<p>(note: xposted at Summer Programs but I wanted to know what you all think.)</p>
<p>I'm a junior and I'm thinking about what to do this summer. My two options are pretty much either taking college classes at UPenn (because I'll probably apply there early next year) or interning at a small literary publication in New York City (I really like writing and that whole scene). I live in New York so interning there wouldn't be a problem and I'll probably travel in August. I wouldn't get paid, but money isn't really an issue- like, my parents said they're okay with paying for the classes and stuff.</p>
<p>Both seem equally enticing. As in, I would be equally excited to do either of these two things. Which one looks better for college?</p>
<p>Lots of students take college classes due to the plethora of college summer programs, but far fewer have an internship -- particularly one that would allow them to do some editing, writing or other "real" work. If the internship does include some real work, I think that would be your best option. If the internship is really just watching the staff work, then college courses might be more interesting.</p>
<p>I'll add one other thought to Northstarmom's: don't make your final choice based on what you think will be "look best for colleges" but because it will be best for YOU. In other words, pick the opportunity where you think you will have the best chance of learning, growing, maturing, and pursuing your individual interests. That's the opportunity that will ultimately "look best" to a college admissions committee, and even if it doesn't it won't matter, because you will already have enjoyed the true value of the experience for itself.</p>
<p>Well, I like each option for different reasons. </p>
<p>The internship is really cool because it's for a translation magazine and I like translation and I think it would be fun. It seems like it wouldn't be too stressful, my parents would totally approve and I really like the idea of getting to translate stuff or edit or whatever (if they let me do that. I'll definitely ask before I agree to interning). One of the Editors-in-chief was my writing teacher at Columbia last summer (adv. Creative Writing- it was awesome! :)) and I took translation as my writing elective and she was my teacher for that and she once mentioned that one of her former columbia summer program students was interning at her magazine now and she was really nice and she liked me (I speak a bunch of languages which is really useful) so I'm almost positive that she'd give me an internship if I asked her for one. The downside is that I would have to stay in the city and none of my friends are going to be here this summer so I could get bored after I finished whatever I did there for the day. If I found at least like 2 friends who would stay in the city for July it wouldn't be so bad but I'm just afraid that I won't get much social interaction with people my own age and I kind of need that. I like friends. lol Maybe if I spent one month doing some kind of summer program with kids my own age it would balance it out...? I don't know. It seems risky. What if I did like a second program or something in the city with other teens? ...It's a thought.</p>
<p>Classes at Penn would also be fun and I would take classes that I like that I can't take at my school like Psychology, Sociolinguistics or Economics (or some combination of those) and I would meet other kids my age so I would be around friends and the downside is that I'm not really sure how I feel about taking midterms and finals in July when I end school at the very end of June. I wouldn't mind the essays but I really, really hate finals and I feel like that might not be much of a vacation and I'm afraid that I'll burn out or something bad will happen. I did take advanced creative writing at Columbia last year, but there were no tests or finals so it wasn't bad at all. And I like writing, so it never really felt like work. </p>
<p>It's really tough to decide, so that's why I asked you what your opinion was as far as what looks better. So I guess the internship would look better, but one good thing about Penn is that I would get out of the city and experience a school that hopefully could become mine for the next four years (after this next one). The magazine does seem like it would be really fun, though.</p>
<p>Hard for me to imagine that in an amazing city like NYC with so much to do that you wouldn't be able to find some other activities to do evenings and weekends with peers your age even though your friends will be out of town during the summer. There are so many evening classes and events going on that would allow you to make new friends.</p>
<p>Yeah, you're probably right, Northstarmom. It's harder, though, to make friends through art classes or whatever because usually kids will do them with their friends or you can't really socialize because you're busy working on something. And although you'd think there would be plenty of teen-only classes, I've had a lot of trouble finding them. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, but I've never really taken random classes outside of my school because I get out of class so late (school hours are from 8 to 5) and I have so many in school activities and so much homework that I just don't have the time. I'll definitely check.</p>
<p>If I find enough stuff to do after interning where I could meet other kids, then the internship would be even more appealing... And I think I would probably pick that. I think. Because I have friends I haven't seen in a while going to Penn. But I don't like finals and it doesn't really help all that much so... I don't know. I'll see, I guess. Oh, and feel free to name any programs you think might have summer teen classes & thanks! I like doing pretty much anything.</p>
<p>If there's an interactive activity like a drama class, martial arts class, sailing class, community theater, community music group that could be a nice way to meet people. </p>
<p>And - can you visit your friends on some weekends?</p>
<p>Perhaps if you post in the general College Confidential Cafe and ask for suggestions of ways to meet like-minded NYC teens during the summer, others can help.</p>
<p>I know you're trying to follow your heart and do something for the love of the experience, not to look good. But if all things are equal, take the internship. Lots of kids do coursework, as was already mentioned in the thread and it sounds like you've already experienced that. My S did an internship last summer - was wonderful for him as far as maturing, catching a glimpse of the other side of college, and gave him a respect for independence that is hard to understand that last summer before senior year. He left it with a new respect for work, a vision of what to shoot for in college, and a huge boost of confidence after navigating city and trains on own all summer. The bonus was that it gave him an excellent subject for his college essays and a wonderful letter of recommendation. These were not the reasons he did the internship, but they definately made a difference in the college application season later, as we're slowly finding out.</p>
<p>My older S did an out of state internship after his junior year in h.s. He loved the field he was working in, and spent lots of extra time on the job. He didn't seem to miss not being at home and not having peers his age at work (The other interns were college juniors, seniors and grad students).</p>
<p>If it ends up that you love your internship, you may end up spending extra hours there and and taking work home. You also may spend some evenings talking over the work with your supervisors and maybe even going to writers/editors workshops, conferences, etc., since there are lots of things like that in NYC.</p>
<p>If you genuinely enjoy the field that you'd be interning in, you may find that you don't miss your friends that much. Anyway, you always can catch up with them through Iming and possibly by seeing them on long weekends.</p>
<p>Actually, I agree with NSM, as I often do, and Mom07: the internship can have a fabulous upside and I'm a fan of them. That said, it's not how it will look to colleges that makes your decision but it looks/feels to you.</p>