Can I Get a NASA 2018 Summer Internship?

Hello everyone! Im currently a Freshmen at The College of William and Mary. Im really worried about not getting an internship at NASA. As for the application, my work/volunteer history tab is basically empty. The only thing I have going for me (I guess) is the fact that I made Deans List my first semester, got a 3.73 GPA (I’m a physics major by the way). So when I send my transcript it would give me a small leg up hopefully. Any tips you can give me will really be appreciated. Also if anyone has any insight on the acceptance rate please do tell. Thank you for your time!

I would say that your chances are pretty slim since you will be competing against juniors and seniors, as well as others who already have some experience in their field. If you have any projects you have worked on, be sure to mention them in your application. My son applied for one NASA-related internship that had a hundred applicants, to give you an idea of how competitive they can be. They are not all like that though. You should talk to your professors and see if they have any research projects you can help with. That would boost your application for next summer.

Good Luck!

My son went between freshman and sophomore year. He had at least a 3.5 (to maintain his scholarship). He had no research experience at that point. e was accepted at the NASA in Maryland-Goddard Space Center. It was an incredible experience for him. Good luck to you!

@Oracoj58 and @stardustmom Do you know how many internships did your sons apply to total? My son is interested in one at NASA Ames. He is also applying to 3 others, all physics/asrtronomy summer programs at universities or national labs… Is that too few? He has a high GPA and works in the physics department at his college (tutoring and lab support but not yet research.)

@LBowie I don’t know how many internships my CS son applied to in total. He applied for about 3 NASA-related positions for this summer and got one. It worked out for him because that is the specialized area he has decided he wants to go into (he’ll be a senior in next fall). He even turned down a better-paying corporate job for this one.

It’s important to remember that many internships require a certain level of skill for an applicant to be considered, so applicants shouldn’t be discouraged if they don’t get something their first summer applying. My son’s first internship was unpaid, but it did give him experience that led to other jobs. Another student I know studying geophysics was a camp counselor for two summers before scoring an internship in his field.

@stardustmom Thanks for your reply. There seem to be a lot of opportunities. I wonder if some universities use the summer research as a graduate student recruiting tool. My son does intend go to grad school. He is a sophomore now at a liberal arts college.