I have spoken to a few kids who claimed to work at investment firms/hedge funds. My immediately response is please tell me the name of that fund because if they are allowing you to do anything meaningful as a 17 year old I will short it.

A number of kids "outkick their coverage" and in the effort to impress claim to be doing more than the realistically could have been doing.

worked as a lifeguard

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IRL I have never seen part time jobs like pizza and camp help in any significant way. They are so common here it’s a dime a dozen.

It doesn't have to help. If the rest of the package is good then it is fine. And some admissions officers appreciate "normal" kids rather than over-programmed ones. These jobs teach humility, decency, kindness, etc. If thought of properly they can lead to excellent essays. Better than "I sat in a conference room at my mom's law firm and pretended to be a lawyer" or "my parents spent a fortune to send me to a pay-for-play college program."

You know no one would actually put that on their college app. I know kids in real life who have these ECs: super impressive cancer research at an oncology department run by the kid’s mom, NBA team internship including traveling with the team on the road but conveniently omitted their dad is the agent of the star player, my favorite is the kid who works for a Nobel winning scientist in the lab funded by a grant given out by the kid’s dad. These are all real people I know and I don’t even know that many people.

STEM research internship for HS students. Admitted regular decision to WASP.

What do kids who don’t live near major metro areas with a ton of government offices and colleges/universities in the area do during the summer? Work in retail, lifeguard, caddy, wait tables, work in camps.

Competitive (eg not nepo) internship program - worked at a small community non-profit - it was not glamorous work and gave him great essay anecdotes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camp counselor.

I think schools are increasingly getting wise to all of the manufactured, overly curated summer plans that kids have.

When those kids go off to college, they will need a manufactured curated summer plan every summer if they want a job after grad. It’s pretty sensical to find the students who can keep up and commit to such work.

You've had a deep drink of the Kool Aid the overpriced admissions consultant is serving you.

No I’ve just had 3 kids go through the college process and seen how the job market has gotten worse through the decades

Anonymous wrote:IRL I have never seen part time jobs like pizza and camp help in any significant way. They are so common here it’s a dime a dozen.

It doesn't have to help. If the rest of the package is good then it is fine. And some admissions officers appreciate "normal" kids rather than over-programmed ones. These jobs teach humility, decency, kindness, etc. If thought of properly they can lead to excellent essays. Better than "I sat in a conference room at my mom's law firm and pretended to be a lawyer" or "my parents spent a fortune to send me to a pay-for-play college program."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camp counselor.

I think schools are increasingly getting wise to all of the manufactured, overly curated summer plans that kids have.

When those kids go off to college, they will need a manufactured curated summer plan every summer if they want a job after grad. It’s pretty sensical to find the students who can keep up and commit to such work.

You've had a deep drink of the Kool Aid the overpriced admissions consultant is serving you.

Anonymous wrote:Williams incoming student here.
Worked on a project archiving native languages with a nearby indigenous tribe while doing a museum internship

So cool and impressive! How did you secure that position?

Anonymous wrote:IRL I have never seen part time jobs like pizza and camp help in any significant way. They are so common here it’s a dime a dozen.

So you think we're lying?

Williams incoming student here.
Worked on a project archiving native languages with a nearby indigenous tribe while doing a museum internship

UChicago

- Trained, qualified and played at national tournament (~100 kids) for their sport
- Worked at a wilderness camp

IRL I have never seen part time jobs like pizza and camp help in any significant way. They are so common here it’s a dime a dozen.

Anonymous wrote:Camp counselor.

I think schools are increasingly getting wise to all of the manufactured, overly curated summer plans that kids have.

When those kids go off to college, they will need a manufactured curated summer plan every summer if they want a job after grad. It’s pretty sensical to find the students who can keep up and commit to such work.