Does not ever having a job look bad on Apps?

Applying to College
1

<p>Just as it says...</p>

2

<p>Most kids (especially those applying to highly selective schools) have little or no work experience--according to the lady who interviewed me for Harvard earlier this year.</p>

3

<p>I don't think it looks bad if you don't have one, but it definitely sets you apart if you do have one. When I was interviewing with my top schools, the topic of discussion that came up the most was my job, and I wrote my common app essay about it.</p>

4

<p>It can be a boost if you have one, and no penalty without one, I think</p>

5

<p>I only had one paying job my whole life(not count babysitting) and that was only for 3 days...I hope it doesn't have a big affect on admissions.</p>

6

<p>My parents told me not worry about getting a job and study my butt off instead. of course, my parents are slightly abnormal ;)</p>

7

<p>no it cant hurt you but then again if there is someone stats and essay appeal as you but they have a job and you dont then obviously its gonna factor in</p>

8

<p>I wouldn't think that it would be a penalty as long as you are filling your time with other activities that are worthwhile. I was fortunate enough as to not be required to have a paying job to aide in the support of my family and the parentals allowed for me to pursue other activities as long as they were productive. I spent the first 3 summers of my career focusing primarily on baseball with leagues such as the American Legion and the final volunteering at local food bank/thrift shop. Surely it would be a nice asset to have, but i think it honestly carries little weight, I hope thats the case anyway.</p>

9

<p>Fwiw, my Brown interviewer told me that the university loves seeing kids with jobs/earning money. Probably not the same at every school, but she was very adamant on that fact.</p>

10

<p>I think my son's employment (and his ability to describe it in a way that was captivating) was key in his admission at Stanford.</p>

11

<p>It does depend on your economic status. If you're very wealthy, getting a job at a local grocery store wouldn't hurt you. (way admissions officer explained it to me, with a <em>winkwink</em> connotation.) If you're very poor, and you work to support your family, this reflects very well upon you. If you're just a run of the mill dude who doesn't work, there's not much a difference made either way.</p>

12

<p>If I applied as a low-income student and didn't work (well now I do, but AFTER admissions lol), did that pretty much kill most of the compensation in admissions that applying as low-income would have given me?</p>

<p>(Actually I'm more worried about my sibling now ... ho-hum.)</p>

13

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<p>No, I don't think so. You might not get as much of a leg up as someone who is low-income and does work a lot, but that doesn't mean admissions will look upon you less favorably. So people can't get transportation to work/can't pay for it (like me! lol)</p>

14

<p>Yeah that was my problem. But I didn't know if adcoms took that into account.</p>

15

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<p>I believe that in the grander scheme of things, it's not that important. I'm guessing you can always alert them to this fact if you feel it is especially pertinent. I plan on mentioning it in my interviews if the subject arises.</p>

16

<p>i dont think it has a huge effect, but its definitely better if you do in my opinion -- although i think pretty much everyone holds a summer job of some kind at some point before college, no?</p>

17

<p>Haha, admissions season is over for me.</p>

<p>By the time I apply to graduate school, the fact that I only started working at age 18 won't be an issue, will it?</p>

<p>(If socioeconomic background is still pertinent in graduate admissions, that is.)</p>

18

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<p>No, it will not have an effect. I'm not certain about socioeconomic background in general, though... I'm inclined to say no.</p>

19

<p>i think it would look bad if it was overall part of an arrogant, "OF COURSE you should accept me" sort of app...entitlement complex, ya know?</p>

<p>however, most of the people i know do not have jobs just because it is hard to find anything under 18, so I don't think it would hurt you at all. You should be doing EC's and stuff, though, with more involvement if you don't have a job.</p>

20

<p>I hope it's not that important because I don't have any job experience at all..</p>