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ellenrch
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| Joined: | Fri Aug 24th, 2007 |
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Posted: Tue Aug 28th, 2007 09:23 pm |
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My son had a volunteer job for 6 weeks, 5 days a week this summer. He hasn't had a paid job yet, and I'm reluctant to make him get one now just so it looks good to admissions officers. (He is a senior.) Suggestions? He's working next summer for sure.
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mackinaw
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Michigan |
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Posted: Wed Aug 29th, 2007 01:09 am |
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I don't think having had a paid job makes any difference to an application. It's more valuable for your son to focus on doing things that represent a valuable community contribution and/or a good learning experience (which could be athletics, art, science, music, or anything really -- including travel or volunteer work).
IMO, the main value of doing something to earn money is to have the money.
Last edited on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 01:10 am by mackinaw
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CarolynLawrence
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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Posted: Wed Aug 29th, 2007 01:22 am |
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| Several admissions officers have told me that they like to see work experience on applications because it shows responsibility and commitment. However, the same could certainly be said for your son working so many hours in his volunteer position this summer, especially as many kids these days make only a token effort when it comes to community service. So, I agree with Mackinaw - there's absolutely no need for him to get a paid job right now "just for college." Last edited on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 01:23 am by CarolynLawrence
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Thumper
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Posted: Thu Sep 6th, 2007 11:49 pm |
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| The first paid job my son had was the summer AFTER his senior year of high school. The other summers he was away most of the summer for music programs. The summer after senior year, he was only gone 6 weeks...but the employer was VERY understanding. DS got accepted at 6/7 of the schools to which he applied. Oh...and he had a paying job every year he was in college during school.
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limner
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| Joined: | Sun Jul 16th, 2006 |
| Location: | Tennessee USA |
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Posted: Mon Sep 10th, 2007 12:54 pm |
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My S's only paid work was for the election commission on election days, which was certainly sporadic. He did start a company in 9th grade, which earned a little money, but he and his partner disbanded it after two years--it took more time than either of them had.
I think it makes more sense to go with your son's interest in community service. His commitment to that will more than make up for any lack of a paying job.
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WestrnMom
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| Joined: | Fri May 26th, 2006 |
| Location: | West Coast, USA |
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Posted: Mon Sep 10th, 2007 08:53 pm |
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Only if he needs to work for the money and/or experience and has the time to do so without intefering with schoolwork or important ECs. One of mine worked during school but only on an as-needed basis and the other worked during the summer before senior year. Senior year is by far the most hectic in terms of applying to colleges, wrapping up ECs, and all the other mandatory senior activities that happen toward the end of the year. We didn't want ours to lose sight of their schoolwork or grades.
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outwest
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
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Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2007 09:13 pm |
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My D got a job this last summer (before her senior year) with the express interest in saving for a trip with the German club to Munich. She far exceeded her savings goal and is trying to keep the job now. Let's face it, minimum wage is now $7.50 an hour in LA County, California and that's not too bad for someone with no expenses at all. I have asked her to please quit because it is taking time away from her schoolwork, social stuff in the last year of high school and college apps. She compromised and agreed to cut down her hours to no more then 10 a week. Her boss is not happy about it, but that's what is happening. We have agreed that that seems reasonable. A few weeks ago she had to miss a fun day with her friends at a local even because she had to work. I told her she had her entire life to work and she didn't have to right now. Unfortunately, that growing savings account (2K now) seems to be a great lure to her. She says she'll use the money for her college personal expenses for things we don't want to pay for in college. That sounded reasonable, so we are getting off her back about it. If her grades suffer we may reevaluate it, but right now it seems fine.
The other concern with her working is that the boss has placed an enormous amount of responsibility in her lap. After a couple months working there the boss really liked her. Suddenly she was counting the money at the end of the day, setting the alarm and locking the business up at night. She carried the money to a drop off place and stuck it in the slot. The whole thing made me terribly nervous! The kid is 17 years old! My husband an I were so upset about the amount of responsibility she had (it's DANGEROUS to have a young teenage girl in charge of all that money at night) that we told her she either quit or told the boss she could not be there alone after 7 pm. She told the boss that (that her parents were "freaking out"), so now the boss comes from home after 7 at night to basically babysit her. My daughter was miffed that we are being so "over protective", but I don't care, I do not want my teenage girl alone at night with all that money in a business!
I don't think getting a job in high school is necessary. If they decide to get a job I think it important for them to not lose sight of the future while wallowing around in all that money as a teen. Lets face it, $7.50 an hour to a teen is darned good money. To an adult it is a pittance.
The bottom line?:
Companies can take great advantage of a intelligent, responsible teens and forget that they are so young and vulnerable or perhaps they just don't care. They're getting premium work for minimum wage and NO benefits. I don't have to worry about her getting robbed or even worse while in a small business, alone at night, but I bet there are thousands of teens out there who are being put in this position.
I suppose I have a different idea about the whole thing then many parents would have. I am proud she has saved so much and that she is a valuable employee, but other then that, I wish she didn't have the job.
sorry this is so long, but it hit a nerve because getting a paying job when really young can open one up to being exploited or taken advantage of.
Last edited on Fri Sep 28th, 2007 09:40 pm by outwest
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Deja
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 10:46 am |
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I agree about the jobs, OW. My middle son talks about wanting a job, but he has such a busy schedule (8 classes and has to be at his bus stop by 6:00 a.m.) that I have told him no way during the school year. And I don't see an employer being willing to schedule around Scholastic Bowl practices/matches, debate tournaments, forensics tournaments, Mock Trial/Model Judiciary, and rehearsals for the school play. Any kids I see that have jobs around here only have them to feed their cars. And they can do that for the rest of their lives! I have no problem with his having a job during the summer, and if he gets his drivers license by next summer, perhaps he will have a job for the summer.
We fired our cleaner at the office, and now the middle son cleans the office every weekend. He gets paid $15, and he finishes in less than an hour (although today he's going to do some vacuuming and dusting in there, so it should take a little longer).
Last edited on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 06:35 pm by Deja
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scoop
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 02:44 pm |
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| My D has no paid job other than babysitting. It is not reliable money but it is something. I really feel that the students I know have too little time to pursue interests outside of schoolwork. It makes me sad when I recommend a book to my daughter and she tells me that she would love to read it, but she doesn't have time. I cannot remember a vacation or weekend in which homework was not being done. I think my daughter would learn a lot from a paid job but it is not practical at this time. Last edited on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 05:51 pm by scoop
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