<p>I am currently a junior and am looking to apply to college next year during my senior year for admissions the following year. I know it is early to be thinking about college applications, but it would be my dream to get into a school like one in the ivy league. </p>
<p>I am wondering how much value doing a research-based internship could have in my application. For example, if I did one in a major that I'm most likely going to pursue with a professor or ph.d. student in that department, working for/with them to assist his/her research, is this something that maybe I should be doing during my next two years of high school, or at least during the summer between my junior and senior years?</p>
<p>The Ivy League will be a little bit of a long-shot for me given my coursework, grades, SAT scores, and extracirrucluars, but let's be real, who isn't it a long-shot for. I guess I'm just wondering how worthwhile this sort of internship/assistantship experience would be, particularly in the lens of admissions. I don't want to do it at the potential determent of other things like potential SAT studying or maybe even a job that would pay better.</p>
<p>It would be a valuable use of your time, if you are interested in the work. It doesn’t have to be related to your potential major, but just an area of interest, to explore possibilities. It is more valuable than a job, imo, unless you are needy and the money is important.</p>
<p>Thank you for your quick response! I don’t know how interested in the work I’d be until I start it, but I think I could learn a lot from the supervisor/mentor. I think it might also be neat because you never know, there might be an opportunity for me to be an author on a research manuscript.</p>
<p>I have not done many extracurriculars at school aside from sports and a club here or there and I could probably make better money at a job. I guess I could understand how just some regular job would not be as impressive.</p>
<p>I’m just thinking that as long as it is not at the detriment of studying for school (grades) and SATs, might this be a more valuable use of time than joining more activities like debate team? I understand that you are saying it would be more valuable than things like a job. </p>
<p>I’m also just wondering how I could take most advantage of this opportunity in my application.</p>
<p>Debate team is also valuable. Do what interests you the most. A job is fine and can demonstrate responsibility, but I think it is more valuable to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and that academic pursuits like debate are stronger. If you really want a job to make money then go ahead and do that, you can’t live all your life for your resume.</p>
<p>I don’t know what you mean by ‘take most advantage’. You sound so detached and calculating, why don’t you just do something you like. People usually excel when they are actually interested in what they are doing. It can be stronger if you exhibit depth in activities related to your interest, or in doing other research. In other words, focused accomplishment is considered better than scattered topics.</p>
<p>Thank you for your feedback again. Perhaps take advantage of was a vague phrase to have used. Please allow me to backtrack and explain my thought process. </p>
<p>I am interested in any of these activities but they are all different, and I realize that I cannot do it all. I would really be absolutely excited to get involved with the debate team, get a job and make money, or immerse myself in this research internship.</p>
<p>With that said, I am reluctant to take on all three because I do not want my grades to suffer or limit the amount of time I spend studying for the SAT, as a result. While I’d love to pursue everything that interests me, I still see it as my day job to be a good student and get a good test score within reason. </p>
<p>I am also thinking about how I could convey whatever activity I do on my college applications. I know that they ask for extracurriculars so I could list debate there. I could also potentially get a letter of recommendation from the debate coach who teaches one of my classes. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t be doing the internship or the job just to look better for college, but it would like to incorporate that into my application. My previous question about is how do I convey what I do outside of school? For example, should I submit a research paper if I were to write one?</p>
<p>I’m doing research right now—and it’s a lot of work, especially when you’re balancing schoolwork, extracurriulars, and college apps. You have to be willing to spend a lot of time, but if you are totally devoted to it, it’s a really rewarding experience! Best decision of my life so far!</p>
<p>kennedyiceit: Thank you so much for your feedback. I agree that it will likely be extremly time-consuming, which is why I think I will mostly work on it over the summer and school breaks. That is why I’m reluctant to take on any further activities if I go that route.</p>
<p>May I ask–what is the nature of your research as in subject and whether you have a mentor? May I also ask how you are conveying or plan to convey the research in your application?</p>
<p>Yeah, no problem! </p>
<p>I’m doing chemistry research with a mentor and I’m just going to convey my research in my application by including my abstract and listing research as an activity/job.</p>
<p>kennedyiceit: Thank you for letting me know. What you are doing, that makes sense. Are you receiving a letter of recommendation from your mentor? I am thinking of potentially aiming for Intel. Have you or do you plan to submit for competitions like those?</p>
<p>yeah, my mentor wrote me a rec letter, and i am entering intel this year!</p>
<p>kennedyiceit: that is amazing that you are working on your intel application. in all seriousness, i’d be more than happy to give it a read/edit if you’d like for feedback. feel free to PM me for my email if you’d be interested in that</p>