<p>I happen to have a strong opinion that part-time jobs for high school students are not useful unless you actually need or want the money. I have a decent financial situation that I'm perfectly happy with, and have many other activities besides, so I don't feel inclined to get a part-time job. I know that it is not good to do things just for college, but if I did get a job in high school, that would be the only reason I did it, unless I could find a part-time job about something I was really interested in. (note: I'm only talking about jobs, not internships)</p>
<p>So, do you need a part-time job during high school in order to get into Princeton? Of course, there probably isn't some written rule that you must have a job, but does it severely hurt your chances if you don't have one?</p>
<p>But that’s not to say a job doesn’t help. Schools like it when they see applicants who have some work experience, but compared to everything else on the application, having a job is not a top priority.</p>
<p>All schools care about is that you can account for your time in some constructive fashion. If summer after summer you list nothing – no volunteering, no classes, no interning, no job, they figure, “Oh, another video game kid. Next!” Sure, a job looks good on a resume, but no better than a dozen other things. Just do something!</p>
<p>Oh okay. So you’re saying that if I do constructive things in the summer, and volunteer/participate in school activities and extracurriculars during the rest of the year, then I don’t have to have a regular part-time job throughout the school year?</p>
<p>^No, a job throughout the year is definitely not necessary.</p>
<p>And yes, as far as your summers go, get involved. Volunteer, develop a passion (i.e. music is mine), whatever. Put it this way, when you get to the essay concerning your past 2 summers, really show Princeton what you’re doing outside of school that makes you who you are.</p>
<p>I happen to have the opposite idea: I think having a job teaches you a lot of valuable lessons, and more than just “the value of money.” And, incidentally, my essay for Princeton actually used my high school job as a jumping-off point (I’m confident that essay is what got me in…it was great). </p>
<p>I can understand that if you’re really busy with other commitments you won’t want to sacrifice time at a job that you feel is unnecessary, and honestly I’d go with your gut. If you really think you’re doing it “just to get into Princeton” then don’t do it. If you’re doing it to get some practice for the real world, or for the money, then I would say do it.</p>
<p>^We’re not saying a job isn’t a good thing. Obviously, if you have a job and still do other things as well, that’s always a plus to your application.</p>
<p>I’m hoping my job will help separate me from the many Ivy applicants without jobs. I wish I could afford not to work throughout high school… Y’all are lucky.</p>
<p>I definitely think a job is a worthwhile aspect on an application and should be given strong consideration. I work 27 hours per week as a cashier and I have two businesses of my own. I think that having a part-time job shows humility and that you’re able to succeed in school and academics while balancing employment for a sizable chunk of your week.</p>
<p>Because the jobs for this age group are mostly cashiers and waiters and general service things like that. I don’t want to work in a supermarket or restaurant when I’m older, so I don’t think it would make sense for me to get a job at one.</p>
<p>An internship would be more targeted towards a specific kind of career that I’m interested in.</p>
<p>Like I said, I am not interested in being a cashier or waitress. I do not like that sort of job.</p>
<p>If there were more interesting jobs available for teenagers, then yes, I would take one. But other than babysitting, dog-walking, doing odd jobs, cashiering, or waitressing, the year-round choices seem to be very limited.</p>
<p>My guess is that engaging in a volunteer activity that you really like for the summer would look better on your app than a job as a cashier at Wal-Mart ;P</p>
<p>so quidditty, you think teens who do jobs as waiters, cashiers, etc. are doing it because they want to do it when they grow up?
The reasons universities like it because it shows that people are not arrogant and have the initiative to go into workforce America at an early age.</p>
<p>Jobs can also display your career interests. For instance, I do some freelance writing on medical issues at times, which helps to show my interest in medicine. However, I have also done a fair amount of landscape construction, which basically follows the argument above.</p>
<p>@itry (and randombetch, since you backed him/her…sorry, I don’t know how you can tell gender on CC): Some of my classmates work as cashiers and waiters and the like. They do it either because a) they want money or b) they think it will be so much fun to have a job. Or both.</p>
<p>But after a few months, they all complain about how much working sucks. And some of them give up activities they actually like because they have to work.
None of them started to work because they’re humble and servile and whatnot. Most of them are not very good students either, so I don’t think that they’re necessarily extremely motivated and ambitious or anything.</p>
<p>–</p>
<p>I don’t know. We’ll see what happens. If I decide that I can learn something from a job, and that I can balance it with my other activities, maybe I’ll get one.
Thanks for your input, everyone!</p>