Testimonials and Reviews

Read product and program testimonials from interns, alumni, customers, parents of interns, host families, and campus partners.

Taylor B.

Intern
“Joining this program is the best decision I’ve made in my life and will be participating again this upcoming summer.”

Tyree K.

Intern
“…to those who have not participated in the program, take risks because being vulnerable and choosing to take that leap could change your life.”

Jeni S.

Intern
“The most rewarding part of the program is the feeling of accomplishment when you finish your first summer and then building a team of friends and mentoring them through the program as well.”

Jacob M.

Intern
“I’m building a business through Southwestern Advantage because I’ve only got one life, so I might as well fight to become the best version of myself through continuous challenge and education.”

Alex R.

Intern
“My first summer was about proving I could conquer the toughest college program and building my resume. I am so thankful for the mentors I had and the 150+ year old system that gave me the support and accountability I needed to become successful. I ended up not just confident in myself but having stretched my mental fortitude, discipline, servant leadership and lots of character traits that would have taken me years to develop in a normal work environment.”

Noah S.

Intern
“I decided to do this to gain confidence and become the future husband and father I want to be. I’ve learned how to overcome adversity, see every situation in a positive light and learn how to stay calm, cool and collected in leadership roles.”

Mitchel M.

Intern
“Having a job where I can actively practice patience, persistence, problem-solving, having a good attitude, and treating people well consistently regardless of the circumstances or how people treat me has already proven incredibly fruitful in my day-to-day life and relationships.”

Jacob F.

Intern
“The age span of 18-24 is a crucial time where people learn about themselves and the world. I am a leader with Southwestern Advantage because it gives me the opportunity to help people gain critical skills at a crucial time in their lives. I still run my business because it forces me to be the best version of myself while impacting others at the same time!”

Julie G.

Alumni
“People will truly amaze you in this internship. My first summer was truly life-changing in the sense that I learned more about myself and dealing with other people than in my four year degree studying Psychology. I learned that emotions are only as deep and honest as you let them be, people want to yearn and interact with positive, enthusiastic people, and last but most importantly, your summer and your life can be bad-ass if you want it to be!”

Jaak R.

Alumni
“I am so thankful for Southwestern that they decided to expand out of the States and allow students from Europe to go through the program to experience the challenges and rewards that come from it. Little did I realize as a freshman in college I would find my wife, have a family and now run a business through Southwestern Advantage. Dreams do come true – if you put forth the effort to see them to reality.”

Matt A.

Alumni
“Selling with Southwestern Advantage is not easy, and it’s not for everyone. But there is a reason it has been around for over 150 years (think about that for a minute). There is a population of young people that have a desire to see what they are made of and step outside the box. I looked at it like this… was there any job experience in Nebraska that I could learn or earn as much as I could over a 12 week summer? Not that I knew of.”

Jim P.

Alumni
“Some of the most valuable things I learned while with Southwestern were how to overcome adversity in life, how to develop a habit of doing those things required for success that most people don’t do, the effectiveness in valuing others, how to lead and how to help other find purpose in life.”

Deb M.

Alumni
“Deb M. – “…Most med school hopefuls do pretty much the same thing during their summer breaks…Every resume looks the same. My resume looked vastly different from other applicants. I now run the most profitable walk-in clinic in Vanderbilt’s array of health services. My six summers with Southwestern was a great way to prepare for a medical career.””

Emily W.

Alumni
“This intense “non-engineering” experience made me such an intriguing graduate that I never applied for a single job but was approached and offered numerous engineering management jobs.”

Pete B.

Alumni
“A summer selling books gives a young person enormous ammunition in any job interview. But far more importantly than that, my first summer knocking on doors gave me a deep-rooted self confidence in my own ability to work hard and succeed in any situation. You can’t buy that self-assurance. It has to be earned and proven. “

Dr. Tracey J.

Alumni
““Selling for two summers taught me leadership principles and life lessons that I carried into the military, corporate America, defense contracting, and small business… The tenacity, courage, customer interaction skills, and transformational power of books this door-to-door selling experience imprinted on me were foundational in building my confidence and success as a leader. After all, if you can sell books, you can do anything!””

Kayla A.

Customer
“My kids and I love these books! We are so happy when the rep Vivian came to our home and we got to order the last set we didn’t have yet!”

Kara B.

Customer
“Margaret was extremely knowledgeable about what all Southwestern Advantage had to offer. Margaret was also very polite, friendly and helpful in answering all of my questions. She truly was a pleasure to work with!”

Beverly H.

Customer
“Blake was so passionate about what he was doing that you couldn’t help but be interested in what he was saying and had to offer. He was such a positive, caring personality. My grandson is enjoying these books so much!”

Diane S.

Customer
“The kids came out of their shells to interact with the rep. She had them very interested and they didn’t want her to go. They miss her already.”

Cayla A.

Customer
“Elias was awesome. He was very kind and informative. Can’t wait to see him again when he delivers our books at the end of summer!”

Nicole B.

Customer
“Kenet was very friendly and knowledgeable. Spoke to me and my son directly. My son is autistic and doesn’t usually speak to people, but he spoke to Kenet. He explained all the books and apps very well.”

Ashley B.

Customer
“Trace was great with my son and very knowledgeable about his products and answered questions I had. He was very friendly and easy to talk to. My overall experience was delightful.”

Rashad F.

Customer
“I had a very pleasant experience with Adriana, she was truly very informative and it was great to see her passion for children. Thank you sincerely for coming and I look forward to learning and teaching with my daughter.”

Sarah P.

Customer
“I really enjoyed Sadie’s visit. She clearly believes in the product and knew the answer to every question I asked. She cares about quality education for my daughter”

Kayla M.

Customer
“Myrna was very kind, and extremely pleasant. Her knowledge of the products was extensive and we enjoyed her short visit”

Brenda M.

Customer
“So much great information! Sergio was awesome! Thank you so much Sergio! You were amazing explaining and talking to my children”

Angelika M.

Customer
“Beau was very friendly and seemed extremely knowledgeable about the products. He answered questions and presented everything seamlessly”

Rocky and Sheila A.

Customer
“Dina was very professional and knowledgable. She presented the products very well. She was such a pleasure to meet with”

Deb P.

Customer
“Vlada was absolutely amazing. She was very nice and answered all my questions. She was very up beat, happy and full of energy. 100% happy with her and her attitude about the product!”

Chip and Amber L.

Customer
“Janis was fantastic. Our family schedule is chaos. He went above and beyond to ensure we could meet with him, and he was amazing with our young children when they sat in on our visit. He had answers for all of our questions about the books and apps. He made us laugh.”

Kristine K.

Customer
“Very knowledgeable young lady who was able to help us with study information so we can assist our children with homework. Our daughter has dyslexia so reading is normally a battle. She finds the information in the books interesting and wants to read. Great value.”

Rebecca C.

Customer
“This company did a good job with safety before going home to home. The city put out on social media that they would be in the area. Roland had his paperwork to show and name badge. He was very professional but super friendly. Everything was very well explained.”

Kate F.

Customer
“I have already had expereince with Southwestern Advnatge years ago, having purchased the Math books for helping my stepson through High School math. NOW I will have a complete set + the online resources. I love how this product enhanced my understanding of Math in the past & I look forward to how it helps my children succeed in school in the future.”

Mariluz S.

Customer
“My two-year-old loved the books and loved Paytn. We ordered the little kids book set and got the apps… he loves the apps…he can already identify primary colors and what a letter is. I am so excited. He is actually interested and does not even know he is learning in the process. Thank you so much for showing this program for my son!”

Cassie H.

Customer
“The kids actually use them. Even the oldest ones. I was really worried after buying them. Seeing our youngest one be happy and excited to read now is a testimonial story itself. As he is our extra special blessing. SO a HUGE THANK YOU to BOOKMAN, for being a real life hero, from the Hancock Family”

Ron W.

Parent of Intern
“Southwestern Advantage… I had never heard the name until my son decided to go off for a summer. Now I mention it to every college age student I meet. I honestly can’t think of a better way for students to take control of their future. I’m of the opinion the personal growth and skills a student develops with Southwestern Advantage would take 20 years for them to develop on their own in today’s workplace.”

Fabian & Candice C.

Parent of Intern
“After Carolina’s first summer, she showed many signs of growth, independence, resiliency, patience, and a high level of emotional intelligence. These leadership attributes continue to improve every summer and are not commonly taught in school. This summer program is not about ‘IQ,’ but ‘I will.’””

Greg & Lisa J.

Parent of Intern
“…Our son’s growth and maturation over the first summer and each summer thereafter has been phenomenal. The catalyst for that change is credited to the Southwestern Advantage organization and mentoring program – which has helped him reach his full potential. It has molded him into the responsible, confident young man that he is now…it has been a very positive, life-changing decision.”

Steve & Jayne B.

Parent of Intern
“The impact of Southwestern on me, and the memories for our family, are beyond any quantification or measuring. We have seven children and six have sold books… The benefit for my family from selling (multiple summers) is the development of their character, doing what needed to be done whether they happened to feel like it or not, working the plan, persevering, keeping purpose, not quitting.”

Theresa G.

Parent of Intern
“Each summer, I could see my boy growing, changing, and maturing into a strong man; there is nothing now that he cannot do! I have a new…appreciation of what it takes to complete this internship…the company is top-notch! I am excited every summer to see the ups and downs, the challenges and relationships that are cultivated…I trust Southwestern Advantage with my son.”

Kami D.

Host Parent
“We were so blessed this summer to have 3 awesome Bookmen living with us while they sold educational books door to door with Southwestern. As many of you know, I did this job while I was in college and I gained SO much from the experience. So many people poured into me back in the day, and I was thrilled to be able to pay it forward to these 3 amazing, hard-working Bookmen. We all miss you, David, Jacob, and Josh!”

Keith and Kelly P.

Host Parent
“We hosted [4] “bookgirls”… I have never seen a group of young people so committed and excited about the mission laid out before them – get educational books into the hands of as many children as possible. It was quite inspirational to me, to see their dedication, the way they pushed through the struggles, and the joy they experienced when they had success.”

James W.

Host Parent
“This was my first-year hosting and what an awesome experience. Because of these two young men, I plan on being a host next year. Their respect for my home was paramount. They cleaned up after themselves, kept a tight schedule, worked together, communicated well, and were most respectful and considerate.”

Stefanie and Joe W.

Host Parent
“We were sad to see these ladies go this morning, but we were so blessed to host them for part of the summer. They epitomize hard work and perseverance through hot days, rain storms, and eve 4 days of no power at our house without one word of complaint. We are praying for their last 3 weeks selling books and their return home to Latvia. We are so grateful to have met you both and hope to meet again one day!”

Bryan H.

Host Parent
“It’s hard to express the love you have for people you let live with you for a summer. These #bookgirls works so hard, putting in long days and weeks. They are building the type of character that will last a lifetime. I’m so proud of what they have accomplished, but more so proud of who they are becoming! We love hosting #bookkids! Thanks @southwesternadvantage”

Tim L.

Campus Partner
“I believe that the multitude of students who are successful at selling Southwestern Advantage products each year also succeed in their career endeavors throughout life. The discipline they gain, the work ethic they practice and attitude they maintain takes them far…I also believe strongly that students…have had a significant learning and life enrichment experience.”

Corey G.

Campus Partner
“I am very confident that Southwestern is an effective employment and internship option for the right students seeking summer employment because of my exposure to Southwestern Sales School and through discussions with students who have both succeeded and failed to meet their goals during the internship experience. Even in failure, there were amazing skills and stories that were brought back with these students.”

Anda P.

Campus Partner
“Southwestern Advantage teaches students not only such valuable skills like leadership, communications skills, planning and work ethic, but also values that are fundamental for every successful person and lead to a better, fulfilled life.”

Donna C.

Campus Partner
“The students I met and spoke with one-on-one, who had at least one summer sales opportunity under their belts, could not say enough about the quality of the experience and the personal growth they experienced as a result. As a career counselor, this is what working and learning is all about!”

Bill W.

Campus Partner
“As a higher education professional for 20+ years…the types of opportunities Southwestern offers can be a strong fit for a portion of our student body. I appreciate the ways in which the Southwestern team seeks to find students who are a good fit for their program and then provides intentional structures which support the students’ success.”

Dr. Jay K.

Campus Partner
“This is not an opportunity that will appeal to every student nor can every student succeed selling educational systems in an area far from home, but for the students each summer who are recruited, trained and who stick it out, the results have been very positive, both in terms of financial reward and personal growth. We believe that the company’s recruiters provide full disclosure and education as part of their recruiting process.”

Jeremy F.

Campus Partner
“Southwestern Advantage prepares young college students for success in a number of career fields, but most importantly, it develops their work ethic, motivation levels, and professionalism in any field they choose.”

Dr. Rob L.

Campus Partner
“Gaining experience is a key determinant to future success in any competitive field, developing confidence that you can overcome obstacles and build the discipline necessary to adapt to changing situations is imperative to professional and personal success. Southwestern Advantage offers those types of experiences.”

Myrna H.

Campus Partner
“Students are told honestly about the challenges facing them, are provided with effective sales strategies, have practice sessions with feedback, and develop supportive relationships with their peers and leaders.”

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