How important are internships for college? What are your college freshmen doing this summer?

[Anonymous]

Internships are really important, especially if you kid majors in a liberal arts subject. My daughter found during job interviews, the only jobs people talked about were those in an office setting. Her grades and extracurricular activities were an afterthought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think all summers are important. Rising sophomore DC2 has internships with think tanks (applications for these were due in Jan or Feb. of freshman year, which she almost missed). Next year she wants to do an abroad program with her university at Oxford. Third summer will be an internship in whatever major/field she has decided to go into in case she wants to apply to grad school that fall. It goes that fast. DC1 took University courses to get basic requirements out of the way summer 1, Summer 2 was paid internships in chosen field, Summer 3 was study abroad.

Are these internships this summer paid or unpaid?

They vary. It is so difficult to find internships - especially as a rising sophomore - that I say grab what you can or do what other PPs said about finding paying work in the restaurant industry or anywhere else where you can save up some money. The first think tank position is not paid. The second one comes with room and board and a stipend. DC 1 had two paid internships set up through her university for summer no. 2 (I remember well because we had to file the tax papers and she got a return!). The abroad programs are expensive but nice to do during the summer. Usually you can get some credits as well. That's a good goal to work towards - encourage your child to work summer no. 1 to sock away money for an abroad program. Or do both. One DC took a community college course during the day to knock off credits and worked at night to make money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not easy. What major? Has he talked to his professors?

Economics, and yes, he spoke with his professors but that has not yielded any results so far.

I'm the PP with the kids who have the think tank internships and paid industry one. Are you hooked up with the internship websites? I received email notices every day of paid and unpaid internships available. I can supply some sites for you but I think if you just google internships/field you can sign up for these notices. I am still seeing notices for internships available for this upcoming summer. The prestigious honors ones require planning long in advance, as we learned, as submission of essays, letters of recommendation, professor letters, transcript and then skype interview. Cap. Hill internships usually require a lot of advance planning too but you never know. Call your local Congressman and Senator and also state representatives and see if they need help (usually unpaid - I think the Lyndon B Johnson internships were halted some time ago). NASA also requires a lot of planning for the application process. DC 1s paid internships came through the University so maybe send your son to the career office since talking to the professors didn't yield anything. Make sure he has talked with the Chair of the Department.

[Anonymous]

^^ afterthought. Sometimes the universities provide free room and board along with salary for some programs. Send your son to the Chair of the Department and then the career office

[Anonymous]

My freshman got a paid internship through the campus career placement office....it was a great resource. Also you might want to check the alumni database for alums in your area that work in the student's field of interest. Reach out to them to see if there might be any opportunities. Takes a bit of leg work but most alums are happy to help out.

[Anonymous]

It's very hard for freshmen to get internships in their field. My daughter did not get an internship and will be an RA at her college for a summer camp for middle school and high school students. After her initial disappointment of not getting an internship, she is actually excited about the camp job. She figures she is going to be doing science-related things for the rest of her life, so it will be fun to do something completely different for a couple of months.

Her friends who are sophomores and junior told her that they didn't get internships as a freshman, either, but were able to get one after sophomore year. She has the same GPA and credentials as they did as freshmen, so she feels pretty confident she will get something next year.

[Anonymous]

Even at elite schools, it is hard to get an internship after your freshman year. Most 'gunner' kids get paid RA jobs at their school or peer schools.

My sister went to a top 3 lacs and got a very nice paid RA job in her field with a Penn professor.

That helped her land an internship the summer after in industry which set her up for a junior internship at google which was essentially an extended job interview was offered a FTE role to come back to after graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not easy. What major? Has he talked to his professors?

Economics, and yes, he spoke with his professors but that has not yielded any results so far.

I'm the PP with the kids who have the think tank internships and paid industry one. Are you hooked up with the internship websites? I received email notices every day of paid and unpaid internships available. I can supply some sites for you but I think if you just google internships/field you can sign up for these notices. I am still seeing notices for internships available for this upcoming summer. The prestigious honors ones require planning long in advance, as we learned, as submission of essays, letters of recommendation, professor letters, transcript and then skype interview. Cap. Hill internships usually require a lot of advance planning too but you never know. Call your local Congressman and Senator and also state representatives and see if they need help (usually unpaid - I think the Lyndon B Johnson internships were halted some time ago). NASA also requires a lot of planning for the application process. DC 1s paid internships came through the University so maybe send your son to the career office since talking to the professors didn't yield anything. Make sure he has talked with the Chair of the Department.

hill is always looking for interns - but it isn't paid. personal offices are always cycling through kids. esp on the house side.

[Anonymous]

The grind never stops.

[Anonymous]

DC1 worked as a summer camp counselor summers during college. Got a great job after graduation. DC2 did paid jobs freshman and sophomore year summers. This year she has a good internship that pays okay. She tried for an internship last year and heard repeatedly that they only hired juniors.

Capitol Hill is good for freshman or sophomore years. Both my kids did it in high school and didn't want to do it again.

[Anonymous]

Freshman summer ... a job, any job. Preferable something interesting that they can have some stories to share. Anything except sitting on their ass all summer.

[Anonymous]

Most internships are illegal.

[Anonymous]

My DD who is a rising Sophomore wants to waitress so badly! I want her to do an internship in her field, but because she had to complete an internship during the school year, she wants a break from the "industry". I'm going to "allow" it this summer. She will be taking a summer class, and has a job set up starting in July through mid August, but she needs something additional.

After this summer, all her additional summers will be working/interning in her field, and going abroad (she's already committed to me). I'm paying too much money for college for her to not take advantage of the summers, I need her to find a decent paying job after graduation.

[Anonymous]

As someone who hires interns, I'd say the summer after Freshman year it is important to work but, unless you have some personal connection, you are not likely to be hired for an internship in your field. I've never hired an intern that young but have occasionally hired someone after sophomore year, most of my summer interns have finished junior year, and most of our Fall and Winter interns are new graduates.

When a student is looking for that post-sophomore or post-junior year internship, they should start looking in January. That's when a lot of application periods are open and the most driven kids are looking. My organization has experimented with different application windows and I found I got the best pool of applicants for my field when it was posted in January. Unfortunately, for the bulk of interns at my org, people want new grads and so we now have a Spring application time and I don't get as large or as highly qualified a pool. So, all is not lost if you don't get something in January. The opportunities are fewer but competition may be weaker too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not easy. What major? Has he talked to his professors?

Economics, and yes, he spoke with his professors but that has not yielded any results so far.

I'm the PP with the kids who have the think tank internships and paid industry one. Are you hooked up with the internship websites? I received email notices every day of paid and unpaid internships available. I can supply some sites for you but I think if you just google internships/field you can sign up for these notices. I am still seeing notices for internships available for this upcoming summer. The prestigious honors ones require planning long in advance, as we learned, as submission of essays, letters of recommendation, professor letters, transcript and then skype interview. Cap. Hill internships usually require a lot of advance planning too but you never know. Call your local Congressman and Senator and also state representatives and see if they need help (usually unpaid - I think the Lyndon B Johnson internships were halted some time ago). NASA also requires a lot of planning for the application process. DC 1s paid internships came through the University so maybe send your son to the career office since talking to the professors didn't yield anything. Make sure he has talked with the Chair of the Department.

Thanks to you and to other PPs for sharing your experiences - very helpful. Any info on internship sites would be great! DS missed the application deadline for many internship possibilities in his field.