Freshman Summer

[Apatheist]

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I have three options:

1. Find an internship (most likely with a stipend)
2. 2 jobs: work at a hospital/work at an ice rink and volunteer at a hospital as well
3. Go to India and volunteer at an eye clinic, helping the blind

Honestly, I'd love to them all (maybe not the internship as much).

Which one would stand out more?

 

[varsityblue]

Here's how I'd rank your current opportunities:
1) Internship with stipend.
2) Help out at the Indian eye clinic. (So long as you're prepared to be asked why you had to resort to asking family members to set you up with a gig that most, if not all, Indian Americans are able to get...)
3) Volunteer at a hospital while working at an ice rink.

 

[Apatheist]

Thanks, I would still need to find an internship (any ideas?), and volunteering at the eye clinic in India is through United for Sight; I'm not Indian American.

 

[varsityblue]

1) Research programs like DOE, SURP, SIE, SIP, ROE, and so on are a good place to start.
2) In my experience, just about every nonprofit in India except for Ashoka tends to be filled with Desis from North America.

 

[JJMrK]

I would lean toward something paid, but that's just me. The hospital work could be good depending on what you're doing there.

The eye clinic would also look good; if I were interviewing you I'd certainly be interested in discussing it. I also wouldn't really care how you obtained the position.

 

[varsityblue]

I would lean toward something paid, but that's just me. The hospital work could be good depending on what you're doing there.

The eye clinic would also look good; if I were interviewing you I'd certainly be interested in discussing it. I also wouldn't really care how you obtained the position.

This is true, OP. Most interviewers won't care how you obtained the position just how well you did in it while you were there. Other desi students might judge you, though.

 

[Apatheist]

I guess I'll apply for the United for Sight, and if that doesn't work out, I'll work two jobs and volunteer in the surrounding communities.

 

[Stumpyman]

In terms of standing out, the internship and the two jobs w/ volunteering are better than United for Sight.

U for Sight is a really good cause though if you're into that sort of thing, I'm actually applying as well. But it doesn't stand out as much, since every other pre-med does some volunteering trip abroad.