<p>One section of the application asks for your work experience. I live in rural Maine and have two sources of income – I make spending money by babysitting and also by raising chickens. I get them as chicks and raise them for about two months and then farmers buy them. My questions is, should I keep quiet about the chickens? I’m worried that if I only list babysitting I’ll look spoiled, like I don’t deserve aid, but I’m equally worried that if I list the chicken job I’ll look like such a hopeless hick that the schools will worry about whether I will fit in. My parents say tell them about it, my gc isn’t so sure it’s a good idea to put it down. Any cc wisdom is appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m with your parents, I’d say you should mention it! It’s something that demonstrates your commitment to a job, while being a member of the community you live in: once you’ve got the chicks, you have to be involved with caring for them until they can be sold, and you’re performing a service for farmers who don’t have the extra resources to nurture baby chicks. Shows resourcefulness and responsibility, to me.</p>
<p>Besides, most schools want a diverse class of students, representing many walks of life. It’s not everyone who can say they raise baby chicks! It’s something that’s likely to stand out when admissions folks read your application, in fact.</p>
<p>Put down both things. Colleges are interested in a diverse group of students, including economic and urban/rural diversity. Raising baby chicks also is unusual, and will be interesting to the adcoms. You might even want to focus your essay on that. Being from a rural area can make you stand out in a good way to adcoms: Take advantage of that.</p>
<p>I’m third to say include it. Take a look over at another thread re curmudgeon’s daughter. She raises goats and everyone thinks that’s a great hook.</p>
<p>One more vote here for including it. Since there are few teens raising baby chicks these days, it is something that makes you rather unique and will help the adcom remember you!</p>
<p>Hopeless hick! That is so cool! That experience sets you apart a bit. Be proud of it.</p>
<p>My husband is a Cornell alum who has just signed on for alumni interviewing after a 20 year hiatus! At his orientation meeting last week, he was told that only 10% of Cornell applicants list any work experience. I really questioned that, but he stood by that number. I guess many are doing summer academic programs, travelling, etc.</p>
<p>I’d think the job raising chicks demonstrates initiative and commitment in a rural area without much other opportunity for income for a HS student.</p>
<p>Not only should you put it down, but it comes close to qualifying as a hook!</p>
<p>Another vote for for including the chicks. I agree with reasons that others have stated. In addition, there are many transferable skills you have gained just from raising chickens (you are caring, commited, compassionate and responsible to name a few). These skills say a lot of about you as a person and will make you an asset to any school.</p>
<p>Go for it</p>
<p>Look at it this way. You are an adcom. You have two applications. One is from, let’s say, MY SON. Who has good grades, plays soccer, but spends the rest of his time, sitting in front of the computer, IMing people named “foxie” and “chickie”.</p>
<p>The other is from a kid, let’s say, YOU, who runs their own business raising chickies.</p>
<p>Which do you think they are going to pay more attention to?</p>
<p>Peg</p>
<p>You should definitely put it on the application, with your job title as “Chick Magnet.”</p>
<p>I totally agree with everyone above. In addition, you’re involved in an industry that is undervalued and yet so crucial to the welfare of the nation–just like nursing and education.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Peggy–LOL!</p>
<p>It will give the adcoms a nickname for you–that’s a definie plus</p>
<p>Snakes would be better. ;)</p>
<p>My S’s hs job was essentially custodial, but when he was hired, the title was “church sexton.” You better believe he put that down–how many applicants had a title like that?</p>
<p>I vote with the majority, making it still unanimous, I think.:)</p>
<p>Yes, for diversity. Most colleges have hard time reaching their “hopeless hick” quota. Play the rural card.</p>
<p>Coldcomfort</p>
<p>Listen to these guys on CC!</p>
<p>My S is in the same situation…he spends afterschool hours in the spring and all summer working on our fish farm. It is a given. I don’t think it ever crossed his mind to include this on a college application as it makes him look like a “hopeless hick” too.</p>
<p>Thanks to the advice and wisdom we found on CC, he is definitely going to include it somewhere on the app, perhaps write an essay about it…</p>
<p>He uses the money for fun things like going out to movies and a MP3 player but he also saves his earnings and has purchased a laptop, a car (he commutes 20 miles to school) and it also paid for his band trip to NY last spring (where he had a solo at Carnegie Hall)!</p>
<p>I was surprised to hear that only 10% of applicants applying to Cornell list work experience. My kids have worked since about the age of 8 or 10. But we live on a farm, so it is a given.</p>
<p>Good luck getting into the college of your choice!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the input. If all of the cc parents say put it down, down it goes!</p>
<p>I have a hard time believing that only 10% of Cornell applicants have work experience. Do the other 90% really not work?!?! I think I may have been born to the wrong set of parents!</p>
<p>Actually the chick raising job is not a bad one. It pays pretty well for this area and you do it during the winter (from the end of Dec. to mid March) because the farmers want the larger chicks for the spring. There isn’t a whole lot else to do here in the winter and it lets me participate in fall and spring sports. Different farmers have come to know me and I’ve built up a nice little business. When I go off to college my little brother “inherits” it. I think he should have to give me a cut since I am handing over “my” customer base to him. Unfortunately my brother sees it differently!!</p>
<p>coldcomfort, your experience with the chicks definitely sets you apart from the typical upper middle class suburban BWRK. You might even be able to wrangle an essay out of it.</p>