<p>I have just gotten word that it is highly possible that I get an internship through a program known as the Emma Bowen Foundation. This is a program that gives students an internship at a well-known company around their area. For my area in Beaverton, Oregon, it would be Comcast. I would be doing marketing jobs and promotional advertising jobs etc etc for comcast and probably a $10.00/hr wage. They also provide matching funds of however much you make towards your college tuition. Which means if I make 2500 during the summer with them, I get 2500 added to cover some college tuition. However, the program requires that I work 40 hours a week for 8 weeks during my summer. Additionally, it has a contract that makes you do this for 5 years in a row, every summer, at the same location (Oregon). However, once you graduate, there is a high potential that you can get a job straight out of college at one of the participating firms (ABC, CBS, Comcast, Disney, etc).</p>
<p>Since I will be going to UCLA, that would mean i would have to come home for the majority of the summer working there at the same internship.</p>
<p>Now I feel this is an awesome opportunity and all, but there are some things I find as a downside because this is such a huge commitment for me. First of all, I would need to come up to Oregon every summer for 8 weeks at least. For OOS students, do they usually just go home for around that much time? Also, if I do this, I'm sure I wont have time to do different internships, simply because it may be too much for me....</p>
<p>So what is your advice for me? Do it or dont? Do the benefits outweigh the costs?</p>
<p>Comcast is a huge company and growing. What are you majoring in?</p>
<p>I'd also check on if there will be any wage raises as you gain experience in school. $10/hour is great for a high school senior, but you could probably do more than that with just a year of experience at a school like UCLA.</p>
<p>40 hours is nothing in the summer. I'm in high school and currently work about 35 hours/week. It's tough now, but without school it would be nothing. You'll probably get decent hours too...like 9 to 5, etc. That would be a great schedule...not too early and still time to chill with friends at night.</p>
<p>Congratulations, myk, on being accepted into this program! Sounds like a tremendous opportunity. It guarantees you a job during the summer and a very good possibility of a job, with a national company, once you graduate. If I understand correctly, UCLA utilizes a quarter system, which means that classes end in mid-June and don't start again until late September. This gives you the opportunity to work during the months of July and August, and you will still have at least four of weeks of vacation in June and in September. I am going to encourage my DD to apply to this program next year!</p>
<p>5 years? is the first year the summer before freshman year? probably is, but if it isn't, i'd stay away.</p>
<p>Also, are you absolutely certain that you'll stick with your major? If you want to switch, then you'd be stuck doing a job that has nothing to do with your field. not good.</p>
<p>Portland ain't cheap. Maybe they also provide housing. If they don't, you will need inexpensive housing, else your expenses will exceed your wages. Oregon has a stiff income tax and if you are a resident of CA, too bad, you may pay double state taxes. </p>
<p>If this is normally a commissioned position, you may be better off on commission. Most sales positions have some type of commission. </p>
<p>If you were my kid asking for advice, I'd say no. Unless the internship is going to lead to your dream job with the company you know you want to work for -- the commitment is too much. It limits your flexibility to explore different options at a time when you are young and should be exploring. I don't know about Portland, but by SF bay area standards, $10 an hour isn't particularly good. If you really need the money that's one thing... but what happens if you discover you don't like working for that company? </p>
<p>I'd suggest you look very closely at what the commitment is and how it is enforced, and what happens if you change your mind. Legally they can't force you to show up a second year - they can't even stop you from quitting right off the bat the first year -- so the question I have is what happens to students who change their mind? (I'm guessing that the matching funds for your tuition may actually be a loan that is foregiven when you fill the commitment, but I don't really know -- but that would make some sense.)</p>
<p>Hmm the biggest worries for me would be:
1. coming home for 8 weeks for all summers during my college career
2. not being able to do summer courses at ucla</p>