A lot of students wonder how colleges view after-school jobs on a college application vs. extracurricular activities at school – fortunately, both are viewed well by colleges.
https://www.collegeconfidential.com/articles/school-jobs-vs-extracurricular-activities-college-application/
It will also show the applicant’s personality and character to talk about the value and growth one gets from the after-school job. That experience will be as valuable as the extracurricular activities.
^^^ ditto. Also, after school work is better than some expensive missionary tour.
Many colleges are trying to increase their socioeconomic diversity and want to brag about their First Generation and Pell Grant student numbers. As a result, at many presentations I attended at the nation’s top colleges, the point was made that afterschool jobs and family commitments are among many possible ways of showing your responsibility and dedication in afterschool hours.
Admission officers understand that some kids need to make money after school as opposed to having the luxury of playing a sport or being in a debate club.
But they still appreciate the extracurricular activities and yes, the mission tours, by other kids- if these are written about in a way that is genuine and interesting- but they welcome a diversity of afterschool commitments, and working a lot of hours at a job is not a disadvantage.
There are so many benefits to having a part-time job in high school: learning what “work” is, dealing with the public, solving customer service issues, managing money, recognizing the value of money, developing professional communication skills, time management, even basic telephone etiquette, etc.
Sometimes having a menial job is a great motivator to go to college. One of my kids once said he didn’t want to end up like his manager!
Those after school and summer jobs in high school also can lead to opportunities while in college because prospective employers like to see some or any history of employment. If you do the same job for more than a year, it might tell even more about your dependability and loyalty. Everything counts on a resume. Just be productive.
I’m a HUGE proponent of high school kids having part time jobs!!!
As a teacher, it’s my job to pull the very best out of my kids.
As an employer, it’s my expectation that they’ll pull the best out of themselves.
There’s a huge difference.
Each of my 3 kids have had jobs since the summer after 9th grade-- for my son, it was the summer after 8th working with a local dog boarder feeding and walking the dogs. Each of them learned that their social lives would sometimes have to take a backseat, that they had to dress the way their employer expected, and that when there was “nothing to do” they were expected to find something to do-- and that something had better not include their phones!
Give me a kid who flipped burgers for 2 years over one who did a mission trip on daddy’s dime any day of the week!!!
I will add that, given similar applications, I would select the student who worked part-time over one who did not.
Another benefit of a part-time job is that many outside scholarships prefer applicants who have worked hard both in and out of the classroom. My son was very confident during scholarship interviews with groups of adults having worked since the age of 16.