On-the Job Experience

By Tomika Ferguson
Program Associate

The summer may seem like it is almost over, but you can still do a lot! Rather than sit around and do nothing, you can try to get on-the-job experience with an externship. Externships are a type of job-shadowing. You connect with a professional in your field of interest and spend a short amount of time learning what they do.

It is different from an internship because they are very short (one day – two weeks) and are mostly unpaid. Yet, the opportunity to learn more about your future career is an invaluable experience.

If you have nothing to do for a few days or weeks for the remainder of the summer, take advantage of your time! Gain valuable experience that can help you better understand what you would like to do in the future.

To read the full article and get tips on creating an externship, click here.

Check out the Opportunity Scholars Blog

Read posts from our ten dynamic Opportunity Scholarship winners as they blog about their college experience and share how they became the first in their family to go to college.

my to do list: July

Freshman

Choose a novel or short story that you have always wanted to read. Practice will improve your reading skills, which is essential in high school.
Once school is out, you will have a lot of free time. This would be a good time to study and take practice tests for the PSAT you will be taking during your sophomore year.
student

Sophomore

At the beginning of the year, make sure you meet with your counselor to look over your progress toward graduation. This would be the perfect time to ask about AP and honors classes you might be interested in enrolling to.
By now, you should have taken the PSAT and will have a feel of how standardized testing works. Now that school is out would be a good time to take practice SAT and ACT tests. See what your prospective colleges look for in SAT/ACT scores and see if and where you need to improve.

Junior

Now that you have your list of schools to apply to, this would be a great time to travel to schools and participate in campus tours, informational sessions and personal interviews. Don’t forget to call in advance to schedule an appointment, if necessary.
Start to request college applications were you would like to apply. Pay close attention to deadline for the application, financial aid, etc.

Senior

By now, you should have a college/university you plan to enroll in. Make sure your counselor has sent your final transcript to the school
Enjoy you last summer as a high school student!

Opportunity Scholar Blogger Spotlight:

Seanna Leath

College:
Pomona College

Hometown:
N. Little Rock, AR

Have you ever traveled somewhere, and instead of noticing someone's foreign accent-others notice yours? Hello, my name is Seanna Leath, and I just finished my freshman year at Pomona College in Claremont, California. I'm originally from North Little Rock, Arkansas-almost two thousand miles away! I have a younger brother, who now wants to live with me in the "Sunshine State".

Post Date: 07/06/2010
Home Alone

So, here's one thing they might not mention at the beginning of freshman year…it'll be over before you know it…and then summertime hits…and there are three open months…free for you to fill however you like. Ideally, you'll have a summer job, or even better…an internship lined up.

Which is where my summer plans come in! This summer, I'm working as a TA (Teacher's Assistant) for the program PAYS—Pomona College Academy for Youth Success. It's a four week intensive program for high school students—rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors—to help them improve math, writing, and study skills. As a TA for rising sophomores, I attend their math and critical inquiry classes, help them with the assigned homework, and serve as a mentor.

Before the program started, I was extremely nervous. Would they like me? Would I do an okay job teaching the class? What would I do when someone had a problem? What if they couldn't relate to the other students? WHAT WOULD I DO??

Did the kids like me? Well…I'm not sure about that one, but they do invite me to sit with them at lunch, and join their volleyball games…so I'll take that as a good sign.

This summer, as a TA for this program, I'm doing my best to give the kids a great experience and perhaps a little guidance. This summer, I've found my way home.

To read more from Seanna, check out her posts on the Opportunity Scholar blog.

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As a leader and expert in college access and success for first-generation college and other traditionally underserved students, Center for Student Opportunity (CSO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization bridging the divide between leading institutions of higher education and those who most need college guidance, preparation and admissions assistance.

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