which is a better summer opportunity for a rising high school senior?

[Anonymous]

Likely engineering applicant. Girl.
Both were obtained by applying (no personal contacts at either site that we can ask).

-unpaid federal internship at an agency downtown. High school will give 2 credit hours on the transcript as an independent study. Tasks will include updating the intranet site, the department's records filing system, etc.
-paid internship at a major tech company (think amazon, google, microsoft, etc). More of an exploratory/shadowing internship--learning about what goes on in different departments.

[Anonymous]

whichever one is known to be an established, competitive program - and couldnt' be understood to be hanging out w your aunt at google for two weeks.

that's for the application.

for her own happiness?

whichever one she wants! I think it's very hard to predict what will happen once you get into a summer internship so it's a hunch thing

[Anonymous]

Paid internship

[Anonymous]

Paid!

[Anonymous]

Could you please share how you find these opportunities?

[Anonymous]

Paiid

[Anonymous]

Either is a good way to spend the summer.

One benefit to DCPS and living in DC is that they have many programs for paid internships for HS students at both large companies (such as Accenture) and local start-ups.

The MYSEP program is open to any DC resident (you have to register by February, so too late for Summer 2024) and offers some of these, though DCPS allows for more opportunities with NIH and other career programs.

I would go for the paid internship just because I don't see the unpaid internship as providing any particular benefit vs. paid.

Outside of the above, NASA, MITRE, NSA and a bunch of groups have paid internships for HS students. Yes...heavily STEM focused and competitive (and TJ kind of dominates MITRE...so it's hard for other kids).

[Anonymous]

Paid fs

[Anonymous]

Do they show internet in private v profit? They may not have this in mind yet, but it is networking even at that age if they want to network. Blech, even as I type that it sounds too much- so yeah, maybe hang by pool for one half and other half internship and balance that childhood!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either is a good way to spend the summer.

One benefit to DCPS and living in DC is that they have many programs for paid internships for HS students at both large companies (such as Accenture) and local start-ups.

The MYSEP program is open to any DC resident (you have to register by February, so too late for Summer 2024) and offers some of these, though DCPS allows for more opportunities with NIH and other career programs.

I would go for the paid internship just because I don't see the unpaid internship as providing any particular benefit vs. paid.

Outside of the above, NASA, MITRE, NSA and a bunch of groups have paid internships for HS students. Yes...heavily STEM focused and competitive (and TJ kind of dominates MITRE...so it's hard for other kids).

Thanks for this response! My kid signed up for MBSYEP but we didn't see these as options. Where do you find these on the website?

[Anonymous]

Major Tech Company!
And thank the relative that made it happen!

[Anonymous]

Don't federal internships have to be paid? Did you mean unpaid federal volunteer?

I'd go with the paid internship if it is either/or.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Major Tech Company!
And thank the relative that made it happen!

OP here. very funny. We actually don't know a soul there. We're both feds (and not at agencies where our kid applied).
I sort of worry that people will think the tech company was a nepotism move but it was completely random.

[Anonymous]

PAID