1. How to Start Your Vita
Brainstorm your past educational and professional experiences.
You can decide what to include and exclude later; for now, think of everything you’ve done.
Keep the following headings in mind:
 Education
 Thesis
 Research
 Clinical Work
 Teaching experience
 Publications and Presentations
 Foreign Languages
 Honors and Awards
 Foreign Study
 Conferences Attended
 Memberships
 Service
 Special Honors
 Special Skills
 Educational Interests
Vitae aren’t arranged in chronological order, but by headings. Headings usually include:
 Education
 Include colleges attended, expected graduation date, major, minor, overall GPA,
major GPA
 Relevant Courses Taken
 This section is not necessary if you have a lot of research and teaching
experience. It’s just a good way to bulk up a vita.
 Teaching Experience
 Include the class, supervisor, and duties of all TA experiences.
 Research Experience
 Include duties and supervisor, as well as a summary of the project.
 Clinical Experience
 Any experience working with patients. Usually your practicum is listed here.
 Publications
 This is optional for undergrads, but include it if you have credit on a publication
or written a thesis.
 Research Interests
 What specifically do you want to study in grad school?