Shadow vs Intern

ivymania · 07-13-2012, 12:23 AM

Shadow vs. Intern vs. Volunteer

Are the three pretty much the same in terms of what colleges look for?

I will be shadowing a lawyer next month for a few weeks, and I was just wondering if it would be worth spending all that time.

Or should I look for a place to volunteer/intern? Unfortunately...high school students cannot intern or volunteer at law firms. Will colleges know that and realize that shadowing may be the only option?

alexcuad · 07-13-2012, 03:51 AM

I don't know man ... I'm officially a paid intern at a law office and I'm going to be a freshman next year. Of course, I'm doing this for the money/personal experience more than the resume/professional experience.

What makes you think that HS students can't intern/volunteer at law firms?

ivymania · 07-13-2012, 01:37 PM

Wow! That's really cool! If you don't mind my asking...what exactly do you do as a paid intern?
All the interns at law firms iin my area are either law school students or paralegals. So...as a high school student I can't.

alexcuad · 07-13-2012, 02:59 PM

I'm interning at an immigration lawyer's office. I do lots of translating, both on paper and face to face. I also do lots of research with past cases and new laws, etc. I'm the resident expert on Obama's new Deferred Action law, to the point where the lawyer comes to me and I advise him on whether a certain client is eligible. It's a pretty rewarding job, so far I've helped a few people stay in the US by getting political asylum, because, for example, if they returned to El Salvador, they would be raped/tortured/killed by gangs. I live in a really small town where we don't have a law school within 70 miles.

ivymania · 07-13-2012, 11:32 PM

Dude that's awesome! It's great that you're doing that!

Btw ...can anyone answer my other questions?

T26E4 · 07-15-2012, 11:13 PM

It's not as if there's a chart on the admissions wall that says "internship<volunteer<shadowing<flipping burgers at McDonalds"

Each situation is different. YOU need to decide which of your options is the most interesting for you.

But ultimately shadowing an atty is rather "meh" IMHO. If you were my kid, I'd say look elsewhere.