education Section:

The length and depth of your education section depends on the amount of work experience and time since you have graduated. The more years out from school, the less detail you should include in this section (formatting didn’t translate well).

E.g. 1.1)

EDUCATION

1999-2003            HARVARD UNIVERSITY Cambridge, MA

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, June 2003

• Division I Varsity Hockey – ECAC Champion, Voted 2^nd Team All New England 2003
• President and Founder of Harvard Fly Fishing Club, Surf Club, and Porcellian Club

In the example 1.1, I am five years out of college. This is how I accomplished my goals in the resume:

1. Established that I was a top 20% candidate in my market
   1. By demonstrating results
      1. Graduate from Harvard (if you didn’t graduate from an Ivy League school, hopefully you got great grades elsewhere)
      2. Played college sports. Won championships. Nominated for awards
      3. Leader
         1. President and founder of Harvard Club
   2. Defined niche
      1. Love of the outdoors
         1. Founder of Harvard Fly Fishing Club. Member of Surf club

Things to include in the education section:

• GPA or class rank only if it is a strength (notice it’s not included in mine)
• Sports teams, groups, and clubs. Add an positions or titles
• Business oriented courses such as economics, math, sociology, or business
• Major or concentration
• You can include any community service activities here or you can place them in the personal section. Add them here if it is one of your niche identity characteristics

Note: If your quant GMAT score isn’t strong, put all the quant classes you took in college here. If you had good grades in these classes, add that as well.

Last year, my friend scored a 710 on the GMAT in his first attempt. He called me for advice on whether to take it again, mentioning that he had only studied for two weeks (an impressive feat). In response, I strongly recommended that he take it again because…

1. Taking it twice demonstrates how badly you want an MBA
2. If Adcom is deciding between two candidates with similar GMAT scores, which is likely, the person who took it twice will have an edge because she worked harder for it
3. He will likely improve his score
4. He has time before the application is due

Unfortunately, he decided not to take the GMAT and applied with a 710. A few months later, he emailed me that he was waitlisted and when he asked, Adcom recommended that he take the GMAT again!

Actions to Take:

• Schedule in taking two tests regardless of your first score unless you score 740 + or aren’t applying to top schools.
• Start soon if you haven’t already
• Get a different game plan for the second text (contact me if interested in a 600 -> 700 GMAT score guide)

Caution: Do not get obsessed with the GMAT! If you score a 700 or better on your second attempt and it’s less than 4 months from the application deadline, start to work on your essays. I see many applicants focus too much energy on the GMAT and forget that it is only 1 part of 5 in the application process.