Summer Program, Internship, or Summer Job?

<p>As a current junior, which of the 3 would be most beneficial in the admissions process? I'm figuring out my summer as we speak, and I don't know if I should apply for a magazine internship or a summer program or job.</p>

<p>I am no expert, but IMO unless you would have a job with substantial responsibility or that would cushion your bank account enough, then I'd vote for Internship or an Academic program.</p>

<p>Have you considered doing more than 1? Internship M-F and weekend job? Or Internership in the day & a community college course at night?</p>

<p>Internships aren't easy to come by, esp as a high schooler. If you have this offer, you should except it.</p>

<p>Colleges love too see and value work experience. It demonstrates responsibility, a solid work ethic, and a degree of independence from your parents. I'd go with the job. However, I chose to do an internship at a local paper this past summer because I want to be a journalist and it fit in with my strongest ECs (editor of high school newspaper and CT Teens, a teen journalism program through the CT Post). Good luck!</p>

<p>I really think that those three topics are way to broad to classify. Internships can be similar to summer jobs, especially if they're paid internships. I'd recommend an internship over the summer job because it shows that you have goals and that you're focusing on something you're interested in.</p>

<p>Plan/apply for all three.</p>

<p>If you don't get a paid career oriented internship, fall back on the unpaid one. If you don't get an internship or reseach program, accept admitance to prestigous summer program (that you pay for). Apply for career-oriented summer jobs, and if they don't come through, take any paid summer job you can get. </p>

<p>And you have to apply for them all at the same time. Its a competitive world. You need a plan B and plan C and plan D and run them all simultaneous.</p>

<p>Don't underestimate plain old summer work. What you learn from the other adults at your job can be spun into an interesting college essay. Or spun into a better summer job the next year. D's summer job in a kitchen (age 15) qualified her to work as 3rd cook on a NOAA research vessel at age 17 where she ended up doing more sceince then cooking.</p>