Some people might not find managing the flow of golf carts exciting, but I do. The summer after my junior year, I began my first and current job as a cart attendant at a golf course. I ensure that there are enough clean carts for golfers to purchase while monitoring the build up of dirty carts. My AP Statistics class should be required to work a shift here. My mind taps into the class as I try to make sure there are enough clean carts. This job hones problem solving skills. Pulling in a dead cart off the course without disrupting the flow of play forces me to think outside the box. Also, I interact with many types of people on the job, developing my conversational skills and tolerance of diverse views. I enjoy our conversations about the presidential debates. Obama despondency in the first debate excited Romney fans. I am not a big fan of Romney, but love hearing the diverse views, similar to the multi-dimensional concepts in AP Statistics.
-Jarrett Atkins is now a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill
I interned at Fletcher Asset Management, a New York hedge fund, for three summers. In my first summer of 2009, I did not know what to expect. I only knew the firm asked for evidence of my math proficiency. I was a small, coy, soon-to-be freshman, who had never lived on his own. I lived in an apartment of my mom's friend. I had to adapt to commuting, managing money, cooking dinner, and dealing with unfamiliar people who were often impatient. Wall Street was hectic in the wake of the housing collapse. However, I enjoyed my job and became much more independent. In my second summer, the fund entrusted me to analyze the collateral value of defaulting mortgages and present potential investments. In my third, I studied the firm's operations and the options market. Financial skills that I acquired helped me to serve Green Door, a mental illness center where I volunteered last summer. I helped patients sift through financial details about federally provided care.
-Ian Batts will be a freshman at Harvard in September