Internships for High School Students

Internships are a great way to get experience in a certain field of study.  So why intern in high school?

Work experience in a field of study you want to pursue in college can give you a jump up in the college application process.  It is a way to stand out in a crowd. An internship will also allow you to understand more details about your major of interest and help you to understand how organizations operate.

So, how do you find an internship? First identify your passion. Some companies offer formal internship opportunities to high school students in particular. Some pay, some are unpaid, and some you’ll pay for. Research companies in the industry that interests you.  Start by asking around at local business associations. Use CareerOneStop’s Employer Locator to help you identify companies in your local area. Next, talk to the Human Resource representative or manager to see if positions are available.  Check out local organizations like the newspapers, museums, and hospitals.  You may use your contacts on Facebook or Twitter to find openings in your specific area of interest. Try websites like Internships.com, Indeed.com. , or  Jobs.change.org. For more on how to apply, click here.

What is Double Depositing? Is it an Ethical Option?

The clock is ticking down and the April 1st has arrived. High school seniors across the country are checking their email and mailboxes for the admissions decisions from the college they applied to. Many students may receive more than one acceptance. The stress and the cost of college is a major decision, so for students who cannot make up their mind where to go, they may consider double depositing.

What is the definition of double depositing? Double depositing means putting down a deposit, and thus accepting admission, at more than one college.

I often hear, “This decision is not easy!” Or “I love all my schools for different reasons.” Student re-visit their colleges and look to teachers and friends (and even parents) for guidance. So what do they do? Sending a non-refundable enrollment deposit check can cost as little as $100, while at others it can be as much as $500 or $1,000 can be costly, but the student just can’t decide. Read more about the Double Depositing and ethical issues surrounding it.

What Are the Benefits of Attending a Pre-College Program?

precollege programPre-College Summer Programs offer rising juniors and seniors in high school the chance to see what college life is all about. During a one or two-week session, you will get an exciting glimpse of academics and residential life at a major state university, and leave better prepared to meet the challenges of your first year at college.

As a Pre-College residential student, you will:

* Attend challenging academic classes with the university faculty and instructors

* Meet admissions professionals and receive guidance on the competitive college admissions process

* Learn to balance the demands of college-level courses with extracurricular activities Click here to read more benefits

Social Networking Tips for Students – More on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat…

The Intended College Use is Not the High School Reality

Keeping connected to friends and family across the world is comforting. Social networking is a great way to find a job, network, and stay in touch with those who matter most. But how do you protect yourself while on the Internet?

Facebook was the first large scale networking site made specifically for college students. Though it still requires a valid email address to signup, anyone can now join and network in regions such as a major city, workplaces, colleges, and high schools.

Social Networking Tips for  Students

It is a student’s responsibility to protect his or her online accounts. Click here to view more tips.

How Can a Rising Senior Make the Best of Their Summer?

If you are smart, you will follow an action plan!

Build your foundation list. You may have created a foundation list of schools at this point. The list may include 2-4 double reach or dream schools, 2-4 target schools, and 1-2 sure-thing/safety schools of which one should be a “financial safety.”

Start your campus visits. Devise a schedule to visit the campuses for the summer and fall. Remember, visiting the college during the summer will feel different than visiting during the fall when all the students are back from summer break. If you can’t visit, take a virtual tour on http://www.youvisit.com/  or attend an online college fair through http://www.collegeweeklive.com/.

Build your resume! Have you finished your resume of activities? This resume may come in handy for interviews, scholarship applications, college applications and letters of recommendation. Include leadership in activities, summer jobs, community service, as well as awards and honors. Check out Microsoft’s free resume templates at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010104337.aspx. Read more about planning for senior year by clicking here!

Admissions Decisions Will Be Arriving Soon! Accepted, Denied, Wait-listed…What’s Next?

You run to the mailbox (or check your email) every day only to find a letter that is not one of acceptance, and not one of denial either – instead it is a waitlist letter. Colleges use wait lists when they’ve accepted the maximum number of applicants but still view some applicants as well qualified. Fastweb.com describes the wait list as, “a safety net colleges use to fill their class if not enough accepted students enroll.”

Most schools send out a letter asking you if you will accept a position on the waitlist. You can choose to accept or refuse this offer. How long you wait depends on the school’s enrollment statistics. Though most students receive a decision in May or June from colleges using their waitlist, others have been known to receive acceptances a week before classes start.

Read more here:

What to Do While On a College Wait List

Re-evaluate your list. Prioritize those wait-list schools.

wailistA Speedy Response. Hopefully you responded quickly and honestly as some schools look at response time to be on their wait-list. Did you tell your college why they would be a good fit for you and why you want to be there?

Be Realistic. Some schools will respond to those on the waitlist and some will not so keep in touch, but don’t overdo it. If you have something substantive and new which has taken place since you last wrote, mention it.  It’s not in your best interest to send weekly or daily emails.

Know that the decision is out of your hands.

Make the best of your situation.

Embrace the acceptances. It’s tough when a dream school defers a student, but being placed on the wait list might be a signal to move on. While there is a chance that a student may be admitted in the late spring or summer, it is best for students to embrace the schools that have accepted them.

A Wild Card. Once your letter is off to the school, focus with all your heart on making your best choice among the places you have been admitted. It is best to treat the wait-list school as a “wild card;” deal with it when you receive it.

How to Handle College Rejection

Handling rejection is never easy. As a matter of fact, it can be pretty devastating unless you prepare yourself ahead of time. Many students apply to a variety of schools. Some shoot for the stars while also applying to realistic colleges they would also be happy at; ones that are in-line with their abilities.

This month, the majority of college decisions will arrive home. While there might be jubilant celebration for admittance to an institution, there also might be disappointment. The college application process is a time of transition and growth, and rejection may be part of the process.

If you receive a rejection letter there are several ways to work through the disappointment. Read more about how to cope with the letter of rejection.