In an effort to buff up their resumes in anticipation of applying to college, many Marlborough sophomores and juniors attempt to land prestigious summer internships, which are not easy to come by and may not be as rewarding as many other summer experiences.  We at the UltraViolet believe that Marlborough girls shouldn’t feel pressured to work as summer interns and should consider alternative options.

Students think that it is necessary to get an internship to look good for colleges, to gain specialized knowledge and training, to create connections with working professionals, and to maybe one day write a college essay about their internship experiences.  Many feel that, without a summer internship, their high school plans will fall apart. However, some students don’t have the luxury of working as unpaid interns and need to make money over the summer. And, many organizations and corporations do not hire high-school-aged interns.

The belief that a student must have an internship in order to get into a good college is prevalent among Marlborough students, but it is not actually true. There are countless alternatives to selective internships; students can babysit or work as camp counselors, for example. The number of other summer opportunities is endless.

Marlborough advises its students that while summer internships can be advantageous, they are not necessary. According to Co-Director of College Counseling Monica DePriest, colleges do not have a preference about internships or summer jobs.

“[Colleges] have the expectation that summers will be productive and meaningful. Additionally, they like to see that the summer months are connected in some way to curricular interests or career interests,” DePriest said.