So my freshman and sophomore summers I volunteered at the Salvation Army.
I am a junior now, and wonders if it would look better on my college app if I continued as a Teacher's Assistant or get a job at a local tapioca and frozen yogurt shop?
I really want to work at the local tapioca and frozen yogurt shop because I am kind of tired of volunteering at the Salvation Army and would like to try something new.
However, I don't want to put myself at risk by switching to something that is only beneficial to me.
Stop overanalyzing it. Do what makes you happy. Working at salvation army or a yogurt place won't stop you from getting in anywhere or be the "hook" to push you over the top. As long as you can explain the switch if asked, that's fine.
Okay thanks. Im just afraid that colleges will look down on me because I stopped volunteering. I was planning to work part time at the yogurt shop and part time at Salvation Army.
Can you stay after volunteering maybe a few times a month over the weekends? What if you volunteered at another organization that you could accommodate with your work or school schedule?
Churches, schools, civic associations, political campaigns, animal shelters, homeless shelters, environmental groups, red cross, the list goes on and on. I definitely recommend volunteering, but find a passion and go that direction.
I was planning to work at the Salvation Army from 8:30 to 12:30 then work at the yogurt shop from 1:00 to 5:00. Then take a class at the local community college from 5:30 to 9. How does that sound?
I actually do like working at the Salvation Army, I just also want to work at the yogurt shop because it looks like a lot of fun.
That sounds like twelve and a half hours of work during a summer. Why don't you cut salvation army to just one or two days a week and expand your hours at the yogurt shop if you really wanna work more?
Working two four-hour shifts feels like working one ten hour shift. Enjoy yourself, it's summer. Maybe you can do salvation army on the weekends every other week and just do the yogurt shop in the week? I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something.
A paying summer job that you can keep part-time during the next school year is a good idea. It will help you put away some money for your college expenses.
Sounds to me like the yogurt shop is the way to go. No reason to keep putting time into volunteer work just because it 'looks good.' It only 'looks good' if you were doing something at the Salvation Army that was related to your future career plans and you were taking your engagement to a higher level (ie, running or redesigning the tutoring program, doing research for them on the impact of the program, etc...) New experiences are the way to go - and paid new experiences are even better.
Both of these jobs will pay me. They are both part time jobs for the summer. Both will lead me to have a job during the school year part time. I just don't want to jeopardize my college application by choosing the yogurt shop over salvation army. I truly do enjoy and is passionate about tutoring children at the salvation army. But, I also want to try something new since I have been tutoring at the Salvation Army for 2 summers already.
Ok..college adComs are not going to look at your apps - and say..Salvation Army vs Paid Work...
What will look good? Both. Since you have done the Sal army thing, go for the yogurt shop. By the way, be careful of working during school year. I see a lot of posts.."I am getting C's now..but I am working.." So unless it is family hardship, focus on your first semester GPA and college APPs..and some may even retake the SAT.
