A High Schooler's Guide To Internships

Internships are one of the most underrated high school extracurricular activities. You will be hard-pressed to find an extracurricular activity that offers the opportunities that an internship can provide. In a time where even getting into tier three colleges is difficult, high school students need every advantage in their application. A great way to increase the competitiveness of your application is to apply for an internship. 

The common misconception with high school extracurriculars is that any clubs or volunteer will enhance your application. The truth is after speaking to many high school students, the bar for extracurriculars has been raised. It’s no longer enough to be a school club member or play an instrument in a band. The people I spoke to in researching for this post are Eagle Scouts, boys/girls nation attendees, international science competition winners, international debate winners, state band members, activists, influencers, etc. Internships can provide a rare opportunity for high school students to stand out while also being accessible to the majority of teens. 

I created the below tiered list for myself to help compare internships based on the value they might provide for my future. I thought this would be a helpful tool to share with SADD Nation as well as you start planning ahead for this school year, or even next summer, and securing that coveted spot to intern: 

1. Summer research project with a college/university (Best) 

Summer research is the best summer internships that a high school student can get involved in. It’s way better than anything else on this list. The reason is that it’s easy to get involved, doesn’t require special talent, and colleges/universities love students who have summer research experience. There is probably a pretty good reason why everyone that I know who has done summer research now goes to a top 50 college/university. Summer research shows schools that you are familiar with college-level procedures. This includes how to write a college-level research paper, how to conduct experiments, how to present to a crowd, and that you have an interest in a particular field of study. What makes summer research even better is students' ability to compete in science competitions once they finish their projects. Winning these competitions opens up so many doors to the college/universities you may want to attend.

1. Government internships (Really good) 

Internships at government institutions are a fantastic choice when deciding where to apply. This is because these internships allow high school students to gain insight into government and policy writing. These internships can also expand outside of traditional civil service and into internships for organizations like NASA and the FBI. These internships will allow high school students to gain valuable skills and insight into STEM and investigative skills. Colleges love these internships for their reputation of excellence and selectivity. Government internships are a great way to help any application stand out. 

1. Company/Non-profit internships (Good) 

These internships stand out due to the high-level companies and well-meaning organizations that sponsor them. However, I would recommend reading the description of these internships carefully before applying. They often float big words like “leaders”, “visionary,” and “next-generation” when pitching their internships. Look for internships that have concrete mission statements with clear lesson plans or job duties before committing. 

1. College internships (Mediocre) 

These internships are hit or miss. Often these programs exist because during the summer the college campuses are empty. To make money the colleges flood the emails of “competitive high school students” to apply for their “selective programs”. The colleges can make hundreds of thousands of dollars when these high school students pay up to 5k to attend these summer programs. The sad reality is that the vast majority of these programs don’t help a student gain an edge in admission. There are exceptions. Programs do exist that provide students with valuable insights and the ability to earn college credits. 

I have done a lot of research in this space, and I advise that you do yours before applying for any of these programs. You should always pick a space that makes you feel comfortable and valued, and that aligns with your interests and goals. But don’t be afraid to take on a new challenge, that’s what internships are all about! 

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For more information on how you can volunteer or intern with SADD, check out sadd.org/careers or connect with the SADD team at info@sadd.org.