Need to get paid this summer + other things. Advice needed

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lnvictus

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My parents moved back to their native country and have sold the family's home in the states, so my only option is that I have to find work and sublet a house. That puts me in a tough spot so I started planning so early to prepare for the summer. As a college junior, here are my options: find a summer internship, continue on-campus research, or find a non-science part time job - these three are mutually exclusive.

The problem with the internship is that I may not have time to study for the MCAT, volunteer, and study a foreign language (which I am doing so I can waive my final two required semesters of foreign language classes, which otherwise would make graduating much more difficult). The problem with the research is that although the schedule is more flexible it may be unpaid, or paid in the form of work-study which does not help me with housing, and the problem with the part-time job is that it's not science-related, and that since I go to a top ten school I'm going to feel really awkward when surrounded by friends who would be spending their summers at Google, Goldman Sachs, etc.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do? The fourth option is obviously to live with my parents in China but I don't want to look like I did nothing for that summer on my app.

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If you get a summer REU, they typically provide housing. (this would probably be the best option for multiple reasons)
If you do a work-study position in the summer, you will get paid enough to live on, but there may be a lag before the first paycheck comes in (as much as a month), so you would need a buffer to start with. (not a bad option, but could cause some issues)
If you get a non-science summer job, there's no shame in that. In fact there are a lot of positives you could spin on an application out of that (ex- waiting tables: customer service, time management, professionalism). Also, you might make more money than your interning friends, so if you're buying the drinks, they aren't going to be making fun of you for doing something else.
And paying the bills is first priority, so whatever you need to do to do that is fine.
 
and the problem with the part-time job is that it's not science-related, and that since I go to a top ten school I'm going to feel really awkward when surrounded by friends who would be spending their summers at Google, Goldman Sachs, etc.


Literally nobody on Earth gives a **** what you do for a summer job.
 
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Adcoms will most likely understand why you work for a few months during the summer rather than do unpaid research. Everyone needs money, no matter what school you go to.
 
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