What Colleges want to see on your resume.
WE ARE ALL STORYTELLERS
I love hip-hop music. A Tribe Called Quest. De La Soul. KMD. Eric B. & Rakim. I’m sorry if those names don’t resonate with you. It’s names like those that have found their way into the musical rotation of every handheld electronic device I’ve owned since middle school. I’ve always wondered why I liked their music so much. I remember listening to instrumental versions of my favorite songs, thinking how incomplete they sounded without the words to accompany them. Baby-faced me figured out why I loved hip-hop music so much. At least that hip-hop music.
MY FAVORITE ARTISTS WERE OFTEN MASTERFUL STORYTELLERS.
They leveraged their ability to tell a story, to sell millions of records. Though who’s story these artists were telling were often debatable, there’s no denying the lasting impact some of these artists have made in the music world and society in general. Let’s face it. It’s why we have debates over who’s the greatest. Tupac or Biggie? Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney? Carole King or Joni Mitchell? Which artist made you feel the most? Who told the story that transported you more than any other?
IN A SIMILAR WAY, YOU ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO THE SAME.
As a college admissions advisor, I regularly speak with individuals who are looking to take the next step in their education, but overwhelmed by where to start.
THE ANSWER I ALMOST ALWAYS GIVE IS TO START WITH YOURSELF!
At the end of the day, who knows you better than you? Having a clear understanding of who you are and what you’re ready to accomplish is the foundational part of taking that next step. It’s what often keeps you rooted in the difficult seasons. It’s the dangling carrot in front of you that keeps you motivated. Not only is your story the baseline from which you’ll make your educational and future goals, it unlocks other worlds of possibilities too. Financial ones! So, important ones. You might be surprised to know that there are people, places, and things that will give you money to tell your story.
THEY’LL FUND YOUR STORY THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS.
This can look a lot of ways. Sometimes it’s an essay. Other times, it’s a phone conversation. If you’re lucky, it can look like a fancy dinner. Additionally, some college and university admissions decisions are based, in part, on how well you can talk about yourself in an essay or resume. Instead of debating who the greatest songwriter is, admissions offices may debate who their greatest applicants are. A lot can ride on your availability to share your expertise.
PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORY.
Who you are. Where you’ve been. Who you hope to become. Deep down, we all live for it. Naturally, it’s why we read books, watch movies, or listen to podcasts. But what I am suggesting, maybe more than anything, is that you deserve to write it. I mean that in the literal and figurative sense.
Yes, physically write your story to take full advantage of your admissions prospects and scholarship awards. As we discussed, at times it will be necessary. But in the figurative sense, take the pen and write the verses.
I wonder if Q-Tip knew the songs he wrote would still play on the radio decades after he wrote them? Or that he’d be recognized as one of the greatest rappers/producers of all time? That’s the power of a story. Your story. As in, the one only you can tell. It’s our stories that make us uniquely special. But in a beautiful way, that same one-of-a-kind story, connects us to one another.
REALISTICALLY, MANY OF US DON’T HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT.
I changed my program of study a couple times as an undergraduate student. I took 10 more years to figure out I wanted to go back to school. There was a career change, thousand mile moves, and a family/kids somewhere in time span. My story has evolved year after year. I swear, sometimes the future script changes on the daily. But remember that baseline I was talking about? That’s been my reason why all these years. It’s been what’s motivated me to keep pushing forward.
My reason why and the reason my story is still being written. I encourage you to take the time to prioritize yourself and craft that story. Don’t be afraid to share that story with those willing or asking to listen. The world craves to hear it.
- Matt
