<p>I figured I would post this in the Parents Forum, because you all give such good advice! I just finished my first year of college and cannot decide whether to pursue an internship or summer job as a tutor. I am looking to spend my future working in business or IT. I have received replies from a few companies about internship opportunities (some paid, some not) that are not so local, but definitely commutable, about an hour each way. There are also many local opportunities as a tutor, and they pay very well, upwards of $25 to $30 an hour (more than any paid internship opportunity I have). Part of me wants to take one of the internship opportunities, because they are very relevant to what I want to be doing in the future. However, they are far commutes, especially since it is just my first summer of college. The other part of me wants to make good money as a tutor and hardly have to do any traveling at all, since these jobs are so local. </p>
<p>What do you think is best to choose? I will definitely be trying for a good internship next summer, and the competition for some of these is pretty fierce, so I was looking to get some relevant experience under my belt this summer. I just can't decide in what form that experience should come. Share with me your thoughts!</p>
<p>It may depend on how much you need the money (earnings net of taxes and commuting costs, or living expenses if not local enough to commute) to minimize or avoid debt, and the value of the type of experience for each option.</p>
<p>Would you be working full-time as a tutor? It’s a lovely job, and probably would look as impressive as an internship, but not if you only have three students per week at that high rate.</p>
<p>To tag on to ucb’s response above, as I agree with the post, would it be possible to tutor on weekends to earn some of the money you will not be earning Mon through Fri?</p>
<p>Neither would be full time, and I’m only looking to choose one or the other. The tutoring would be about 15 hours per week, consistently, through a prep company. Either internship would require me commuting and going in for the normal work day about three days per week.</p>
<p>Any experience is good experience. Here are the pluses and minuses:</p>
<p>Tutoring: Set your own hours, make decent money, experience looks fabulous on a resume. You really can’t go wrong here. And watch out if you’re good ---- people will be knocking down your door.</p>
<p>Internship: Tough to get one, and the fact that you’ve only finished your freshman year may indicate that the internship is pretty low-level. Even though it may be in your field, you should prepare yourself for fetching coffee. Most meaningful internships go to those who’ve finished their junior year. It’ll look good on your resume, but the pay may be low, and the “work” may be schlock.</p>
<p>My vote goes for the tutoring. Then you’ll have that to put on your resume, which will make you a better candidate in the future for an internship that actually has some teeth.</p>
<p>Good luck to you. You sound like a mature, resourceful young adult!</p>
<p>If the internship is only three days/week is there any reason you can’t tutor the other two? An internship in your area of study, no matter how entry level, is going to give you a leg above other candidates looking for their first internship next year. The money from the tutoring may give you the option not to work during the school year. If the prep co will accommodate your schedule I see no reason why you couldn’t do both.</p>
<p>@blueiganua - My main reason for not wanting to do both is because I was away for most of the year and want to have time to myself to enjoy and to catch up with friends and family. I will consider the thought, though.</p>
<p>I certainly understand and can appreciate that. You are in the enviable position of being able to pick one or the other, or possibly both. There are pros and cons to any choice. Burn out is a very real concern with college students. Only you can decide how much of a break you really need, and how much each opportunity is worth. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>OP, the first summer S1 came home he felt the same way that you do. He quickly learned that even though all of his high school friends wanted to hang out a lot, it didn’t happen as much as any of them thought it would. Each had his/her own job, internship, family responsibilities, etc.</p>
<p>So if you can keep your evenings free, and maybe weekends (or a weekday, if you tutor on Saturday for example) you will still have a lot of time to socialize.</p>
<p>If you have to choose, frankly I’d go with the internship. I agree with blueiguana, that having that experience under your belt will give you a leg up getting the next opportunity. Good internships, relevant to your area of study, are hard to come by. Unless education is your field, I don’t think the tutoring will look nearly as good on your resume as working for a company in your field, even if it’s unpaid work.</p>
<p>Internships have more value on a longer term unless you don’t want work in the area of your major after graduation and expect to move on to a professional degree. </p>
<p>Do both. Having the paying job will offset the un-paid/low-paid internship. </p>
<p>What type of internships are they? If they help you insight or observation of jobs in your major - then they are well worth it. Also, you are building relationships with folks in your field of study which will come in handy next summer.</p>
<p>Can you do the tutoring after the internship? Doing both will definitely wear you out. You’ve been working hard all school year and don’t need to overwork yourself now. </p>
<p>I’m a rising sophomore, too. I am doing research and TAing at a sleep away program–luckily the opportunities are back to back (which I know will probably wear me out still–8weeks of 24/7 work). </p>
<p>I personally wouldn’t want to just run errands all day at an internship, which is probably what you’ll be doing (I have many friends in my year in finance/business internships now who are basically doing the same). I wouldn’t want to tutor either (my TA position is not a conventional TA position). </p>
<p>I can’t say anything either way because it’s up to what you want to do. Good luck!</p>