I am a rising senior aspiring to attend college in the US.
Lately, I’ve noticed some of my friends interning and working at firms and organizations, and they all told me that internships came from family connections, which I don’t have. I’ve made an effort to search for internships everywhere, but I couldn’t find a place suitable for me because I was not qualified (I’m not a US citizen, I live far from the locations, and I cannot commit more than 5 weeks of work because of other commitments). Will I be at a disadvantage because I don’t have any internships?
You will be evaluated relative to the opportunities available to you. It is true that many people get internships through friends and family, but my Ds have gotten all of theirs own their own (we move a lot, so don’t have the same kinds of long-term connections that more settled people would have).
Also, competitive US colleges say that it matters less what you do with your summer than that you do something and that you get something out of that.
When you’re applying to college, internships are not important. Few students are able to get opportunities that are legitimate “internships” where they’re learning the tricks of a trade.
When you’re applying for a job in four years, that kind of experience is much more important.
“Real” internships are typically only available to college undergrad & grad students.
At my son’s high school, the kids who did summer “internships” were the super-rich kids w parents who are corporate executives. The kids either worked for their dad’s company, or at a family friend’s company. As u already mentioned: FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
For the rest of us mere mortals, the important thing is that u do something CONSTRUCTIVE, be it a paid humble job, volunteering at animal shelter or training for an athletic skill, etc, etc. Don’t just sit there and play Minecraft.
College admissions people aren’t dumb about the differences in opportunities available to kids.
There is a lot of benefits of finding your own internship, not just the money. My kid kept referring to one friend who got his internship after freshman year as nepotism. So this year his friend found real job by himself. No father involved.