As a high school student, I am curious as to how much the Naval Academy would value work history. Is having a job valued in a candidate as much as, say, being in a club or sport? I am going to be soon looking for work because I need to be able to support my car and other expenses. I am just curious as to whether having a job in place of another extracurricular activity is frowned upon. Thank you!
Work history for academy candidates
- Thread starter sean_k01
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I can't answer at the Academy level, but the BGO for DS spent a lot of time asking about his job, responsibilities, etc. His boss also wrote him a letter of recommendation for his Congressional nomination. Like you, DS makes his own car payments, covers expenses. Frankly, I would think that shows maturity and responsibility. When DS explained why he wasn't in many clubs, BGO replied he wouldn't expect him to be between classwork, athletics (Captain of his varsity sport), and work--he works weekends and one or two week nights.
Bottom line, in my opinion anyway, do what's right for YOU, not to get a check-mark somewhere. The people making the decisions well understand those choices anyway.
Bottom line, in my opinion anyway, do what's right for YOU, not to get a check-mark somewhere. The people making the decisions well understand those choices anyway.
Thanks for your input. I do hear of candidates all the time that have been involved in many different clubs, sports, and activities but never sustained a job. That will never work for me, so I believe having a job will show responsibility in being able to pay your own way.
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The answer really depends. There isn't a magic number of clubs/sports that you need to participate/lead in. However, I would, generally, not recommend working a job in lieu of sports or significant club leadership opportunities. There are certainly exceptions....when candidates have an obligation to support their family through a job...that significantly impacts their ability to be involved in sports/ECAs. Is it not possible to do both? Yes, I know you have a busy schedule. As a high school student, I participated in a varsity sport (1 or 2 ECAs) and worked a partial job on the weekends/school breaks. The breaks (winter, spring, summer) are an excellent opportunity to work part-time jobs. Jobs, that complement your sport/ECA record, are normally viewed in a positive manner (especially if you get a great recommendation).
Edit: it is a tougher sell when working a job for personal gain (income) in lieu of sports/ECAs. This sounds like the OPs case.
Edit: it is a tougher sell when working a job for personal gain (income) in lieu of sports/ECAs. This sounds like the OPs case.
Old Navy BGO
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Make sure you tell your BGO about it, particularly if you have a family circumstance (ie.. have to work) , had leadership opportunities, showed entrepreneurial spirit, and experienced a life lesson from it. You might also want to write about it in your personal statement.
I suspect the application is geared toward the typical high school student who plays sports, does club activities, student government etc. However, there are alot of kids out there who either need to work to help their families, or have other circumstances that make working more important than school activities. I am sure that the Admissions Board recognizes that not everyone takes the same path in life, and if you have a meaningful work history, I woud expect that to be a positive. However, like any other activities, don't just check the block by participating -- your goal should be to excel in whatever you do , and strive for leadership positions.
I suspect the application is geared toward the typical high school student who plays sports, does club activities, student government etc. However, there are alot of kids out there who either need to work to help their families, or have other circumstances that make working more important than school activities. I am sure that the Admissions Board recognizes that not everyone takes the same path in life, and if you have a meaningful work history, I woud expect that to be a positive. However, like any other activities, don't just check the block by participating -- your goal should be to excel in whatever you do , and strive for leadership positions.