Resume vs. CV: Which Does Your Program Want?
The first question to answer is whether your target program wants a resume or a curriculum vitae (CV). They are different documents with different purposes.
A resume is a concise, one- to two-page summary of your qualifications. Professional master's programs (MBA, MPH, M.Ed., MSW) typically expect a resume.
A CV is a comprehensive academic document with no page limit. It includes publications, presentations, grants, and detailed research descriptions. PhD programs and research-focused master's programs often request a CV.
When the application instructions are unclear, default to a resume for professional programs and a CV for research or academic programs. If you are applying to multiple types of programs, you may need both.
What Grad School Admissions Committees Look For
Admissions committees evaluate your resume differently than employers do. They are looking for evidence of:
- Academic preparation. Do you have the foundational knowledge to succeed in this program?
- Research aptitude (for PhD programs). Have you participated in research? Can you formulate questions, design studies, and analyze data?
- Relevant professional experience (for professional programs). Have you worked in the field long enough to benefit from an advanced degree?
- Clear motivation and fit. Does your background logically lead to this program? Does your experience align with the program's strengths?
- Leadership and initiative. Have you gone beyond the minimum requirements in your roles?
Structuring Your Graduate School Resume
The order of sections on your grad school resume should reflect what the program values most. Here are two common structures.
For Professional Master's Programs (MBA, MPH, M.Ed.)
- Contact Information
- Education
- Professional Experience
- Leadership and Extracurricular Activities
- Skills and Certifications
For Research-Focused Programs (PhD, Research Master's)
- Contact Information
- Education
- Research Experience
- Publications and Presentations
- Teaching Experience
- Professional Experience
- Skills (technical: lab techniques, programming, statistical methods)
- Honors and Awards
Section-by-Section Guide
Education
Unlike a job resume where education is often at the bottom, your grad school resume should lead with education. Include:
- Degree, major, and minor
- University name, city, and state
- Graduation date (or expected date)
- GPA if it is 3.0 or above (include both major and cumulative if your major GPA is stronger)
- Relevant coursework, especially for courses that prepare you for the program
- Thesis or capstone title if applicable
- Academic honors (Dean's List, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa)
Example:
B.S. in Biology, Minor in Statistics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI - May 2024
GPA: 3.78/4.0 | Major GPA: 3.92/4.0
Thesis: "Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Daphnia magna Reproductive Rates"
Relevant Coursework: Biostatistics, Molecular Biology, Organic Chemistry I & II, Research Methods
Research Experience
For PhD applications, this is often the most important section. Treat each research position like a job entry with specific accomplishments.
Example:
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Dr. Sarah Chen's Lab, University of Michigan, Sep 2022 - May 2024
- Designed and conducted experiments examining microplastic toxicity in freshwater organisms across 6 concentration levels
- Analyzed data from 200+ trials using R and SPSS, identifying statistically significant reproductive impacts (p < 0.01)
- Co-authored manuscript currently under review at Environmental Science & Technology
- Presented findings at Undergraduate Research Symposium (1st place, Biological Sciences division)
Professional Experience
For professional programs, this section is your centerpiece. Focus on accomplishments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge the program values. Use the same strong action verbs and quantified results you would use on a job resume.
Example for MBA application:
Senior Financial Analyst, Deloitte, New York, NY, Jun 2022 - Present
- Led financial modeling for 3 M&A transactions totaling $450M in combined deal value
- Built automated reporting dashboard that reduced monthly close process from 5 days to 2 days
- Managed team of 4 analysts across 2 concurrent client engagements
For research programs, professional experience is secondary but still valuable. Include roles that demonstrate relevant domain knowledge, technical skills, or the ability to work independently.
Publications and Presentations
If you have published papers, conference presentations, or posters, list them in a dedicated section. Use proper academic citation format for your field. For research programs, even a single publication or conference poster can significantly strengthen your application.
Teaching Experience
Many PhD programs expect students to teach. If you have TA experience, tutoring, or mentoring roles, include them. Quantify where possible: number of students, courses, or semesters.
Skills Section
Tailor your skills section to the program. For research programs, emphasize technical and methodological skills:
- Programming: Python, R, MATLAB, SAS
- Lab Techniques: PCR, gel electrophoresis, spectroscopy, cell culture
- Statistical Methods: Regression analysis, ANOVA, Bayesian inference
- Software: SPSS, Stata, LaTeX, ImageJ
For professional programs, emphasize industry tools and competencies relevant to the degree.
Tailoring for Different Program Types
MBA Programs
MBA admissions care most about career progression, leadership, and impact. Lead with your professional experience and emphasize quantified achievements. Show that you have been promoted, taken on increasing responsibility, or made measurable business impact. Most top MBA programs want to see 3-5 years of work experience.
Public Health (MPH) Programs
Highlight experience in healthcare, research, community health, or policy. Include relevant volunteer work, especially if it involved underserved populations. Technical skills like biostatistics, epidemiology software (SAS, R), and GIS mapping are valuable.
Education (M.Ed.) Programs
Teaching experience, tutoring, mentoring, and curriculum development are the strongest content. Include student outcomes when possible: test score improvements, graduation rates, or student satisfaction metrics.
PhD Programs (Sciences)
Research experience dominates. List every research position, including undergraduate work, summer programs, and independent studies. Detail your specific contributions, methodologies used, and outcomes. Publications, conference presentations, and grants are essential differentiators.
PhD Programs (Humanities and Social Sciences)
Research experience and writing are central. Include relevant coursework, independent research projects, conference papers, and any publications. Teaching experience and language proficiency are also important for many humanities programs.
Common Mistakes on Grad School Resumes
- Submitting a job resume without modifications. A resume optimized for employers emphasizes different things than one for admissions committees. Take time to restructure and re-prioritize.
- Being too vague about research. "Assisted with research in Dr. Smith's lab" tells the committee nothing. Describe your specific role, methods, and contributions.
- Ignoring the program's focus. If you are applying to a quantitative program, your resume should highlight quantitative skills prominently. Read the program's website carefully and align your resume accordingly.
- Including irrelevant work experience. Your summer retail job from college is not relevant to a PhD in neuroscience. Include only experiences that demonstrate skills or knowledge relevant to the program.
- Padding with filler. Admissions committees read hundreds of applications. Concise, relevant content gets more attention than lengthy descriptions of minor activities.
Key Takeaways
- Determine whether your program wants a resume or CV before you start
- Lead with education and include GPA, relevant coursework, and thesis topics
- Prioritize research experience for PhD programs and professional experience for master's programs
- Be specific about your research contributions: methods used, data analyzed, results achieved
- Tailor your skills section to the program's methodological and technical expectations
- Keep it to one to two pages for professional programs; two to three for research CVs