Hey All,
I’m thinking about switching from 3 to 2 co-ops so that I can have a full summer after junior year to apply for traditional internships/REUs, which I think would give me a chance to diversify my grad apps some and work on my application writing.
What do y’all think? Is 1 of my 3 co-ops worth exchanging for summer internship/REU?
Thanks!
What kind of “traditional internship” are you thinking about?
What do you think you’d get out of a summer internship that you wouldn’t get from a co-op?
In general the benefit of co-ops is that you get more time, more depth, and therefore get more out of it. REUs are a little different because they’re part of a specific program and allow you to get research experience at a totally different lab/school than you would otherwise. I know loads of people who have achieved that in co-ops as well, though, and you get trice as much time in the lab.
On the part about diversifying and having writing time: co-ops will already make your application way more varied than most. I was on the fall co-op cycle, so I was on co-op when writing all my applications. I liked having that be the only thing I had to worry about when I was home (aka no homework) and I felt I had plenty of time.
So personally, I can’t think of any benefit of an REU/internship over a co-op.
@TomSrOfBoston
Tradition internships to fall back on if REU’s don’t pan out. For example, U of Oregon has a 3-month clinical research internship for undergraduates funded by their medical school
That post pushed me further towards 3 co-ops, but I’m still not entirely convinced.
One major benefit is that an internship would likely give me more freedom to conduct an semi-independent project, while a co-op would likely have to more closely meet the needs of the hiring institution. Is that assumption inaccurate?
The type of internship you describe would likely be unpaid. What is your major?
@TomSrOfBoston
Definitely a downside. But, as long as they cover housing (which most that I’m looking at do), the financial end shouldn’t be bad. But the extra spending money from a 3rd is something I should consider more
Here’s the other thing: you don’t have to decide yet! You’re in your first year. I planned to do 4 years and didn’t decide to do 5 until after my first year.
Yeah, I still have time - just looking ahead.
Thanks for the help!