Given that combination, choosing activities that pave the way for college financial aid might make more sense than minimum-wage work for some teens. Instead of flipping burgers or bagging groceries, they're working to excel at sports or other activities that hold their interest.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as recently as 2001, half of all 16- and 17-year-olds held jobs in July. That fell to 29 percent by last year.
