<p>The topic says it all...</p>
<p>It seems like everyone here is always focused on EC's whether it be clubs or activities...but where does having a job tie into all of this? I'm an employee at Starbucks and i've worked there for over a year now, and i've maintained a pretty good GPA (~4.5 weighted) now entering senior year...I was just wondering how colleges look at people who have had jobs for a substantial amount of time? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>quite helpful. good for showing time and stress management skills. quintessential for college survival. gud luck ;]</p>
<p>Like any other EC I think, it's how much you excell in it that will trully determine how helpful it'll be.</p>
<p>Colleges regard work as a significant EC demonstrating organizational skills, maturity and responsibility. Work particularly is impressive when a student is working to help support their family or to help earn $ for college.</p>
<p>Yeah, this is definitely a plus, at least from what I've encountered in my experiences, and especially if you also work during the school year showing impressive time management skills and responsibility. Also, if your wages somehow contribute to maintain the standard of living in your house, then it's definitely going be a strong factor when applying.</p>
<p>In one of the books I've looked through (I think it was one of Michelle Hernandez's) it said that adcoms like to see that you have a job because it shows that you are not handed everything on a plate.</p>
<p>I've never worked.</p>
<p>does it matter what KIND of job you have?</p>
<p>Not really, just to you have a job and work there often [usually twice a week], because my job had been scooping ice cream so I guess that's the lowest of the low and I know that they really appreciated the fact that I had a job</p>
<p>I remembered which book it was (A is for Admission). For some reason she kept talking about how adcoms are working class and like to see students who have jobs. She said they "look down" on it if your job is something "cushy" (her words) like babysitting and stuff.</p>
<p>How about if it I helped out with my dad's business ( by taking customer orders and placing them with factory, typing letters for him, making excel spreadsheets, etc,etc)? Does that count for anything or does that have no signifcance sinec its a family business?</p>
<p>Well the only difference that can be assumed is you really didn't have to go through a whole application and interview process [which I could be wrong about or perhaps they did it as a formality], but other than that, as long as your working, and it's not entirely fluff then it really shouldn't be a problem.</p>
<p>As an alum interviewer and a parent of an ex-barista, I regard work experience as a huge plus. The job itself might not be glamorous or well-paying, but it shows commitment. It shows the ability to put up with not always pleasant experiences and perhaps learn how deal on a professional level with the general public. With work, one has to navigate in a new environment, outside of the home and school. It is a start.</p>
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Well the only difference that can be assumed is you really didn't have to go through a whole application and interview process [which I could be wrong about or perhaps they did it as a formality], but other than that, as long as your working, and it's not entirely fluff then it really shouldn't be a problem.
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<p>Thanks for your response. There was no interview process as such. Was just trying to helping my dad out.</p>
<p>No problem, the best thing is that it's a job, how many applicants can they say they go to school and hold down a job, plus I got a letter once congratulating me on doing both [and a few other things] so it's definitely going to be helpful when applying to colleges.</p>
<p>Does it have to be a regular job though?</p>
<p>I taught private lessons to a middle schooler last year for both semesters before I referred him to my teacher .. but this was a once a week thing + i paid for his books</p>
<p>and my string quintet also has a lot of paying jobs outside of school ... would that be a part of my music ECs or a "real" job?</p>