<p>I didn't read thru every post, but I just wanted to say that I don't think admin counselors really "rank" any kind of EC or work experiences as better than others. When I worked in admissions (for a much less elite, much less selective institution than those in the article), we always tried to look at the information presented in the application in context with the student.
If you worked...great, what did you learn from it/get out of the experience?
If you volunteered...great, what did you learn from it/get out of the experience?
I was never explicitly comparing any one student's summer experiences with another student...I simply wanted to get an idea of how those experiences impacted them. Sometimes you learned this via an interview or if they chose to write about it in the essay.</p>
<p>If they didn't interview or write on those summer activities, then fine. It was merely a list that told you what the kids had done over the summer.
As someone said before, it was great to see the student did something constructive with their summertime whether it was travel, education, jobs. or volunteering. None of them "ranked" higher than the others.</p>
<p>cgm, don't lose heart. Your Ds, I believe, went to a high school where service is at the heart of what the school is all about. Your D1 is headed to a college where that will continue, I'm betting.</p>
<p>I, too, went to such a high school. Plus "inherited" the service gene and nurture from my father (Jesuit educated). There are plenty of other ways kids and adults develop this commitment to service. I just happen to think I have a bit of an idea of where you are coming from.</p>
<p>That commitment won't be lost because <em>some</em> people think <em>some</em> adcoms don't weigh it as heavily as they do paying jobs. It won't be lost because some people do the service for the wrong reasons (some do; but as you say, maybe they learn something or improve their motives in the doing).</p>
<p>That commitment also won't be lost because some/many/most employers weigh paid experience more heavily than volunteer. With the exception of unpaid work directly related to a career field, I happen to think that this is true (as calmom and others have said). </p>
<p>But, the balancing of a fabulous paid-experience career related resume with a continuing commitment to service/volunteer work will always be valued - even in the for-profit corporate world. Most corporations have part of their mission to include giving back to the community. Many spend significant dollars and time (loaned executives, for example) to this. So they will value those employment prospects who show that they have this service commitment.</p>
<p>And, bottom line, those with the belief that giving back is a core value... well, they will continue to do that whether it "pays off" or not. That's what it's all about. And that value system is not going away. I feel confident of it.</p>
<p>I didn't have an internship during college. Although they were around, not as many kids did internships as they do today. My crappy bar job did have a positive impact on me, however. I was, at 19, sort of shy. What working behind a bar did for me is "taught" me how to make conversation (BS) with people of all ages and backgrounds. You might say I learned how to be a "BS artist". By the time I graduated college, I was in no way shape or form insecure about making small talk with anyone. So for me, that silly job probably was the best thing I could have done for myself.</p>
<p>Bartenders are usually very good talkers/listeners.</p>
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<li><p>Sorry Irishbird, adcoms DO rank experience - - that's why there are sooo many posts advising candidates that shelving books at the local library is nor enough. And thus, the rush for leadership roles and exotic/glam experiences. </p>
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<li>Simba, employers don't require a PAID internships, but substantive exp. While many corps/firms use their own summer prgms the law firms have always used the summer associate prgm (upon successful completion of the summer prgm, the 3L/senior returns to campus w/ offer in hand) - - many intern prgms are unpaid (that's one of the reasons colleges sometimse underwrite students' intern experiences).</li>
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