I was wondering whether there would be any legality concerns if anything slightly illegal was written in my essay? I worked in a factory during the summer of my sophmore year and in a lawn service as a junior (summer). I was underaged in both scenarios and working in adults/hard labor jobs, could college admission officers report me for this?
Underage…meaning you required a work permit and didn’t get one?
How were you even hired for these jobs?
I think the issue would be more for the employers who hired you. That said, I personally would advise you to not include it in your essay. You don’t want to come across as someone who skirts the law.
I don’t think you have any risk from reporting these jobs. They show that you have initiative and spunk, and you’re willing to work. That’s what I would think were I a reader for the admissions office. I assume these jobs aren’t the key element of you biography.
Adcoms aren’t state employment investigators. But please understand the essay isn’t just a tale you write for hs English class. It’s your chance to show personal traits the colleges look for.
That is, traits relevant to the college experience. That’s more than his hard you worked at a job.
OP: Working as a fourteen or fifteen year old in a factory or for a lawn care service is not a problem if detailed in a college application essay since the type of work involved is not illegal. It could be, however, if you were knowingly recruiting underage workers for an employer. (Also, aren’t there exceptions in some labor laws for student employment during summer break ?)
Working in a meth lab, an illegal operation, would raise red flags regardless of one’s age.
You’re fine. No one is interested in reporting a kid for not having a work permit.
underaged meaning I am an illegal resident under the age of 18 and had to forge an identification card to work (as i will probably have to for the rest of my life) to afford supplies for school
Don’t tell adcoms. It’s not relevant in a college app. They likely wont be impressed you forged docs. They may wonder what limits you’d break in college.
Find another way to show the traits they do want.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Closing thread; the answer’s been given - No, colleges will to report you. If this essay has not yet been written though, I would suggest leaving out the forging documents part,