explore career interests

It's more than just backpacking

Study Abroad's New Focus is Job Skills We've always believed in the many merits of Study Abroad and have encouraged our clients to take full advantage of these opportunities. However, employers have not felt as warmly about these opportunities, often dismissing them as "a few months backpacking through Europe."

However, that tide is slowly turning and, thanks to people like Cheryl Matherly, the former assistant dean of students for career and international education at Rice University, who are helping students to describe their study abroad experience in terms of transferrable, marketable skills.

Hopefully, more and more employers will see that value that hiring a graduate who has spent time navigating their way through a foreign culture can bring to their companies.

Why it's important to learn how to think

Hearing the right notes from a job candidate With the rising price tag on college education and the tightening job market, parents are increasingly concerned about whether or not their son or daughter will be able to get a job upon graduation. Fair enough - with four-year tuition bills approaching the quarter of a million dollar mark, it's not unreasonable for parents to hope that their child will have the skills they need to land "a good job." However, many employers are looking beyond the bullet points on the resume and are asking job applicants questions that tap into their abilities to reason, problem-solve, and be creative. So, while some jobs do require a specific set of skills that can be acquired through course work, internships, and research projects, attractive job applicants also can demonstrate not just what they have learned in during their undergraduate experience, but how their college education, regardless of their course of study, has taught them to think.

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Medical school for poets

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Getting in to med school without hard sciences Mount Sinai medical school accepts a small percentage of applicants who have not taken organic chemistry, physics, or the dreaded MCATS each year, finding that those who majored in the humanities as undergrads actually make more sensitive doctors. It's too soon to know if more medical schools will head in this direction, but given the wide range of skills and expertise demanded of doctors, it's nice to know that they're not all following the same path.

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Finding the right balance

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Recalling when summer meant a break from stress Exams are finished, the next SAT isn't until the fall, and there's nothing to do for the next three months except sleep late, read trashy novels, and hang out with friends. Unless you're like many of our clients and have summer days filled with internships, college visits, and resume building volunteer work. Our message to you - keep busy, keep happy, and, above all, keep balanced. Summer is the time to explore new interest and try new experiences, but it's also an important time for rest and renewal.

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Summer: Time for new experiences

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by Allison Matlack/DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENT Summer opportunities abound for high school students and this can be the perfect time to take classes, explore career interests, hone athletic skills or become involved in volunteer work.

As with all extracurricular activities, how a student chooses to spend their vacation time reveals a great deal about their passions, talents and leadership skills. Students should carefully choose what it is that they want to do with an eye not toward "resume building" but to finding fulfilling experiences that will nurture their passions and allow them to pursue their interests.

For those academics who would like to move ahead in their coursework or to take a class that isn't offered at their high school, many independent schools and colleges offer summer sessions. Through these programs, students can take classes in subjects ranging from calculus to archeology to glass blowing. Independent schools, vocational schools and colleges offer courses for high school students ranging from single course options to full residential programs.

For those students who are more career-focused, the 10 weeks of summer provide a unique opportunity to explore interests through internships. Besides lending credibility to a resume, a summer internship is the best way to learn more about a specific career.

For those with a more entrepreneurial spirit, the summer months allow time to run a small business mowing grass, selling handmade T-shirts or running a dog-walking business. The organizational, leadership and executive skills that are required to run a successful business are especially alluring to colleges as well as to future employers.

Volunteering is another way to explore career interests and develop skills while helping others. For students who want to combine work with travel there are several groups that organize volunteer opportunities overseas. Rather than giving an hour or so of time each week over the course of the year, a focused volunteer effort in the summer can lead to a more meaningful and rewarding experience.

Many students enroll in programs overseas where they do any combination of study, travel, language immersion and/or volunteer work. For many, this is their first time traveling without their family and the rewards of overcoming the challenges of learning how to adapt to and appreciate the traditions and routines of another culture are profound.

For the athlete, sports camps are offered at many independent schools and universities and provide a tremendous opportunity not only to train with some of the best coaches in the country but also to take advantage of state-of-the-art athletic facilities. If you plan to be a college athlete, attend camps where the coaches from the colleges you are interested in applying to will be in attendance.

While summer provides myriad opportunities to explore one's interests and passions, it is important to plan ahead as many of these camps and programs will enroll quickly.

And be sure to leave plenty of time for recreation and renewal!

To learn more about this topic, AHP Educational Consulting is offering a free seminar - "Summer Opportunities for High School Students" - on Wednesday, June 9, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at their offices at 490B Boston Post Road, Sudbury. To reserve a spot, call 978-261-1443.

Tim Lee and Allison Matlack are educational consultants at AHP Educational Consulting on Rte. 20 in Sudbury. For over 30 years, AHP has guided students through the college search and application process. For more information, call 978-443-0055 or visit www.ahpeducationalconsulting.com.

Copyright 2010 The MetroWest Daily News. Some rights reserved

Time to Try Something New

Summer opportunities abound for high school students, and for those planning to apply to college it is important to take full advantage of the available options. This can be the perfect time to take classes, explore career interests, hone athletic skills or become involved in volunteer work. As with all extracurricular activities, how a student chooses to spend their vacation time reveals a great deal about their passions, talents and leadership skills. Yet, while the opportunities are endless, students should carefully choose what it is that they want to do with an eye not to "resume building" but to finding fulfilling experiences that will nurture their passions and allow them to pursue their interests.

For those academics who would like to move ahead in their coursework or to take a class that isn't offered at their high school, many independent schools and colleges offer summer sessions. Through these programs, students can take classes in subjects ranging from calculus to archeology to glass blowing. Most often classes are held during the morning and arts and athletic activities take place in the afternoon so there is plenty of time for recreation built into the day. Those living at a distance may opt to board to get a taste of what dorm life is like.

For those students who are more career-focused, the 10 weeks of summer provide a unique opportunity to explore those interests through internships. Besides the credibility it lends to a resume, a summer internship is the best way to discover if a specific career path is the right road for you.

For those with a more entrepreneurial spirit, the summer months allow time to run a small business mowing grass, selling handmade T-shirts or organizing a dog-walking business. The organizational, leadership and creative skills that are required to run a successful business are especially alluring to colleges.

Volunteering is another way to explore career interests and develop skills while helping others. Many schools require community service but finding time to volunteer during the academic year can be challenging for those invested in sports and other clubs and activities. For students who want to combine work with travel there are several groups that organize volunteer opportunities overseas. Rather than giving an hour or so of your time each week over the course of the year, focusing your energies on your volunteer work can lead to a more meaningful and rewarding experience.

For the athlete, sports camps are offered at many independent schools and universities and provide a tremendous opportunity not only to train with some of the best coaches in the field but also to take advantage of state-of-the-art athletic facilities. Your high school coach is likely your best resource for recommendations for area camps.

Finally, many students enroll in programs overseas where they do any combination of study, travel, language immersion and/or volunteer work. Some programs involve home-stays while others house students in dormitories. For many, this is their first time traveling without their family and the rewards of overcoming the challenges of learning how to adapt to and appreciate the traditions and routines of another culture are profound.

While summer provides myriad opportunities to explore one's interests and passions, it is important to plan ahead as the popularity of many of these camps and programs will lead them to fully enroll quickly. In addition to the Web resources listed below, "Peterson's Summer Programs for Kids and Teenagers" provides a full listing of summer opportunities including community service, study abroad, special needs and wilderness programs as well as summer schools and sports camps.

So often it is through these summer experiences, when a student steps out from the routines and safety of their school-year lives, that they discover something important about themselves or about the world around them. By planning now you will have the chance to make the most of your summer months while still leaving plenty of time for recreation and renewal.

Web resources

Although not a comprehensive list, we hope you'll find these Web sites helpful:

Reprinted with permission from Metrowest Daily News.