Road to College: Why You Should Get a High School Internship

Many students never pursue a High School internship, so by getting one you’ll be well ahead of the curve.  It doesn’t matter where, it just matters that you’re getting experience.  But if you have a dream, pursue it and check out our blog post about how to do exactly that.  But if you’re not sure, that’s okay.  Not  knowing what you want is exactly why most students get internships in the first place.  If you’re not sure where to start, check out this list of unique internships offered by places like the Smithsonian and The Secret Service.  Not to mention the Honors Internship Program at the FBI, ( secretly my top pick 😉 )  

Internships can be incredibly helpful.  Even if you decide not to pursue the career path that your first internship sets you on, it’s still a useful experience.  You’ll find a better fit, but at least you’ll come out of the experience with a good letter of recommendation.  

While at an internship, you’ll have the opportunity to try out different jobs which will hopefully help you understand what you want.  You’ll also be able to ask questions and decide if you should pursue that particular job as a career. Some roles call for advanced degrees or certifications, making it ideal that you begin research now so you can plan for your future.

You can apply for internships every year of high school and college and perform them both during the semester and over summers/extended breaks. Keeping your grades high can help you during a competitive internship application process and so can being friendly with your teachers. When it comes to gaining great opportunities, fostering strong relationships never hurts.  If you’re in college, an internship can lead to a full-time job; it’s rare that a high school student will receive this opportunity, but not unheard of that you will be offered a spot in the future, based on your hard work. As always, the more you learn in school and on the job, the better.