Hello,
My ds is trying to get an internship for his junior year. He luckily had one at a prestigious institution last year and they have invited him back. I spoke with a private college counselor and she suggested getting something new to emphasis “diversity.” I was really surprised by this. I thought that commitment to something over time is valued by colleges. He now is spending too much time on application essays.
Thoughts?
Thanks for your help.
What schools will your son possibly be targeting? He seems very young. Is the internship during the summer or during the school year?
My daughter was accepted to some competitive schools …no interest in Ivy League but was accepted to at least 1 other school with a 10% acceptance rate. She spent her high school summers working at a local camp. She was also invited to participate in camp discussions …what improvements to make etc. During the school year she had 3 leadership positions in her school…doing activities that are common for HS students. She also had 1 leadership position in our local community. She didn’t have any internships at prestigious institutions and although she was definitely a leader in HS, I would describe her HS years as very typical for a teen. She was busy and had a lot of fun doing regular HS things.
I don’t have an answer for you…but I will tell you that kids at our HS are accepted to competitive schools every year and the vast majority of them do things in the community that they enjoy…student council leadership, local environmental cleanups, volunteering for local politicians, waitressing etc. I don’t recall any of my daughter’s friends having an internship at a prestigious institution during their freshman ? or sophomore ? year of HS…and many are at schools that are quite competitive. Congrats to your son!
As I mentioned… I have no answer for you, but if it was my child I would probably advise him to do what he enjoys …and if it means returning to the same place he was last year, that’s perfectly fine. I would want my child to enjoy these years and become involved in activities that are fun for him to do…and not get wrapped up in this race for prestigious internships at such a young age…but that’s just me and I am sure some will disagree. I think there is something to be said for a kid who spends his high school years volunteering at a nursing home, food bank, etc…might not be prestigious… but definitely shows character if it is coming from his heart.
Best of luck!