The college application process can be very competitive. We advise our students to get ahead by developing an academic area of expertise throughout high school; a brand, if you will. This should be a specific area of interest around which your extracurriculars and classes align. If you’re interested in computer science and plan on applying to a related program, we have some advice on how to land a great internship.
STARTUP
You don’t have to be in Silicon Valley to work in tech. We recommend identifying small startups, either in your area, or smaller companies that would be happy to have a remote intern. Small is better here. Sure, you could land an internship at a big-name corporation, but the odds are, you’ll be spending your internship getting coffee. We recommend going for smaller entities where you can actually make an impact and write in your essays about the tangible things you accomplished. So, identify a bunch of *small* companies and do some research to figure out who the CEO or the head of operations is. Find their contact details, or if you can’t, just pick up the phone and call the general number listed for the business. If you find an email address, send your resume along with a cover letter. The cover letter should begin with a short story about how you became interested in computer science and tech. This doesn’t need to be a major, existential story. It can be as simple as having learned to code in fourth grade and loving it. Then, talk about your experience more broadly. What are the relevant classes you’ve taken? What about clubs and projects? Finally, talk (very specifically) about what it is that’s drawing you to the company. Talk about something they’ve done that you admire and want to learn from.
RESEARCH
A lot of students don’t realize they have the opportunity to get published in high school. Do a deep dive into professors in your area (or in your state) specializing in computer science. You really need to know your stuff here. Before reaching out, learn all there is to know about their past work. Then, reach out and see if any would be willing to bring on an assistant. Include your resume and a cover letter in which you include a lot of detail about their research and what you hope to learn from them. Once you land the gig, your goal should be to get published with them.
TEACH
If you’re excellent at computer science yourself, see about teaching. Reach out to local elementary and middle schools or after-school programs, ideally in under-resourced communities. If needed, work with one of your teachers to create a lesson plan. Spend time teaching, assistant-teaching or leading a school robotics club.
NONPROFITS
There are many nonprofits out there that focus on computer science, from education to innovation. Find a national organization and reach out to their local or state chapter with your resume and cover letter. Alternatively, find a small community organization where you can make a big impact. Come up with a tangible project you can see through from start-to-finish for the duration of your internship. As always, the goal is to learn and to contribute something in an area about which you’re passionate.
There are many opportunities for driven students when it comes to internships. The rule of thumb is to think about places where you can actually make an impact. Larger, well-funded companies are not the best path forward. Think small and you can have a big impact.
Need help with your resume? Call us. We’re experts at helping students build impressive applications.