<p>What challenges or problems have students had with applying for or participating in NEU's co-ops? Since co-ops are generally for 6 months, do students feel any sense of discontinutity either socially or academically after being on co-op?</p>
<p>In terms of applying for co-ops, I don’t exactly have the most typical experience, since I have gotten both of mine so far without interviewing because of connections with professors, etc.
For the most part, though, the process is really well organized. There is an entire database of co-ops for you to search through, you choose where you want to send your resume, and then interview. Your co-op advisor is really useful. It’s not totally on your own like I was afraid it would be.</p>
<p>As for the social part, I haven’t found it to be a problem. You might have to worry about somewhat longer hours, or a commute, but if you’re still living on campus or nearby, I didn’t experience any social disruption and still stayed involved in my extracurriculars.</p>
<p>Academically, it’s good to get a fresh perspective, I think. Not having homework is great when you’re on co-op, but you miss the flexibility of class schedule. It may take a bit to get back into the swing of classes after work, but I didn’t find it to be a problem.</p>
<p>Most of the time, if apply to co-op is hard, it’s because the student messed up. </p>
<p>1) They have terrible grades. A lot of co-ops have a gpa minimum, and ALL CO-OPS know what not having your gpa on your resume means (that it’s not good). Especially for your first one, this is huge.</p>
<p>2) They never pay attention to their co-op advisor. A lot of students don’t edit their resume like they should, don’t turn in their resume on time, don’t bother to apply to jobs the moment they can… and then show up in December in a panic because they don’t have a job yet. The advisors can only do so much.</p>
<p>3) They are terrible at interviewing. There are a lot of opportunities to do a mock interview, and co-op advisors are always very helpful about this. But there are always the people who don’t show up in a suit when they should, or who don’t prepare at all, etc etc. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m kind of awesome at interviews. But it’s only because I absolutely BOMBED my first one. I thought “prepare” meant “google the company”, and I panicked when asked things like “Give me an example of when you overcame a tough situation at work”. Needless to say, I did not get that co-op. After that, I took the co-op book from class and wrote out answers to every single possible question that could be asked, and drilled interviewing with my advisor and my friends. Yet there will always be people who refuse to put in the effort, and fail every interview.</p>
<p>It’s also basically an accepted concept that after three months of class, you’re dying to go (back) on co-op, and after three months of co-op, you’re dying to go back to class. It’s just how it works.</p>
<p>It only becomes a problem when you’re a senior, and you realize that you’re about to go on a co-op… that lasts your whole life… possibly until you die. Most people have that quarter-life-crisis around career fair time.</p>
<p>I think I hit that quarter life crisis about 4 months into my first co-op last semester. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do about it, but I’d rather have it happen then than 4 months into my first real job after having finished a 4 year degree.</p>
<p>student posters above ^^^ Welcome to adulthood.
And for any prospective freshman reading…Enjoy every moment in college and experience everything you can. Even though it seems stressful now, you will probably look back on these times with fondness. And adulthood isn’t so bad either! :)</p>
<p>I have a question for some current students. How do freshman year classes go? The first co-op is sophomore year so I imagine you start major-specific classes right from the get-go.</p>
<p>Also, have any of you done co-ops out of the area? I want to do mine in Dallas. How would the interview process go? I’m assuming I wouldn’t be expected to fly down to Dallas just for an interview, but I may be wrong. Does anyone have any experience with that?</p>
<p>Lies. Adulthood is terrible. Don’t believe them. You will cry yourself to sleep at least once over the size of a rent check.</p>
<p>Unless you get to wear jeans to work, in which case your life is awesome.</p>
<p>To above, yes most people tend to start major-specific classes right away. It’s one thing that is different about Northeastern than most schools, where you could spend two years just taking electives.</p>
<p>I know a lot of peope who have done co-ops in NYC and California, and a few in London and France. But it depends a LOT on the connections we already have. Ex: it’s simple to get a job in San Diego IF you’re applying to the Inuit program for computer science. Any other job? You’ll have to set it up a lot by yourself. That means getting a job by yourself, getting them to agree to a six month co-op, and working with your advisor to have the job approved.</p>
<p>Often NYC people have to go out there, or the banks send recruiters to campus. I know San Francisco people had skype interviews— but that’s because it was all for tech companies, so they were used to that sort of thing. It’s actually very difficult to get a regular out of state job (like in the real world, after graduation) because of this very issue. I just moved from NYC to SF, and I WAS asked multiple times to fly out to SF ahead of time just to interview for one place. Typically co-ops don’t have to do that sort of thing, but again, that’s because Northeastern already has a relationship with the employer. If it’s a brand new job… you’ll have to do a lot of convincing to have them hire you and start a new co-op program just from a skype interview.</p>
<p>One note: Try looking for a company that has offices in both Boston (or NYC, only 4 hours away) and Dallas! Then you can interview at the Boston one, but try to work out of Dallas.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me if most students stay on campus for their co-ops?</p>
<p>Yes most students do their co-ops in Boston or the surrounding area, often accessible by public transportation, so they are able to continue to live in the dorms or their off campus apts. while on co-op. The housing part can get tricky if you do a co-op further away; I know that my S has had roommates who sublet their rooms while they did co-ops in other states or overseas.</p>
<p>I am going on co-op in Germany in July. I got the job through a connection with a professor I do research with. I did a Skype interview, but that was mostly a formality. And like scansmom’s son, I’ll be getting a sublet to fill my apartment spot.</p>
<p>As students, how beneficial is the co-op system? Are there perks to applying for internships though the co-op system that others dont have?</p>
<p>A coop job is a full time 6 month long position taken while the student is not in school. It is generally paid (virtually always paid in business, engineering, nursing, pharmacy etc.) While a learning experience, the coop student is expected to be productive for the company. </p>
<p>An internship is generally a short term position, often unpaid, full time in the summer or part time while the student is in school. The student may or may not be expected to be productive on an internship; it may be a shadowing type of situation.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you are trying to compare here.</p>
<p><em>hangs head</em> I should have read over my question. I didn’t mean to say “internship,” persay, but rather for a position in general. Whether during college, or after college, I was wondering how the co-op program helped job seekers be a step ahead.</p>
<p>I know that participating in the co-op program helps create a resume, as well as the fact that NU has connections with companies that participate in the co-op program, but overall, i was trying to ask whether, other than these obvious benefits, the co-op program makes anything easier/worse when applying at a company.</p>
<p>They both involve an interview (unless im very wrong - i apologize if i am), and one can be rejected when looking for a job and when looking for a co-op. </p>
<p>Did that clear anything up, or am i just making things worse?</p>
<p>How much should I expect to earn from co-ops if I am a business major? If I decide to go to Northeastern, I will have to pay around 45K a year, so I’m wondering if co-ops could help me pay off a significant amount of tuition…</p>
<p>Does co-op affect the amount of financial aid you get each year since I’m pretty sure one of the factors that determines financial aid is the students income, and since the students will be making an income through co-op, will that affect anything?</p>
<p>Yes students do report their income each year when they submit their FAFSA and it is looked at for financial aid, but it really will not change the amount you receive very much. Generally, students do not earn enough from co-ops to cover much of their college costs beyond room / board costs during their co-op period, and the school knows this and takes it into account.</p>
<p>Hi everyone,
I will major in finance and probably set foot in the financial industry after graduation, what kind of co-op opportunities on finance does Northeastern has to offer? Do any one have any experience to share?
Thanks:)</p>
<p>I was just wondering. Northeastern co-op or Purdue co-op? Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Sent from my GT-I9300 using CC</p>
<p>At schools like Purdue where coop is an optional program some students hesitate to participate because they fear being out of sync with the rest of their classmates, that they are missing out on something. At Northeastern (and Drexel) coop is a part of the campus culture. You would be out of sync if you do not participate in coop or some other form of experiential education.</p>