The title. I’m a cs aspirant who is trying to gain some intern expierence. I understand that more benefits are doing a paid internships, but cs is a super competitive market and getting these opptunrties is difficult. I’m working hard in studying these languages and certifications, but in the meantime I was wondereing if I could take on unpaid oppturnties.
You’re in hs. No one expects you to have an internship.
A paid job at McDonald’s may or may not be as impressive - I can’t say. But it shows you as part of a team, and accountable to get things done given you are getting paid. No such thing or proof as a hs intern.
If you are doing something productive and can quantify it, then it’s great.
Do things that make you happy. Not to game admissions. Very few hs students have ‘real’ internships.
This is likely not why you’ll get into a college.
4 Likes
I don’t think being unpaid negates the value of an activity. You may not be regarded more highly than another student who spent the same amount of time manning a fryolator to help support their family, but you won’t be dismissed for what you did, either.
I think it’s more about context. One student could have an “unpaid internship” doing much-needed IT work for a struggling nonprofit; another could have a cushy “unpaid internship” set up for them at their parent’s company. A good AO will discern the difference.
But I don’t think anyone is asking, “Why wasn’t this 16y/o paid to do work that adult job-seekers are available to do?” The answer to that is obvious, and there’s no shame in volunteering to gain experience. There isn’t necessarily a need to glorify volunteering as an “internship” at all; what matters is what you did, what you contributed, what you learned.
8 Likes
In considering whether to do an internship while you are in high school, I would recommend that your forget about university admissions. Instead, do what is right for you.
If you want to do an internship, and if an appropriate opportunity comes up, and if it feels right for you, then go for it.
But do it for you, not for any impact it might or might not have in the future when you are applying to universities.
5 Likes