<p>Ivy admission deans urge high school students to take more chill time in the summer. </p>
<p>See, "Not-fun in the summertime is no hit with college officials." Full story at:</p>
<p>Not-fun</a> in the summertime is no hit with college officials | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/13/2008</p>
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<p>I think this needs to be emphasized more.</p>
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<p>I have complained to some of my Ivy-admission-official friends about what I call the “Lifeguard Syndrome.” Every summer I am impressed by the teenagers who work as lifeguards at my local pool. They put in long hours, they have to be diplomatic when dealing with swimmers and guests of many ages, and they need to prepare in advance for their duties by taking the requisite coursework in the winter. They are often asked to switch shifts or stay late and always seem flexible and willing to do so. </p>
<p>Yet, as I’ve pointed out to my adcom pals, when “Lifeguard, 3 summers” shows up on applications, most elite-college admission folks take a quick look then flip the page. While all would agree that these candidates have used their time productively, no one is likely to wave the application in the air and call out, “Hey, Jerry, look what this guy has done!”</p>
<p>In other words, I feel that many admission folks don’t give enough credit to these sorts of jobs and the students who hold them. It may not be glamorous work (well, maybe on Baywatch but not at our pool 
) but it does indeed teach important life lessons that “sexier” summer undertakings may not.</p>
<p>Interestingly, however, I have seen adcoms get more excited about factory jobs or fast-food jobs or those that scream “blue collar.” But some summer undertakings like lifeguarding and camp counseling don’t seem to carry as much weight at admission-decision time as, I, personally, would give them.</p>
<p>If a teen really would enjoy being involved in some type of structured learning during the summer, then that’s great. However, if he would prefer to work … lay around … play in a band … hang on the beach … go to the family cottage … swing on the swingset … whatever … why not? I think it’s great that there is some recognition on the part of college admissions reps that it’s really okay to unwind in the summer. </p>
<p>If not now … when??? </p>
<p>It seems as if so many people feel that life is a constant push toward some goal, from birth on. I think life should have some fun in it, and it certainly is appropriate for kids to be kids.</p>
<p>Even though I’m a rising sophomore in college that article still makes me feel a little better about my summer and lack of a hectic schedule, haha. Thanks for posting.</p>
<p>Sally, I can see where you’re coming from about lifeguarding and camp counseling not being as “blue collar” as McDonald’s, but I have to disagree with you.</p>
<p>Lifeguarding and camp counseling are, in a very discreet respect, occupations of privileged children. They clearly don’t need to work for money, so they take jobs that are the most fun.</p>
<p>Sorry if it’s a blunt argument, but that’s how I see it.</p>
<p>Actually, I would much prefer to go to leadership conferences than work the job I have now. If I went to a leadership conference, I wouldn’t come home absolutely sore and exhausted every day, and I wouldn’t feel the need to take a shower right after work, and I’d be more relaxed, since I could just do what I enjoy all day. There are advantages and disadvantages to both situations.</p>
<p>Actually, lifeguarding is a job that pays well, and it’s fun at the same time. I don’t think it’s a privileged teens’ job at all.</p>
<p>JB—sorry, the pay comment was about camp counseling. You’re right, lifeguarding does pay well; it’s just that, at least in my experience, it tends to attract teenagers who grew up with more affluent parents and were therefor probably more comfortable with private pools/public pools that the surrounding neighborhood could afford to maintain.</p>
<p>I suppose lifeguarding as a privileged/nonprivileged kid job varies by area. In my area, being a lifeguard is far from a privileged kid thing. Most kids learn to swim, since I live in an area with lots of lakes. It’s like any other job in Michigan … hard to get & low paying!</p>
<p>JBV … as I tell my D when she comes home from work tired & sore … it will make you appreciate the job you (hopefully) get after college that much more! D has scooped ice cream for several summers … she is hoping this is her last.</p>
<p>I am really appreciating all the perspectives I am getting about teen employment, so I am mentioning this as diplomatically as possible. My D has her 1st paid job as a residential camp counselor, and she is really surprised by how little “fun” it’s been. She was a counselor in training for two years prior, so she had a sense of what she was getting into, but it has been much less “fun” than she thought, having to be responsible for little girls 24/7. (she gets off from 7 PM to 1AM a few days a week ( so she can sit in the staff room, sleep, or check the net on a slow computer), and sometimes she is up with the girls several times a night… remember that? )Many of her coworkers where gone within a few days. Some of the girls have “issues”, and there are administrative leadership issues as well. So it’s not as hard to see yourself doing as flipping burgers, but it’s not working in your dads office either! WE may not need her to work for the money, but we felt she needed to work for the money; I understand she is priveledged ( and so does she!), but I hope it will “count” for something. Not college apps. at this point, but as an important experience. It never was about college apps. for our family.</p>
<p>BTW, my life was SO different from my D’s, it makes it hard for me to put it into perspective.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, little girls can be really difficult, especially if the group has personality conflicts. Even if your D isn’t getting bonus points on a college app, she certainly is learning a lot that will serve her well in life. That is a great thing! :)</p>
<p>^Thanks, and I agree. She got into her reach, BTW, I think largely do to you CC folks, so it’s all about life lessons as far as we are concerned. As may be true for mayn of us, I find myself second guessing may things as we prepare for this next stage.</p>
<p>i love my summer.
working as a camp counselor at my absolute favorite place in the world, partying on the weekends, being spontaneous…
and all the while, working on my dartmouth ED app (every now and then). but, if i don’t get in, it’s chill. cultivating memories is more important to me than an ivy league acceptance.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, thank you for sharing your daughter’s situation. I think maybe the biggest problem with camp counseling is that it’s a necessarily insular experience, derived from it’s self-selecting nature. Parents who can’t afford summer camp simply don’t send their children; because of this, it’s materially comfortable children interacting with other, older, materially comfortable children.</p>
<p>In the two jobs I worked (one for two years, and my current one) I worked alongside single moms, struggling college students, retired fathers, people my age and people sixty-plus. Obviously, I had my parents to support me, but it always gave me pause, it always gave me a greater perspective on things, that this was for my coworkers the very means of their survival. I don’t think you get that, at all quite honestly, at a summer camp of manicured grounds and freshly scrubbed counselors.</p>
<p>Working in physical labor for two years, and now, in a more office-oriented job (still with an incredibly diverse workforce) was and is one of the most meaningful experiences in my life.</p>
<p>^ Very true. My mom had me go to a high school with vocational training, and doing that kind of work in HS and college inspired me in many ways. </p>
<p>D hasn’t been “freshly scrubbed” since she left! </p>
<p>BTW, for those of you who know of kids who can’t afford camp, this is a girl scout camp, and they have programs for girls of all ages who can’t pay, and/or are looking for leadership opportunities.</p>
<p>I also have a different view on camp counselors. Several of my students work the 4H camps, and they are anything but privileged kids. They were in 4H as children, learned so many skills and now they want to share that knowledge. They are not there for the pay but having a great week or two with younger children who see them as role models. </p>
<p>This is the third year my son has gone away for a camp, and if anything, my husband and I look at it as a chance to give him an idea of what it will be like when he is away at college. (We have spent less than $800 for all three camps – we do not have the means to spend big money.) This morning, he did his laundry for the first time, and yes, he was thrilled that his whites were still white, not pink. Each camp was his choice – the current one has him away from home for a month. And when he returns home, he will return to his part-time job at a fast-food place where he often works 25-30 hours a week during the summer months. The funny thing is, I think that he’s most proud of having a job. He likes having his spending money. He also invested some of that money. Now, his little brother is already talking about getting a job in three years – and he is looking to go to a band camp in another year.</p>
<p>momreads—it sounds like your son has struck a great balance.</p>
<p>I admire kids who are camp counselors. It’s the only job I ever quit.</p>
<p>And to prove karma is a – you know – the woman who I resigned to was on a scholarship committee I interviewed with two years later. DOH! Thankfully, I still received the scholarship.</p>
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<p>I do a grant-funded counseling program in Queens (NY) for girls who come from primarily blue-collar backgrounds and who wouldn’t ordinarily have access to private college counseling. These girls are all excellent students but hardly “privileged.” They do a variety of things in the summer but camp counseling and life-guarding are the most common pursuits.</p>
<p>And even when kids are from advantaged backgrounds, I still think that they deserve more respect at admissions-verdict time than they sometimes seem to get for electing such jobs. I wouldn’t say that life-guarding at our pool is particularly “fun,” and camp counseling can be exhausting and demanding, too. </p>
<p>Overall, I feel that the admissions process doesn’t always give enough respect to any kid from any background who holds any sort of steady but typical summer job.</p>
<p>Hey Sally! I’m from Queens!</p>