“How have you spent your time outside of school over the past three years?”

Oh, the age-long question that has accompanied every face-to-face college interview and application. What’s going to set you apart — distinguish you from the other hundreds of thousands of applicants that are competing for those coveted university spots?

You have several options: community service, get a job, participate in academic-related activities, religious groups, or sports. But what really trumps those activities is an internship.

Pursuing a traditional, unpaid internship illustrates maturity and commitment in the eyes of college admissions officers. I, myself, obtained an internship at the UVA/VT office in Falls Church last fall, and have felt just a glimpse of the demands and responsibilities that come with the “working world.”

School and undergoing an education is a requirement, but willingly working under another human being — sans any form of compensation — is a whole different playing field. You’re not working for a grade that you get to slap on the kitchen fridge at the end of the day — you’re working for other employees who are depending on your efforts to keep a company moving forward. There is no slacking or complaining (other than that under your breath) involved in a professional workplace, and it’s a huge “culture shock.”

Including the phrase, “I held an internship at…” in a conversation with a college interviewer or an online application, in my opinion, elevates your credibility significantly. Reviewers will see your mature and college-ready shining self among many other (now seemingly ill-qualified) applicants.

So, fellow underclassmen, if I may bestow upon you one lesson before I graduate, it is to ditch all other extracurricular activities in exchange for one slam-dunk of an internship. [Disclaimer: college acceptance not guaranteed.]

Sincerely,

(The wise words of) Alex Krial