<p>I'm having a dilemma here--is it better to take up a volunteer position or a paid position? For example, should I volunteer and teach piano for free to children at the YMCA or should I start actually teaching students for pay? Internship or paid internship? I really see advantages of doing either, but what are your opinions? What looks impressive on a college resume? Thanks.</p>
<p>-(cool)Joe</p>
<p>Volunteer:
- could count as community service hours
- could be a possible community service project
- shows passion in what you do</p>
<p>Paid:
- could count as work experience
- $
- shows skill & ability</p>
<p>I'm kind of in the same dilemma as you are, but I'm going to wait until summer 2007 for this.</p>
<p>The only benefit of being a volunteer is that your students won't expect much out of you since you are serving them for free. If you are getting paid, you better be pretty damn good</p>
<p>kchen, I'm just guessing we should do a combination though I suppose volunteering would be better, especially if you come from a family that is in the upper income bracket.</p>
<p>Wouldn't you agree that an adcom might get suspicious of a student who has a paid job when their family makes 200K+?</p>
<p>Why would they get suspicious? Am I missing the big picture here?</p>
<p>I thought work experience on the college application would serve a good purpose.</p>
<p>$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$</p>
<p>Actually, you're right kchen, it probably would serve a good purpose. I'd still try getting a job.</p>
<p>However, what I was trying to say is that if your family makes $120K+, you're either doing a job to show that you have leadership (just for the adcom), or you're doing it out of passion. I guess it doesn't matter since colleges will probably be able to tell phonies from genuine hardworkers.</p>
<p>If you have had some other experience in piano (performances, concerts, competitions) and want some work experience, it would make sense to charge for piano lessons. Getting paid seems more reasonable to me because it shows that you must be qualified enough for someone to entrust his or her money on you.</p>
<p>Well, I'm not a carnegie-hall-level pianist or a prodigy, I just play at a college level, and am prbably not the best HS pianist out there. But in general, like should you be a volunteer lifeguard, or a paid lifeguard, for example?</p>