Expert Admissions in the News

By BARI MELTZER NORMAN

Jobs -- not just academics -- can look good on your résumé

Q: My daughter has a part-time job after school and can't be in the Math Club because the club meets when she works. She is concerned that the Math Club will look better on her résumé than her job and that working will then hurt her chances getting into college. Is this true?

A: Your daughter is right that her extra-curricular résumé is an important part of her college application. However, she shouldn't have such a narrow view of what counts as a valid and important extra-curricular activity. Many students assume that traditionally academic pursuits are valued above other, sometimes more practical, pursuits. But this is not necessarily the case.

While an admissions officer, I was always impressed by students who held down a job while in high school. It showed a certain level of responsibility and commitment.

The jobs varied from being a clerk at Walgreens to doing clerical work in an office to working in a clothing store -- on the surface, they were simple jobs. But at these jobs I knew students learned to interact with customers, handle inquiries, behave in a professional work environment and manage their time.

I placed no less value on an after-school job than I did on a more traditionally school-based activity or on volunteer work. I could also tell from the number of hours students worked per week whether their job was a commitment.

I always tell students that their activities résumé should be a substantive list, a reflection of their sustained interest in a few carefully selected activities. Ideally, there will also be increasingly progressive responsibility (like becoming a club officer).

A ''laundry list'' of activities, where the student is a member of everything from the Math Club to student government to Future Business Leaders of America is less impressive to me. The student can't possibly be all that involved in everything. I prefer the student who is involved in fewer things, but in more substantive ways.

Your daughter's sustained commitment to an after-school job is certainly commendable and her commitment will be recognized as a valid activity by admissions officers.

Q: My son is in 10th grade and is deciding whether to take AP English or honors English next year. My feeling is that he'll likely get a better grade in an honors class. Isn't it better to get a higher grade in an honors class than a lower grade in an AP class?

A: Course selection can tip the scales in or out of your favor in college admissions. Therefore, there are a few things to consider while making this important decision. First, is your son planning on applying to schools that have competitive admissions? Second, what does your son's overall academic record look like? Third, what does the rest of his program look like for next year?

The most competitive applicants at any college will be those who take advantage of the more rigorous courses available. The more AP classes you take and the better you do in them, the more your chances increase at every school, and the more the top-tier schools become an option.

If a student ''plays it safe'' and takes honors classes and gets all A's -- even though there are many AP classes available -- then that student is unlikely to be a strong candidate in competitive applicant pools.

The bottom line is that you want to take the most challenging curriculum possible. At the same time, you must take aptitude into consideration -- a student should not enroll in several AP courses if he is going to do poorly in all of them.

Ultimately, it depends on where the student is applying and what his overall academic record looks like. Course selection can be the most important factor in college admissions. After all, a grade point average (GPA) by itself doesn't tell you much. Talk this very important decision over with a knowledgeable college advisor and consider all the factors as they pertain to your son.