<p>A lot of schools have summer research options for undergrads, sometimes even with mini-grants for students to cover living expenses during that period. If you're a freshman and aren't confident about landing a job with a big firm, a campus internship is often a better option--plus it lets you work with and get to know a prof, which will come in handy later on when you need recommendations for future internships.</p>
<p>There are also many non-campus options that do take freshmen... I was an intern on Capitol Hill last summer, for example, and I had friends work at NIH and NIST. Do know, though, that a) freshmen are almost never paid; and b) it's a lot easier to get government work than a position at a "large firm." I'm not sure what exactly you had in mind, but many private firms prefer to hire rising seniors so they can offer the student a post-graduation job if they perform well in their internship--investment banks and consulting firms all do that, and so do big pharms. I'm not sure about other industries, but I suspect that might be the case for many. Your best bet is probably to aim for smaller firms or public sector openings, at least for this summer. Best of luck!</p>