I believe that taking a blue collar job or two before and during college makes a big difference in the growth of the young person. I have observed my own children and my students. For each and every one of them who takes a paid blue collar job (cashier, busboy, cart runner, cleaning crew, handyman helper, etc.), I can tell the difference in daily interactions. They first look tired and often distracted, but after a couple of weeks they become more focused, motivated, and more importantly, more accountable. I tell my students that if they’re trusted to close a shop alone that’s something worth mentioning in college application.
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I think the Common Data Set has work experience ranked in the admission process for each school.
I can remember my son saying that work experience helped a few times on an essay or interview. He could discuss real world experiences in a conversation. Shows a certain level of maturity that might stand out.
My advice to both sons for their first job was to just get a job. Any job. Learning how to work is a skill.
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Plus…that first job can generate a reference for future jobs. Both of our kids had less than glamourous first jobs, but both got excellent references that spoke of their reliability, commitment, and work ethic…which I would think helped them get their next jobs.
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We had a very similar experience.
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The majority of kids applying for “elite” colleges are from affluent backgrounds*. That means that there are a very large number of applicants who have all sorts of “internships”. Some are competitive internships that are open to all applicants, but many are also the sort of opportunities that are available only to the wealthy and connected. While I assume that many AOs can tell the difference, this would often be the sort of thing that only becomes apparent on closer scrutiny. Also, family wealth is also helpful for getting a competitive internship.
On the other hand, a kid having an actual paid job is less common, and is something that requires more motivation and determination than an internship. Not finding or even getting such a job as much as being willing to look for, and taking, such a job, not to mention holding such a job.
So when applying for an “elite” college, an applicant who had paid job may also stand out more than yet another applicant with a another corporate summer internship.
I would guess that an applicant who was taking a paid job despite coming from an higher earning family would also stand out positively, though in a different way.
-* This was seen in the fact that low income kids are being accepted at a slightly higher rate than average, but remain only a small percentage of students at these colleges, indicating that they are only a similarly small percent of the applicants.
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A job is, IMO, much better than an internship for a high schooler. Since when does a 17 year old need an internship? Jobs are legitimate, but the same can’t always be said of “internships,” especially when a student pays for an “internship.” Not saying your child is considering that, btw.
I actually think it’s a sorry state of affairs when a kid feels that a summer job doing unskilled labor isn’t “good enough” for a college application.
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A well considered internship can be better than a job if the internship is in the area of professional interest, and the job is not
And even just an unpaid internship can be a sign of privilege. Some kids have to work in summer.
It’s hard to see an average high schooler getting a “decent” internship without connections - what can most 17 year olds have to offer ? - and if they do happen to be exceptional kids who can get these on merit, this would likely be supported by other aspects of their application as well.
I have heard this as well - “key holder” shows a level of trust and responsibility that bodes well for other things, including future job applications.
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Most HS students do not have an internship that aligns with their professional interest (which often changes). Most don’t have any internship at all.
@neela1 what professional interests are you referencing? Do these organizations typically take 17 year olds who are not connected in some way? Or pay?
A long term job shows grit, maturity, growth, communication skills, the ability to problem solve and take on responsibility, understand the perspective of others, etc. The fact that it might not directly align with professional interests really doesn’t matter, imo, as they are learning transferable skills.
Adding: if a student is on a college interview and is asked what accomplishment they are most proud of (my daughter was asked this), I actually think that an answer referencing a problem that they independently handled at work, or a new interest in history because of weekly conversations with a customer…will be viewed positively.
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AO’s at highly selective schools do not turn their noses up at ordinary summer jobs. In fact, I would guess that a kid with an ordinary summer job who has to care for family members, or who also manages to be involved in a few other things during the summer is much more impressive than a kid who has a bunch of “research” and “internships” on their application.
The thing is, very, very few students do actual meaningful and impactful research. Many students pay for research opportunities. Very few students have the ability to line up an internship at the age of 16 or 17 that is anything beyond busy work at a relative’s business, and often, they are doing the internship for free or sometimes even paying for the opportunity. A paid internship is great, but it isn’t necessarily better than scooping ice cream or stocking shelves.
Top colleges know genuine, meaningful opportunities when they see them. Yes, there are going to be some lucky students with apps filled with research and internships, but that doesn’t mean they are more likely to get in over the kid who worked at summer camp. Colleges want to admit teenagers, not adults in suits.
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You can get a summer job in areas like CS, EMT, Mechanic shop, Music shop etc – I am guessing you will learn about your field of interest, and it also demonstrates interest if this is what you want to end up doing. I am not dissing other summer jobs, such as serving ice cream, supermarket cashier etc, but summer jobs aligned with your subject of interest also don’t hurt. Not necessarily just to show an AO that you are interested, but for your own sake as it tells you whether you like that field of study or not. I have a relative who worked as a bike mechanic, and wanted to become a mechanical engg. Of course being a mech engg is far more than being a bike mechanic, but it is in the general direction. My son worked on a computer vision project in school as part of a research project that was later submitted to the Siemens high school research competition. The skills developed there helped him get a freshman summer internship at an Israel startup in computer vision. He worked in our company (would not have got a job without my asking of course) at the age of 18, but developed skills that did not hurt. Was paid minimum wage. Was highly productive. The CTO wanted him back the next summer – the kid did not want to Schlepp into the city with me at 6.30 in the morning every day, and instead chose to work in the school building apps for them. None of it hurts. I lean towards aligned jobs/internships, without dissing ice cream shop jobs.
Absolutely agree. Mine learned so much from their summer jobs. I remember middle daughter teaching swim lessons at summer camp for hundreds of little kids. So much responsibility, patience and energy required.
And after the first week of having little kids crying, spitting water in her face, hanging all over her and untying her suit when she wasn’t paying attention, she came home laughing and said, “Mom this is the best job for me! Makes me realize I want to wait at least 10 more years until I have kids!”
She is an elementary schoolteacher now. 
And no kids of her own yet, but she will be an amazing parent.
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I also think a lot can be learned by having a “regular” job, especially one that is long term.
Finding a summer job that is aligned with your area of interest can be helpful (if you can find one), but it is not necessary for college apps.
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When DS interviewed at colleges, his job almost always came up and was often what the AO (and in one case the AD) wanted to talk about, as it was a less common option. He’d had a range of tasks, responsibilities, and experiences with very different co-workers and customers. And yes, he was able to use that experience to differentiate himself and get 2 different internships in college.
These “real world” jobs can be a great new lens on the world. If you work at a supermarket, not only do you get an insight into how people shop and what they buy, but also into food waste, how things are merchandised, your fellow workers, management styles.
Working in any kind of hospitality job is a lesson in dealing with people. Working with kids may yield entirely new insights into classroom management.
And more than anything, this signals that a kid doesn’t think this is “beneath them”. In a culture in which preference is often mistaken for entitlement, that can be quite refreshing.
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