Internships are not required for college admissions, but they can help.

Some internships can be evidence of an applicant's maturity level, some substantiate the applicant's interest in a particular area / major, while others reveal personal characteristics such as initiative, motivation,and curiosity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it expected for top ranked colleges that applicants would have completed internship in high school? If so, where does one even go to find internship programs for high schoolers?

Define "top-ranked" school. A competitive internship could be considered a hook, but it is by no means required.

99% of internships are based on connections and viewed in the same light as charity trips to beaches in costa rica

100%

Anonymous wrote:No. Most kids who got internships in high school got them through family connections.

This^ or through programs only open to URM or underprivileged. Limited opportunities for middle class in this system.

NP. DS was able to get a CS related internship with a small non-profit. A HS coach runs the organization. Strictly obtained through his own efforts. Opportunities could be available with coaches' "day jobs"

Anonymous wrote:MY DD had two internships when she applied to college (state government and private) and did well getting in to college. DS had three - House committee, and some others - and did exceptionally well. But he really had to work at getting those internships - unpaid of course since at the high school level.

Not Op, but where do you find these internships? What do you mean by work hard? Is there a site they can apply to?

MY DD had two internships when she applied to college (state government and private) and did well getting in to college. DS had three - House committee, and some others - and did exceptionally well. But he really had to work at getting those internships - unpaid of course since at the high school level.

All "internships" are not created equal and it's not a box that gets checked anywhere. Some kinds of internships may be useful in giving a kid a chance to learn about a field they are interested in, contribute in a way that goes beyond what they can do in school setting, etc. But the focus of high school should not be on "getting internships", they will have all those years of college for that. And many other kinds of activities may help kid meet those goals. Focus on should be on trying new things, developing skills and leadership qualities ("leadership" loosely defined, don't need to be club president), and being able to articulate what they are interested in in and ahy school X is a great fit for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it expected for top ranked colleges that applicants would have completed internship in high school? If so, where does one even go to find internship programs for high schoolers?

Define "top-ranked" school. A competitive internship could be considered a hook, but it is by no means required.

99% of internships are based on connections and viewed in the same light as charity trips to beaches in costa rica

Anonymous wrote:Is it expected for top ranked colleges that applicants would have completed internship in high school? If so, where does one even go to find internship programs for high schoolers?

Define "top-ranked" school. A competitive internship could be considered a hook, but it is by no means required.

no, internships are not needed for college admissions.

Not at all.

No. Most kids who got internships in high school got them through family connections.

No, I was born and raised here. Why would it matter even if I wasn’t though? That’s odd question to ask.

NO. A big fat no. It's not expected in the slightest. Are you new to the US?

Is it expected for top ranked colleges that applicants would have completed internship in high school? If so, where does one even go to find internship programs for high schoolers?