For generations, working as a summer camp counselor meant unplugging, hanging out by a lake, and earning a modest paycheck. Today, at the country's most elite sleepaway camps, it has transformed into a high-stakes networking opportunity.
Faced with intense pressure to build competitive resumes, high school and college students are increasingly viewing their counselor gigs as professional launchpads. In response, upscale camps—where tuition can exceed $14,000 a summer—are formalizing corporate-style networking, mentorship, and internship programs to keep older kids coming back.
How Elite Camps Are Adapting
Camps are shifting their marketing and programming to position the summer experience as a legitimate career accelerator.
Formal Career Networking: Camps like New York's Camp Scatico are hosting formal, off-season networking panels in cities like New York, connecting young alumni directly with established professionals in various industries.
Virtual Internship Accommodations: Camps Baco and Che-Na-Wah now offer older counselors designated time off during the summer session specifically to complete virtual internships, alongside video calls with career consultants.
Targeted Alumni Databases: At Tripp Lake Camp in Maine, dedicated alumnae relations staff utilize platforms like WhatsApp and LinkedIn to bridge the gap between former campers and job-seekers.
Skill Workshops: Consultants are being hired to teach 15- and 16-year-old campers essential career management skills, including interview prep and LinkedIn optimization.
Success Story: Abby Rosenblatt (23) landed a job at a major restaurant group after her camp's alumni director provided a tailored spreadsheet of former campers working in hospitality. One alum became a primary career mentor, proving more influential than her high school or college networks.
The Cost of Camp Networking
| Camp Name | Location | Duration / Cost |
| Camps Baco & Che-Na-Wah | Adirondack Mountains, NY | 7 weeks / $14,975 |
| Camp Scatico | Hudson Valley, NY | 7 weeks / $13,900 |
Note: Summer pay for a college-age head counselor typically starts around $2,000, making the networking and "internship" perks a vital part of the compensation package.
The Admissions Debate: Asset or Liability?
While teens and camp directors view these leadership roles as invaluable experience, college admissions experts are split on how it looks on an application.
The Skeptic's View
Hannah Skaran, an admissions consultant with Ivy Coach, advises applicants to completely omit elite sleepaway camps from their resumes.
"Admissions officers don't want to see that you went to fancy sleepaway camps... Summer camps signal privilege."
Instead, she argues, colleges want to see deep engagement with a student's specific academic passions.
The Student's View
Many students argue that the leadership skills gained are entirely authentic. Nella McKasson (18), an incoming freshman at the University of Washington, successfully used her camp experience in her application by focusing on personal growth and overcoming obstacles.
"If colleges were to focus on the fact that it's a summer camp, they would have been missing the entire point of my story."