How My Old Navy Experience Helped Me Get Into College

I was a high school junior in Brooklyn when a flyer on a job board bulletin board caught my eye. A job skills education program called This Way Ahead offered internships at Old Navy and Gap stores.

I sat in on an information session at The Door, which is a youth development non-profit in New York.  They told us, “You have to bring your ‘A’ game. You can’t be late. You have to complete assignments. Or, you’re out.”  It was scary – but that made me want to do it more.

I attended development classes and worked on resume writing, time management, and communications skills. Before learning how to interact with customers, I couldn’t imagine striking up a conversation with a stranger.  It was several months of after-school classes and in-store training and then I was selected for an internship and job as a sales associate at my neighborhood Old Navy.

It was my first real job. When it came to writing college application essays, I wrote about This Way Ahead and how it taught me about the rewards that can come when you take chances.

Guess what? I got in.  In a couple weeks, I’m moving to Clark Atlanta University. Yes, it’s scary. But, that's why I can hardly wait!

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