<p>Oldest S is interested in doing the Semester in Washington where you take classes and do a D.C. internship. Just curious to know if any of you or your kids have done it and how it went. Would you do it all over again? Did it shape your career plans one way or another? What were your living arrangements like as well as the social scene?</p>
<p>I know a young lady who is doing one right now. I think her experience is really good. If you want, I can get more information for you.</p>
<p>^ That would be great MomofWC, as long as it’s not too much trouble!</p>
<p>I did it through Smith. It was a great experience that led directly to my post-graduation job. I would absolutely 100% do it over again. I think the key is to identify an organization that you really want to work with, and stay with the same organization all through the summer, so you really get good training and you build strong contacts. </p>
<p>My program was for a summer and then a fall semester, which was perfect. During the summer I was there with a lot of other interns, so I had a lot of fun, learned the ropes, and had plenty of social opportunities outside of work. Then in the fall, I was the really experienced intern, so I got a lot of responsibility within the office, and got to work closely with my bosses and build strong relationships. I had a good reputation within the entire organization by that point, and people were used to seeing me around and distinguished me from the faceless throngs of interns that come through all the time just for one season. Therefore, they’re more likely to remember you after you leave, and more likely to think of you when they have positions to fill later. </p>
<p>The fall interns were mostly all grad students or part timers too, so it was a quieter, more work-oriented period, but I also had classes then so I wouldn’t have had time for the kind of social season I had in the summer.</p>
<p>^ Sounds like a great experience Smithie. Wish I would have had such an opportunity myself. Did you take the classes though American University, Georgetown or another? Also how did the living arrangement work? Was any part of the internship paid?</p>
<p>Familiar with AU program. It was a great experience for the student I know. Students need to be pro-active about arranging/applying for their internships, the “city” and its experts are a big part of the classroom, and some programs include a worthwhile international travel component. An opportunity to consider if it intersects with your interests.</p>
<p>@cbug – Smith has its own established program, so the 14 of us took two classes a week in the evenings from our own professor who specializes in this program (one met half the semester, one met the full semester). We met in Dupont Circle. We were also each responsible for an independent research project (min. 60 pages) that we worked on under the supervision of the Smith professor who heads the program (different prof than the prof that taught us the regular classes). For the research paper we had access to the Georgetown library, in addition to the electronic resources we could access through Smith. Ideally, the research project was supposed to be related to something in your internship, so you could rely on your co-workers or supervisors for advice, suggestions, and oversight. </p>
<p>For the fall semester we did not pay room and board to Smith (we still payed full tuition and got our regular financial aid), so we could put that money towards our living expenses in DC. We all had to find our own places to live, but the program has a coordinator who is a Smith alum that lives in DC who helps out by scouting out places and meeting with landlords on our behalf. There were also some Smith alums that offered rooms to students. Finding housing was stressful (it’s hard to find affordable places to live in DC period, let alone ones that rent for less than a 1 year lease), but I eventually found a great place and shared with several other students in the program. </p>
<p>My internship wasn’t paid exactly. I got a small stipend at the end of each “semester” I was there, so one at the end of the summer and one in the fall. In addition, Smith gives each of the participants a $2000 stipend for the summer (separate from the $2000 stipend Smith garauntees to all students for a summer internship) and with that and my room and board money for Smith I covered my rent and my groceries (I got a metro stipend from my internship to cover commuting). </p>
<p>For spending money, I did a lot of babysitting. I found clients on craigslist, there are lots of families in DC who are looking for childcare from someone from a good college with childcare experience, so it was easy to make enough to cover my extras.</p>
<p>Here is input from my young friend.</p>
<p>" It has been the best experience I’ve had at Penn thus far (which is funny, as I’m not ‘at’ Penn) – I would highly highly recommend. It has really informed my career plans excellently, for those interested in politics or international affairs/business/consulting, the program’s the closest one gets to an inside look at this age. Networking opportunities are hourly, I swear. </p>
<p>We intern M-W and take 3 or 4 classes that each meet once a week. The housing is 3 blocks North from the White House and is more like a hotel … maid service weekly, suite-style living with fully furnished kitchen. Classrooms, mailroom, small workout room are all in the 11 story building."</p>
<p>my brother did this, many years ago. not only loved it, but credits it with having had substantial role in shaping his decision to go to law school and his eventual career in law / public service.</p>
<p>I did Wash Semester as a student ~30 years ago through AU. Lived in AU dorms, took seminar classes, interned on the Hill. My now-DH did the semester the following year, but interned at a think tank. Both were unpaid internships, but great letters of recommendation made up for the lack of pay. We both caught Potomac Fever & moved to DC after grad school. Have been living here ever since.</p>
<p>Wow, the Penn living quarters sound nice. Though I kind of liked the Smith set-up, because I think you get a really good flavor for what it would be like to live and work in the city as a professional or a grad student. You live in a normal city apartment, you intern full time (40 hrs a week) and you do night classes and research. It’s easy to forget that you’re even in college sometimes, and not a full time career person.</p>
<p>Another option is The Washington Center. I’ve heard great things about that program too.</p>
<p>I would be highly skeptical of any program in DC where students pay to get placed in internships. This city thrives on intern labor, there are plenty of places to absorb students who are willing to make the effort of applying. It is also possible to live much much more cheaply than the housing cost of the TWC program. I’m sure it’s a perfectly nice program, but I would not be willing to spend $8,000-10,000 to secure an internship and housing. I think programs like TWC really do harm to the whole concept of interning and I think they are less beneficial to students than they advertise.</p>