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I was accepted to the Stand out connects fall cohort that helps high schoolers find internships with alumni’s from prestigious universities but they are asking for $950 as tuition so is it really worth it?
The program itself only has an 11% acceptance rate and as somebody who is interested in becoming a dermatologist I wonder if it’s worth paying that much money even after financial aid for one internship. Although such alumni’s have gone to universities such as Yale or Stanford does it truly make an impact in helping you stand out to college admission officers if you want to go to Stanford or UCLA.
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Mia’s Answer
Hi! I was a part of StandOut Connect’s 2024 Summer Cohort, and I would highly recommend the program to anyone interested. Throughout StandOut’s resumé building and workshop process, I gained valuable networking skills and was able to interact with a series of top industry professionals (lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, business people, etc.), gaining invaluable career insights. I found this experience extremely helpful in the formal recruiting process, where I ultimately received offers from all the companies I interviewed with. I ended up matching into an internship with a decentralized fintech startup based out of California, where I performed research and data analytics. I conducted competitive analysis, produced reports on mergers and acquisitions in the Cryptocurrency space, and more. StandOut Connect really gave me a valuable opportunity to earn an internship in the financial world, allowing me to perform meaningful, hands-on work in a role typically not available to high schoolers or even underclassmen in college. While my field of interest was finance, there was a great degree of flexibility in the program to explore internships across a variety of sectors (medicine was very popular and highly applicable to your interest in being a dermatologist). The internship that resulted from completing StandOut Connect was a huge asset in the college admissions process, providing me with pertinent experience to discuss in supplements and repeatedly catching the eye of admissions officers, as a unique differentiator in the Common App activities section. I ended up being accepted to multiple T-20 universities in the U.S and T-10 Universities in Europe, and I am currently a freshman at Georgetown University. I would be happy to answer any other questions about StandOut’s program!
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Anthony’s Answer
I thought the StandOut Connect program was worth it from my experience. I interned at a political company, but I know a lot of students in the program were interested in skincare and medicine. In my case, I am still in touch with my mentor to this day who continues providing me with their support. They help you complete a resume and learn how to do different types of professional tasks. They also help set up interviews for you until there is a company matching your interests that wants to hire you. This is a great way to get started in your career of interest. I know they also offer full refunds if you are not happy with the program.
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Michelle’s Answer
Hello again, Sammy !
Thanks for reaching out again about this. It seems as though you have your college plans secured. Everyone's experience with the funding for college is different and to have only $950.00 not covered by financial aid is pretty good. Visit your college comptroller or admissions office for a referral to speak with someone who can arrange a payment plan for what you need to pay out. In the meantime, you can apply for grants or scholarships that may reimburse you for the $950.00. Apply for scholarships that require you being an enrolled college student or any scholarships you qualify for.
I would like to generally clarify something. One never pays out money for an Internship because it is the student who will be doing the work. If a group that says they'll provide an internship for you says it costs you money, do not do it. In my other advice for you yesterday about this, I explained that there are so many other resources that provide internships and they do NOT cost money. You maybe owe the $950.00 for the COLLEGE TUITION that has not been covered as of yet. Have someone look at your documentation and explain it for you. So I highly advise not paying any extra money for any internships or for any opportunity or service that is normally offered to students and normally doesn't cost the student anything. Also check to see if eligibility depends on having your whole tuition paid up, because that's probably the case here. It's most likely that no services can start for you until your whole tuition is paid in full. Try to ask this at the school. If that is the case, don't worry, you won't miss out on any internships and they don't have to be from an Alumni, it can be from anywhere.
So now reading this, I get that you are a high school student, not in college yet. If that is the case. Do not pay for an internship. If you want some sort of work experience while in high school, your best bet would be to forget about the term "internship" and go for volunteer work. Volunteer work may be just the exciting venture that would give you a work experience start and something for your resume and college applications in the future. Politely decline this cohort Stand Out Connects and go straight to volunteer work which may be a quicker way to start being active.
I have left some places to look for volunteer work at the links below, but I would suggest asking one of your teachers or guidance counselor if you can volunteer in your school's lab or anything connected to the biological sciences if your career interest is the medical field. You can find a volunteer position in the community as well. Your activity does not have to be connected to your career interest. As long as you are out there, active and enjoying what you are doing. Your results of your undergraduate education will be what will matter for Medical School as you said you want to be a Dermatologist. Volunteer work and Internships are important for college admission, however they do not determine college admission. These opportunities are for self-enrichment and experience for the student. Undergraduate colleges do like to see that students were active in participating in any type of work or activities. It's not necessary right now to immerse yourself in medical activities but if you find an experience that would interest you, go for it. And stay away from any groups or programs that require a fee to participate. That's my advice.
I hope that you make a decision that will bring you into an enjoyable volunteer/work or internship experience and I hope that this is a bit of help.
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FRESNO TEENS AT THE LIBRARY https://teens.fresnolibrary.org/volunteer/
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT HANDS ON CENTRAL IN FRESNO https://www.handsoncentralcal.org/search
BEST VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN FRESNO https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/orgs.jsp?r=20.0&l=Fresno,+CA...
EXTRACURRICULARS FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS INTERESTED IN MEDICINE https://blog.collegevine.com/extracurriculars-for-high-schoolers-interested-in-studying-medicine
EXTRACURRICULARS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PURSUING MEDICINE https://admissionsight.com/the-top-extracurricular-activities-for-high-schoolers-pursuing-medicine/
Thanks for reaching out again about this. It seems as though you have your college plans secured. Everyone's experience with the funding for college is different and to have only $950.00 not covered by financial aid is pretty good. Visit your college comptroller or admissions office for a referral to speak with someone who can arrange a payment plan for what you need to pay out. In the meantime, you can apply for grants or scholarships that may reimburse you for the $950.00. Apply for scholarships that require you being an enrolled college student or any scholarships you qualify for.
I would like to generally clarify something. One never pays out money for an Internship because it is the student who will be doing the work. If a group that says they'll provide an internship for you says it costs you money, do not do it. In my other advice for you yesterday about this, I explained that there are so many other resources that provide internships and they do NOT cost money. You maybe owe the $950.00 for the COLLEGE TUITION that has not been covered as of yet. Have someone look at your documentation and explain it for you. So I highly advise not paying any extra money for any internships or for any opportunity or service that is normally offered to students and normally doesn't cost the student anything. Also check to see if eligibility depends on having your whole tuition paid up, because that's probably the case here. It's most likely that no services can start for you until your whole tuition is paid in full. Try to ask this at the school. If that is the case, don't worry, you won't miss out on any internships and they don't have to be from an Alumni, it can be from anywhere.
So now reading this, I get that you are a high school student, not in college yet. If that is the case. Do not pay for an internship. If you want some sort of work experience while in high school, your best bet would be to forget about the term "internship" and go for volunteer work. Volunteer work may be just the exciting venture that would give you a work experience start and something for your resume and college applications in the future. Politely decline this cohort Stand Out Connects and go straight to volunteer work which may be a quicker way to start being active.
I have left some places to look for volunteer work at the links below, but I would suggest asking one of your teachers or guidance counselor if you can volunteer in your school's lab or anything connected to the biological sciences if your career interest is the medical field. You can find a volunteer position in the community as well. Your activity does not have to be connected to your career interest. As long as you are out there, active and enjoying what you are doing. Your results of your undergraduate education will be what will matter for Medical School as you said you want to be a Dermatologist. Volunteer work and Internships are important for college admission, however they do not determine college admission. These opportunities are for self-enrichment and experience for the student. Undergraduate colleges do like to see that students were active in participating in any type of work or activities. It's not necessary right now to immerse yourself in medical activities but if you find an experience that would interest you, go for it. And stay away from any groups or programs that require a fee to participate. That's my advice.
I hope that you make a decision that will bring you into an enjoyable volunteer/work or internship experience and I hope that this is a bit of help.
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Dafne’s Answer
Hello Sammy,
First, congratulations on being accepted! As someone who has gone through the program, I’d highly recommend it! StandOut Connect provides an unique opportunity to intern at companies in the area you want to pursue. I eventually accepted an internship with a political tech company, where I spent three months working on social media projects and software development. My mentor always listened to our ideas and aimed to make the internship a true learning experience. Even after my internship ended, I stayed connected with professionals I met through the program and have even gotten them to be guest speakers at my school. Experiences like these not only strengthened my resume but also gave me meaningful stories to share in college essays, which would prove helpful for you as well.
First, congratulations on being accepted! As someone who has gone through the program, I’d highly recommend it! StandOut Connect provides an unique opportunity to intern at companies in the area you want to pursue. I eventually accepted an internship with a political tech company, where I spent three months working on social media projects and software development. My mentor always listened to our ideas and aimed to make the internship a true learning experience. Even after my internship ended, I stayed connected with professionals I met through the program and have even gotten them to be guest speakers at my school. Experiences like these not only strengthened my resume but also gave me meaningful stories to share in college essays, which would prove helpful for you as well.
Updated
Karissa’s Answer
No, any program that helps high school students should be free. What makes you stand out is doing well in something besides your classes. Try working as a scribe when you are in college. Medical school likes when students work in the healthcare field. Right now your main objective is to get into a Tier 1 college.