<p>I ask because I'm having a hell of a tough time finding internships that I qualify for. I'm a junior by credits now, but since this summer I won't be a rising senior I'm kind of precluded from a lot of internships. There is a paid internship at a pretty well known company that I do qualify for though... but it's far away. As in an hour (Google and Bing estimate) to an hour and a half away. </p>
<p>It would suck to lose three hours of my day to simply driving... especially in traffic... but I really want a paid internship this summer instead of either going to summer school or working in food service. Part of me thinks I should suck it up though since it'd only be for three months... I've got a friend who works full-time at a real job and has a 100 minute commute each way (gotta love that LA traffic lol).</p>
<p>Commute time is a major aspect of any job, and it is great that you have the chance to see what it is like to have a brutal commute in a temporary situation. Only you know how far is too far, but here are things to consider…</p>
<ol>
<li>How much do you want this particular internship? It seems like your most favorable option, but if you don’t REALLY want it, that commute will feel twice as long.</li>
<li>How well will you be paid? If it is a very high amount, you may consider subleasing an apartment closer to work. Some of the bigger companies in certain industries will also pay for relocation expenses if you live far enough away.</li>
<li>How much are automobile expenses? Gasoline is an obvious factor, but an hour commute means you will need to get your car serviced quite often. Also, by law you must report your commute time and distance to your auto insurance company, and a long commute will cost you more to insure.</li>
<li>Does this internship require in-office presence the whole time? It is very popular for companies to offer professional flexibility, which could allow you to work from home as often as twice a week.</li>
<li>Do you have an offer yet? If not, try not to think about the commute; that will impact your performance during interviews and informal interactions with their recruiters.</li>
</ol>
<p>When S1 had an internship, he was 16 and had not gotten his license yet. It was extremely important to him and a really wonderful opportunity. For close to a month, I drove five hours a day. I had to drop S2 off at camp, drop S1 off at the internship (about an hour away and then back 2x a day) and go to work. It was worth every minute and I would do it again!</p>
<p>Years ago I had an hour and 10 minute one way commute for my job which lasted for 3 years. I loved the job, hated the commute.</p>
<p>An hour isn’t bad at all. I did that over the summer and it was fine. If you can, find people to commute with. It makes the drive tolerable and you don’t have to pay for as much gas.</p>
<p>mortalsoil, for 3 months, it would be worth it to rent/sublease an apartment/room in the same city. You can find some surprisinly cheap options on craigslist. </p>
<p>It makes no sense to commute. You have to pay for rent during the summer either way, right? Might as well not have to worry about the commute. </p>
<p>And also remember, just because you qualify for something does not mean that you will get an offer (esp from companies like Google). You don’t have to have all the details figured out right at this moment.</p>
<p>My commute was 1.5-1.75 hours each way to my first unpaid internship with the federal government… would’ve been a 45 minute drive, but they wouldn’t give me a parking pass, so I had to drive, metro, metro, shuttle (or 15 min walk) each way.</p>
<p>It sucked, but it was a sacrifice that had to be made at the time.</p>
<p>It really depends. Will you be spending more than you are making? I had a internship in NYC for a TESOL/TEFL company in 2010, and wasn’t making much, however the commute was cheap. 10 bucks for a round trip. Now if you are driving, you have to factor in things like gas, maintenance, tolls, parking if there is no street parking, and whatever else. If the cost of that is more than the amount you are being paid, then it probably is not worth it. But that’s just me, because I am extremely strict about my finances.</p>
<p>OhioMom, glad to know there are others out there like me! My son is an engineering major, and there are no opportunities locally for him. His grandpa would like him to just get a job at a local grocery store. We have no “connections” for him to get such a job, so I don’t think it’s a sure thing. Last summer, he had to take a class as a prerequisite for an engineering course this year, and every day, I drove him to and from school, and went to work in between. I lost income, but not as much as it would have cost to buy him a car and gas it and insure it. No public transportation in our area, either, so there was no choice. Sometimes you just have to do it. For the OP, I would do the commute and suck it up. Yes, you could get a local apartment, but you’d have to furnish it, grocery shop, laundry, lots of things your family could help you out with. The opportunity, not the money you’ll be paid, is what the internship is all about. BTW, there are people who commute every day over two hours to work in my city of NOLA. They live across the lake, in a very nice community, with great public schools. It’s worth their commute time for their family to have a better quality of life. Your internship will be a good prep for a choice you may have to make in the future when you have a family.</p>
<p>I would disagree to a certain extent with you, Montegut. For some, yes it does make sense to live far from work. Plenty of people commute daily from Philadelphia to New York for work, and for them that makes sense. For you to help your son save money by driving him to class made sense.</p>
<p>Internships are not about the money, but it may not be worthwhile to do a long commute. Personally, I lived at home for a few months after starting my job. The commute was 35 miles and between 50 and 90 minutes, depending on traffic. For me, the savings of not having an apartment did not outweigh the time and effort of my commute. I moved out a few months ago, and though I can’t save as much, I am having an easier time enjoying myself when not working.</p>
<p>For an internship, I really think it depends on the factors I mentioned above. A long commute could be absolutely unbearable, but it could also be just fine. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, if someone does want to sublease an apartment for the summer, it is highly likely that the apartment would come furnished already, and negotiations favor the sublessee over the sublessor :)</p>