<p>“Your best bet is to get a job but also do the internship. While some might say “oh your parents hooked it up” it really doesn’t matter. It is still quite impressive to be able to have the opportunity to intern at a fortune 500 company. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”</p>
<p>I agree that one can learn a great deal through a job, including a h.s. internship at a Fortune 500.</p>
<p>I also know that such an internship won’t be the ticket to success at top colleges. One may get into such a college, but it’s unlikely that an internship obtained via parent connections will be what tips one in.</p>
<p>A job as a grocery store bagger however may tip one in, something that many CC members don’t realize, opting instead for things like expensive “community service” trips abroad (which also don’t impress adcoms at top colleges because the adcoms know that such experiences are basically packaged experiences designed to be resume dressing for people who have money).</p>