<p>How exactly is work experience weighted? Just as another EC?</p>
<p>Thoughts on the best type of job?</p>
<p>A hoity toity job at a corporation or law officer better than fast food/baby sitting? Or perhaps worse because your parent could have pulled strings for it with connections?</p>
<p>Maybe a tennis coach? Or maybe a graphic designer?</p>
<p>I think it's weighted as an EC but can help a lot if it is career-oriented.</p>
<p>Mine was freelance web developer/php programmer</p>
<p>I did freelance web design (More so graphic design), tennis coach, corporate internship, and work with an NPO- but nothing directly related to my intended field =/</p>
<p>You all put my cashier job to shame...</p>
<p>Actually, from what I hear work experience is weighted much more heavily than your typical EC, especially if your family is poor and you work, say, 20+ hours a week. It shows that you know where your priorities lie; that you have a sense of responsibility; that you have the maturity, independence, and work ethic that employers demand.</p>
<p>And the longer you stay with a single employer, the better.</p>
<p>I really hope it is really weighted, cuz if so, it could get me in...</p>
<p>Freelance photographer over here! Heh. :(</p>
<p>5 years as a grocery store cashier making minimum wage whoo whoo! so yeah lets hope that its more on how long youve had the job and not on the quality of the job</p>
<p>I think that any kind of job boosts your application. I had an internship at a local newspaper, which supplemented my journalism ECs, but a job like danr74's also shows the kind of commitment that colleges like Harvard look for (especially if your family is low-income). And as Mustafah said, work experience, no matter what kind, shows that you are independent and responsible outside of school.</p>
<p>Some hints.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It is usually a mistake to structure your life around college admission. </p></li>
<li><p>That's especially true if the admissions target is a school like Harvard where the admissions process is competitive (you may not get in) and secretive (you don't know whether the job will make a difference). </p></li>
<li><p>There are "opportunity costs". Even if the job does help admissions chances, it may prevent doing something else with the time that is even better.</p></li>
<li><p>You have most of your life after age 18 as time available, and usually required, for work. The rush to work during high school is sometimes nonsensical when seen in this light, and in this economy, may be taking employment from someone who needs it more.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Mal77, to answer your other question, there is no "best" type of job. The admissions committee will evaluate your job in the context of your personal demographics, life chances, and socioeconomic status. Obviously, nobody expects a student who lives in a ghetto to have a job at a law firm or country club. Likewise, if you're an upper-middle class applicant who has plenty of connections, the adcom will not be all that impressed by your highfalutin job (even if it is career-oriented) unless you use your position to serve the community in some special way.</p>
<p>I say, if you're fortunate enough to not have to work to support your family or save for your education, then don't. Volunteer instead. If you want to learn about a certain career path, that's a different story. But don't expect to get any bonus points for grasping opportunities that most kids don't have.</p>
<p>hello, and what if I dont have work experience, and have a good GPA, native student, and some volunteer service as a transfer student? wow this is like so new to me, I was mistaken years ago when I was told to not work because universities "supposedly": didnt like this. If I had known this, i would have worked but decided to keep myself chilled, I hope this doesnt mean rejection. I am talking about UCLA by the way.</p>
<p>My work was at Target which doesn't really relate to my major except for the fact that I used the money to buy some of the materials for my research. So hopefully it shows the adcom that I was dedicated to actuallly work to conduct research.</p>
<p>'''
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<p>I think having a job adds another dimension to your application: responsibility. One can do all sorts of unique extra-Cs, but without a job, the adcoms cannot see financial responsibility/independence. So a job is probably weighted more heavily than a typical extra-curricular (like NHS, Academic Challenge, w.e) IMO, a job at Target or a fast food restaurant works to show that financial responsibility (You do not have to work for NASA). Of course, a job at NASA would aid your app more than a job at Target, but any job will be able to show that dimension of your app which no other Extra-C is able to show).</p>
<p>A job at target could even give you experience in your intended major; it gives you an open view of the real world outside of highschool. For example, you might learn some potential liabilities associated with stores that you might not have known before (customer slips on a shampoo bottle, etc.). If you are into public relations or business, you will have a better understanding of how it is like to be a worker. At the place where my dad works, the company requires all managers (whether promoted through the company, or straight out of college/ another company) to work as a laborer for one year. </p>
<p>So do not underestimate the power of job experience. IMO, job experience and community service are the only two things in the app that can be quantitative (many hours in the same company/service group, not a laundry list of jobs/ service groups!!) rather than qualitative (prestigious like NASA).</p>
<p>Just for the record, I do not have a job :(, but will get one soon (too late for college apps).</p>
<p>One more thing, do not fret if you did not have job experience, it is not mandatory for a shot at top level schools (nor can the lack of a job severely hurt your chances); community service, on the other hand, is a definite must for all top level schools!</p>
<p>I sure hope internships help!!!</p>
<p>Do they take into consideration the fact that some people don't have well connected parents and had to work practically illegal hours at minimum wage to scrape together just enough for a lemon and a little gas money? A lot of towns have no opportunities, or no opportunities for people under eighteen.</p>
<p>Internships can be extremely helpful if they're geared to your interests and long-term goals. When I interned at a local newspaper, I was writing articles, doing layout, conducting interviews, etc., which showed that my passion for journalism went beyond ECs at school. I got a lot out of it, and it boosted my application...it's a win-win situation.</p>
<p>@Gina, I am sure that take that into account for the application as a whole! If you showed on your app that you worked so many hours a weak to support your family, they will take that into consideration when looking at your scores and extra curriculars! If you have subpar scores/gpa, they will understand you do no have as much time/ resources as other students. This does not mean you will get into Harvard with a 1870, but perhaps a 1920-1960. Again, getting in with a 1960 is highly unlikely but possible; all I am saying is that it is possible for you but very unlikely for a typical applicant. </p>
<p>So, you're situation actually benefits you (when it comes to college apps) more than a fancy sounding internship. But you had to show this in your application!</p>