I don’t think there are that many students in the US who do “heavy” internships. Malia Obama did a few weeks on a Harvey Weinstein set and I’m sure her parents regret that. Is a few weeks of delivering coffee and running errands a ‘heavy’ internship? Is working at a lab where your mom’s friend is running experiments (but no pay) one? A friends’ daughter did that when she was in high school.
So now we’re back to only rich high school kids getting to go to France for 6 weeks on an internship or taking a summer course in another country that involves work. Some countries wouldn’t let a minor get a work permit. No government internships unless you are 18.
Developing countries where there is a family business and a member of the family is in the US would likely welcome HS kids who may well be considered “adults” at age 14, but there’s no situation where minors can be given major responsibility, even in countries where name/caste/ethnicity trumps everything else. That’s why I’d like OP to explain what s/he had in mind.
Kids who have lived abroad because of dual citizenship or because their parents are working abroad have an edge in my experience. Colleges seem to think that these students bring more to the community than those who haven’t.
Re internships abroad, I’d broaden that to mean students who have studied abroad not necessarily those who do church volunteer stints abroad. Some students have opportunities to study languages abroad through programs or scholarships arranged through their high school. The Japanese language host program abroad sponsored by TIES-TOIN and the Japanese government is one. There are opportunities for high school students to study languages abroad sponsored by the state department also. You have to look for these. And you have to plan early. But yeh, I think if languages is your passion and you land something like this overseas, it could help your application to an elite college. The volunteer church trips or the paid internships abroad, not so much.
^ Nah. Kids either stretch or they don’t. It’s not a matter of living in Country X, just as it isn’t about living in some US “A” city. They either show it or not. Adcoms don’t assume.
Language programs depend on what they are and, most importantly, whether it’s stringent to get a spot or mere “pay to play.”
Really helps to try to learn what the colleges DO value.
@MYOS1634 Well I did land an internship position overseas, but this was through many fail attempts. It started off in sophomore year and I kept persisting even though I was rejected as “too young” during sophomore year. Then I cold emailed them again junior year and this time they asked for a resume, sent in samples of my skills in Photoshop and illustrator etc. I ended up working at an international German company ( they paid me living expenses and base salary) but the only people at the company in shanghai with fluent english were the directors and ceo’s. I did alot: created a bi-lingual brochure that was used company wide in Shang-Hai with a ceo rec letter to prove it in case AO asked for proof. I also created many English Chinese scripts which were used in market analysis and client pitches which of course were proof read by my superiors. I did much more but I think it could have been contributed to the fact I knew English and they were reformatting a lot of things. Ill be expected to return this year with higher and flexible duties.
^ see, details matter. This is legit. You’ll have to explain how you got this yourself and the process you undertook, then everything you did while there.
however it will not qualify you for a college you’re not qualified for (it won’t make up for a below average GPA or below average scores)
The persistence is good.
Don’t have to explain every bit, but your paragraph above is nice.
It won’t tip you in, but adds to a picture of you. Try to learn what your targets look for.