Nowadays, it’s less common for highly selective college-bound high schoolers to take on a part-time job. This is a real shame — not only does high school work experience build character in its own right, but it also reflects well on college applications. We know how some of you may respond to this fact: “Wait, are you saying my child is better off clocking in at the local pool than enrolling in an expensive summer enrichment program at Stanford ?” Yes, that’s what we’re saying! 

Let’s unpack how elite college admissions officers view high school work experience on a promising applicant’s resume.

Work Experience Demonstrates Grit and Socioeconomic Diversity

If there is one thing elite schools value in applicants beyond intellectual curiosity, it’s grit. Grittiness can take many forms, and working to support a family after school is one of them. Part-time work experience in between classes shows you have drive, stamina, and versatility and pulls at the blue-collar heartstrings of admissions officers. Moreover, flipping burgers at McDonald’s or spending summers lifeguarding at the beach signals your socioeconomic diversity! In an admissions landscape where students and families increasingly feel the pressure to participate in ever-more-elaborate extracurricular activities, often with a high price tag, elite college admissions officers delight to see a student who has put in some good, old-fashioned hours on the clock.

Admissions officers have a responsibility to curate socioeconomically diverse cohorts of students. Part-time work experience on your resume makes you seem more diverse, whether you’re using your income to support your family or to buy ice cream and lip gloss. If the former is true, you should emphasize how compassion for your family is baked into your work ethic in your essays. If the latter is true, admissions officers will be none the wiser. You’ll still seem more diverse than your peers who went on expensive mission trips, took part in lucrative internships, or did sports to fill their time. Elite college admissions officers aren’t exactly rolling in the dough, so encountering an applicant with real-world work experience makes them want to root for the underdog. 

Student Work Experience that Contributes to a Singular Admissions Hook is Even Better!

A singular admissions hook oriented around an unusual passion is what gets ambitious high schoolers into highly selective schools in 2024. The award-winning debaters, talented creative writers, and budding activists of the world go further than their classmates who succumbed to the myth of the well-rounded student. However, conveying a singular admissions hook is easier said than done. Suppose you’re framing yourself as a selfless champion of disadvantaged communities who happens to go on expensive mission trips to exotic locales. In that case, you come across as privileged (read: less diverse and less admissible!). On the other hand, if your altruism takes the form of working part-time at a thrift store that services lower-income families in your area, this hook will seem much more genuine.

Of course, not every high school work experience can be tailored around a singular admissions hook. Only some have the privilege of choosing their work strategically. That’s why we at Ivy Coach would like to assure our readers that any work experience is better than none. If you plan to be the next best urban planner, your time selling sneakers will not work against you. But if you can get a job at your local municipal office helping with traffic control, that would be even better!

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Choose the Optimal Work Experience for College Admissions 

Think of Ivy Coach as the ultimate purveyor of the do’s and don’ts list for elite college admissions. For example, do get that job at your local YMCA. Don’t waste your money on Stanford’s summer enrichment program. Do highlight the sacrifices you’ve made to support your family. Don’t highlight the many different disciplines and pursuits you’ve dabbled in through the years.

If you would like to optimize your child’s chances of admission to a highly selective university, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.