Last Minute Summer 2022 Opportunities in Washington DC for High School Students

It’s the first full week of summer for most high school students, and we know some teenagers are asking themselves: what am I going to do this summer? If you’re still trying to make plans, we’re here to help! We’ve curated a list of last-minute jobs and internship postings in the DC region; universities still accepting students for pre-college programs; and exciting overseas travel opportunities.

Jobs and Internships

Get your feet wet in the maritime industry (Manassas, VA)

Are you interested in naval engineering or architecture? If so, this might be the internship for you! Hepburn and Sons is a small, veteran-owned business that provides consulting services for ships. They are currently looking for a high school intern to work on-site during the summer months. In addition to office tasks, you’ll get the chance to review documents, conduct research and put together presentations. Click here to view eligibility requirements and apply.

Become a Kid Kare attendant at George Mason University (Prince William, VA)

Spend your summer playing sports and leading arts and crafts! George Mason University Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center on the Science and Technology campus is hiring part-time Kid Care attendants for the summer. Flexible scheduling is possible, but applicants should be available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. This is a great opportunity for students considering a career in education.

Teach kids to swim at Goldfish Swim School (Reston, VA)

If you’re a strong swimmer who’s always wanted to coach, why not become a swim instructor for the summer? At Goldfish Swim School, you’ll help elementary and middle school students gain their confidence in the water while having fun. Plus you’ll have the chance to earn your lifeguard certification. 
Note: there are multiple Goldfish Swim School locations throughout northern Virginia. Click here to see job openings in Alexandria and Falls Church.

Care for pets at a local animal hospital (Fairfax Station, VA)

This is an exciting part-time job for animal lovers and those who are thinking about a future in veterinary science. Crosspointe Animal Hospital is looking for a kennel assistant (age 16+) who can walk dogs, monitor patients, assistant with cleaning duties, and more. There are flexible morning and evening shifts available, but you must be able to work weekends and holidays, too! A job description and application link is available here.

Join a political campaign (Bethesda, MD/ remote)

Have you ever dreamt of a future in politics? Are you interested in learning more about the election process? If so, apply to become a political campaign intern this summer! Hans Riemer for County Executive (Montgomery County, MD) is looking for dedicated teens to join the campaign trail- virtually and in-person. Interns will work in one of five departments: Social Media & Communications, Organizing, Research & Policy, Finance & Political, or Direct Voter Contact and will learn fundamental skills from experts in the field.   No experience is necessary, but you must be willing to work at least ten hours per week.

Note: this position was just posted yesterday and is only accepting applications until Friday June 17. Apply now!

Are you interested in taking academic enrichment classes this summer?

Many colleges and universities across the United States offer summer pre-college courses for high school students. Although many deadlines have passed, there are still some great programs accepting applications for virtual and in-person classes.

American University High School Summer Scholars

George Washington University

Kode with Klossy @ Barnard College

Marist College

Wake Forest Summer Immersion Program

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Have you caught the travel bug?

We’re all eager to travel again, so if you’re thinking about planning a last minute trip this summer, why not turn it into a cool academic experience? There are plenty of overseas options for teens, whether you’re interested in language immersion, cultural enrichment, the arts, sports training, etc. 

Smithsonian Student Travel - Various summer trips are offered for high school students in Alaska, Central and South America, and Europe.

 The TASIS Summer Programs- Residential programs are available in England, Switzerland, and Switzerland for students of ALL ages.

Summer at Oxford  (England)-  This program is geared toward high school students preparing for university who want to spend the summer studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. 

Summer in Switzerland- Residential programs are available in the Swiss Alps for students of all ages. There is a variety of academic, sports, and artistic offerings. 

Putney Student Travel- These worldwide programs allow students to focus on a particular career path, language immersion, or service-oriented opportunity. 

We can help!

If you need assistance with last minute summer applications, resumes, or cover letters, book an appointment with an essay coaching professional at DC College Counseling.

Greetings From Tyler!

All about tyler

Hello everyone! My name is Tyler Pallotta and I am the new intern here at DC College Counseling!

Just like our current clients, I too was a high school student working with Colleen and her team. Before graduating from Flint Hill School in the summer of 2020, I worked with Colleen to find the college that was the best fit for me, with my personal strengths and interests.

So, where did my story begin and what brought me here writing to you all today?

MY college admissions STORY

I came from a small private school called Flint Hill and fell in love with the smaller class sizes and more personalized learning style that Flint Hill gave me, which was a must-have for my future college. My interests were vast, but Colleen helped me simplify them into categories that made the most sense for me. From there, I knew I needed a small school that ideally had some form of an entrepreneurship major or minor, a business school, and some STEM related fields to pursue my unique educational path.

I worked extensively with Colleen and essay coaches to craft my story and represent myself in the best light to the schools I was applying to. The essay coaches, by asking questions about me and getting to know me on a personal level, were able to help me perfectly capture what I wanted to show a college admissions committee.

After a long search, the team at DC College Counseling was able to help me decide on the University of Richmond, where I just completed my freshman year. Although there were a lot of small schools with personalized educational experiences, the University of Richmond was the one for me because it has everything I wanted in a school. It’s close to a city, has a big and open college campus, the kids are generally relaxed but work hard, there are majors and minors specifically focused on entrepreneurship and STEM, and I was able to find that same level of personal connection with my professors at Richmond that I loved at Flint Hill. For me, Richmond is the perfect fit, and without DC College Counseling, I would have never realized that. 

WRAPPING UP

Because I felt so strongly that DC College Counseling offered such an important service to their students, and because I want to learn more about how to run a business, I sought out Colleen and offered to help out around DC College Counseling for the summer!

Over the next few months, I’m excited to meet prospective and current clients and offer my perspective on college decision-making and strategy, since I went through the same DC College Counseling process. If you have afternoon essay coaching sessions, you will also see me at the front desk welcoming you and greeting you before your meeting!

Lastly, I know how difficult it is to start your college search journey or application process. Before DC College Counseling, I had a very minimal idea of what it takes to succeed in the application and search process. However, being able to create your unique story to share and make yourself stand out from the crowd is invaluable, and after it is all said and done, you will find a place that best suits you, just like University of Richmond best suits me. 

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If you have any questions for me, please contact me at tyler@dccollegecounseling.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Summer Internship and Job Application Prep

We’ve gotten SO much positive feedback from our new internship database - keep watching for more listings each week, because we have a whole bunch of great ones on the pipeline! So far, you can see our January 14 listings here and our January 7 listings here.

Several families have asked whether resume and interview preparation for the college application process can also carry over to the internship and job application process. Is it basically the same?

Great question, and the answer is “yes and no.” Here’s a breakdown for you:

Creating a Resume

College Admissions

The resume must be one page long at the absolute max and should have a clean format that is easy to read (and easy to skim!). It should provide a general overview of the student’s greatest accomplishments and other need-to-know information, grouped into sections with headings. All of our clients have a sample template in their Google Drive folders, and non-clients can purchase a low-cost editable instant download of the same template here.

Job/Internship

The format should be very similar to the admissions resume in that it should not exceed one page and should be easy to read and skim. It should also be grouped into sections and headings. However, it should not be general in nature - it should be tailored to the position as much as possible and should highlight experiences that coincide with the job duties.

BRINGING a Resume

College Admissions

It’s not absolutely necessary for students to bring a resume to a college interview if they don’t have one prepared already. Most of the interviewers will not read the resume; however, if students have one prepared or are willing to put some time into creating one, they should go ahead and take it with them. It will only help project a positive impression!

Job/Internship

Students must always, always, always bring a resume with them to a job interview--even if they have emailed it to the employer ahead of time! No way around this. They should bring several copies in a portfolio or folder to ensure that they do not become dirty or crumpled en route to the interview.

Interview Preparation

College Admissions

As many of our students know, interview preparation for a college admissions interview is essential! A few of the tasks we cover in our interview prep sessions include developing answers to common interview questions, writing questions to ask the interviewer that show research and interest, perfecting a handshake, and practicing eye contact. We also advise several practice rounds with one of our staff members or a parent; this will help students learn to answer questions on the spot while maintaining a professional approach (it will also help to eliminate fillers like “um” and “like”).

Job/Internship

Just like college interviews, job interviews require preparation. Many of the skills from college interview work will help with job and internship interviews, such as sustained eye contact, a strong handshake, and a professional approach. It’s also critical to practice answers to common questions and arrive to the interview with questions that show research and interest; however, the nature of all of these questions will be completely different.

Interview Attire

College Admissions

College interviews usually require business casual attire. This can mean a nice dress or pants with a blazer or sweater for girls, or nice pants with a button-down shirt for boys. No leggings, athletic wear, or jeans! Girls should pay attention to their shoes to make sure that they are able to walk comfortably and that they are not wearing a heel that is too high. All clothes should be clean and pressed, and fit well. Nothing too tight or too baggy, and certainly nothing that could be considered even remotely objectionable. Boys should make sure to have had a haircut recently and girls should have their hair styled away from their face in a polished way. No heavy makeup, perfume, or cologne. When in doubt, students should ask themselves it their outfit would be appropriate to attend a religious service at a grandparent’s retirement home. If the answer is yes, that’s a good sign!

Job/Internship

Job and internship interviews are a little trickier because it very much depends on the job. It would be strange to walk into Starbucks in a suit for an interview, but it would also be inappropriate to walk into a corporate internship full of men and women in suits while wearing a pair of khakis. Regardless, however, it’s always best to look your best for a first impression. We recommend trying to get a sense of the typical office attire of the workplace and going for one or two notches above that, if it’s more of a casual setting. All grooming-related tips from the college interview still apply.

Interview Scheduling and Timing

College Admissions

Students should plan interviews far ahead of time--this ensures appropriate preparation and it also shows interest in the school! Plus, some schools’ interview slots that fill up relatively quickly - like William & Mary’s summer interview schedule. On the day of the interview, it’s best to arrive no earlier than 15-20 minutes in advance and no later than 5 minutes in advance.

Job/Internship

Timeliness is equally important for job and internship interviews. Unlike college interviews, however, students don’t just “sign up” and interviews aren’t extended to all applicants. It actually plays out in the opposite manner! Instead, students first need to submit an application if one exists (typically this is the case for internships) and/or submit a resume and cover letter. Students should be sure to read the specific instructions in the listing, which may be very different from position to position.

Whether it is a job or an internship, interviews are typically only granted after the organization has reviewed the student’s materials and decided that the student meets the position’s initial qualifications. If the organization is interested in interviewing a student, a representative will typically invite the student to come in and may suggest a set of times. On the day of the interview, follow the same advice regarding timing - no more than 15-20 minutes in advance and no later than 5 minutes in advance.

Interview Questions

College Admissions

Admissions officers or alums will certainly ask students questions about their academic history and plans for the future, extracurricular activities (volunteer, arts, sports, etc.), and their interest in attending that particular school. Some interviewers may ask students to describe themselves or how others would describe them. They’re trying to get an overall sense of the student’s work ethic, their dedication to things outside of school, and their overall personality - as well as their likelihood of attending the school if admitted. A lot of that will come out through the rapport the student has with the interviewer, but it’s extremely helpful to prepare for questions so that students have answers in mind for every possible question!  Anyone needing more help with this can pick up our College Interview Guide. Current clients can download this from our shared documents site (see your passwords document for login access).

Job/Internship

Job and internship interview questions are typically not as focused on extracurriculars and academics, although this can vary depending on the position. Instead, most questions typically revolve around student experience with the duties that the position entails. One of our coaches, Megan, was recently sharing a story with a student about how she had unsuccessfully applied for a job at Anthropologie while she was in high school. She had a great academic history and plenty of experience in childcare, but nothing in retail.

In retrospect, she explained, she should have pulled from what she had and tried to connect the skills that made her successful in school and babysitting to skills that would make her a great employee at Anthropologie. This would have been much more effective than talking about how she was a great babysitter. Even students starting from a place with no work experience can try to connect what they have learned from academic and extracurricular experiences to the day-to-day duties of the position at hand.

Lastly, just like preparing for the “Why this school?” college interview question, students need to have well-researched and thought-out answers regarding why the particular job and internship is appealing to them.

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As you can see, there’s a lot of overlap between the college application process and the job/internship application process, but not enough to bypass dedicated preparation for the latter. Remember that parents can often provide great support in helping to segue from interviews and resumes geared towards the college admissions process to those geared towards jobs and internships.

If you’d rather come in to work with a team member, we have options available for both current clients and those who are not working with us on an ongoing basis but just need a little help in this area.

BRAND NEW: DC AREA SUMMER 2020 HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP DATABASE

This is the season during which I speak to freshmen, sophomores and juniors about their summer plans, and every year I hear students complaining about the lack of high school internship opportunities. Everyone wants a summer activity that is related to their area of academic interest (because that’s what I recommend ;) ) and they can be pretty hard to come by!

It kills me to see so many great high school students (who have so much to offer!!) who are desperate to work for free and I know there are definitely organizations and companies - especially nonprofits and small businesses - who could benefit from their help.

As a result, I have helped match up high school students with opportunities throughout the years via my own personal connections, but I decided to take it one step further this year.

I put together this page of Summer 2020 High School Internships in the Greater Washington DC Area using curated posts and listings I found myself. I will continue to update it regularly over the months ahead.

However, my main objective is to use the page to match up local organizations without publicly-listed formal internship programs with high school students who are ready and willing to work. There is a link on the site where employers can enter information about any kind of academic or career-related volunteer or internship opportunity.

Please know that this does NOT need to be formal! Most of these students would be so grateful for any chance to work in an industry that’s remotely related to what they want to study - even if it’s filing or collecting mail. And they are all social media gurus, so don’t forget about that!

Each week, we will update the site and send out the updated listings to our clients and anyone else that signs up on the page. I want this to be accessible to every high school student in our area, whether they are clients of ours or not. I have no idea if this will be successful, but I’m game for trying!

If you are an adult reading this, would you consider sharing the page with your network or community group - or adding an internship listing for your own organization? The more listings we have, the more students we can help!