Internship questions regarding admissions

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys, I’m going to save the whole stat listing process and all that where I give my whole life story, just a quick question regarding the effect of an internship with my admissions chances. I have scores in the middle/close to upper end of most of the schools I plan on applying to (Northwestern, UChicago, UIUC, WashU, etc.), GPA is pretty low but I have a reason for that… if that’s of too much importance it is in another post of mine asking about chances where I list out everything.

Anyhow, I plan on applying to these schools with majors such as biochemical engineering, bioengineering, molecular engineering, etc. Obviously that depends on the school I attend, but the end goal is to be a researcher, preferably at a university. I want to study cancer (specifically melanoma, multiple family members passed from it, including my father last year), and hopefully assuming that gets somewhere in the near future, I’d like to continue my research in other fields. I just want to help make a difference in all of the fields that you associate with cancer research to be honest… I think that sums it up pretty well…

Anyways, I’ve been given a pretty neat opportunity… I’m currently a junior in high school (the year is almost over, I’ll be a senior next year), and I’m told I’m going to be hired for an internship with a new researcher at Washington University in St. Louis… the researcher I would be working under is VERY well respected, he is the Director of Research for Shriners Hospitals for Children in St. Louis, co-director of the Washington University Center of Regenerative Medicine and has appointments in the Departments of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Engineering… basically his credential list is a mile long, he just recently came from Duke to study at WashU. I would be interning in the research program for osteoarthritis…

I was just curious just how much having this on an application would effect my admission chances at schools listed above given that I do it and it all goes well. Would it really make the big of a difference? I know it’s a pretty neat opportunity, but does it really matter to admissions officers? I would assume it does, but I’m not really sure how much that’ll mean, but it is relating to my intended major so I was hoping it’d help. Obviously I’m not doing it for the application boost, I’m doing it because I want the experience as soon as I can and I want to be a part of making a difference like I said earlier. I’d do it without ever putting it on my resume, honestly, I’m blessed to be given the opportunity to have such a great mentor.

How much will this effect me getting into the colleges I am applying for? Will it make any difference?

Also, if anyone has any recommendations for schools given my stats and my interests, those are more than welcomed, I’m still actively looking for more schools to apply to in order to make sure I find the right fit!

Thanks in advance.

2

Not quite sure why you are posting this. If I say that doing this internship will not be helpful, will you not do it? - even though you say it is “really neat”? You really did not post any stats, so no one can chance you for much. Generally, internships are helpful, but it depends what you get out of it.
" Obviously I’m not doing it for the application boost, I’m doing it because I want the experience as soon as I can and I want to be a part of making a difference like I said earlier. I’d do it without ever putting it on my resume, honestly, I’m blessed to be given the opportunity to have such a great mentor.

How much will this effect me getting into the colleges I am applying for? "

To me, it sounds like you are trying to sell yourself as a modest, “rising” yet grateful high school student who actually does things they like; nothing wrong with this, but try to be more direct and just ask “will this help” instead of trying to qualify it to make yourself sound like a better person.

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Fair enough, @theofrelord, I could see where that is given off. Stats are good, 34C composite ACT, ~3.7 UW GPA 4.05 WGPA (took massive hit after sophomore second semester when my dad passed from melanoma, along with grieving process I took over and assisted running his pool business, which happens to be busiest in the spring time, ever since that only straight A’s though, hoping the upward trend can make up for a rough sophomore year). I’m white male, income bracket >100,000 but single parent so I don’t know how that effects things. I live in Missouri. First generation college student, only real ECs aw science national honor society & I played baseball freshman/sophomore year. I’ve taken the most rigorous courses allowed at my school in terms of math/science. I’m as far as they let me. English and history I’m on and off with, not exactly the most rigorous, sophomore year was though, AP World and then just Honors English II. I’m also in PLTW engineering classes, gotten advanced on all of those exams. I’m taking Biomedical Innovations next year too, along with the most rigorous possible schedule next year except for my English credits. all AP except Engineering Design and Development (create a product, market it, etc) and my English courses. not fully sure what else I can include for information… thanks.

In response to what you were suggesting, I do plan on doing the internship regardless of if it will help significantly or not, I’m just more curious for myself, that’s all. Wasn’t really trying to build my character up, I apologize if it was taken that way.

4

Just do it man. Worry about applying when the time comes.