Internship (Work experience) vs. Summer Program. Which is better for engineering? For college?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

Hi everybody,

I’m a high school junior in the process of looking for what to do over the summer of 2017 (next summer). Right now I am trying to weigh several options.

As the title suggests, I’m interested in engineering and will probably pursue engineering in college. I also live in the NYC Metropolitan area, so I do have a lot of options when it comes to finding internships etc.

I’m wondering, in your opinions, would it be better for me to work over the summer as an intern at a large engineering company (already have a few in mind, will be in contact with them soon), or attend a summer program (e.g. the robotics program at Cornell).

Which is more advantageous for me to have on my resume? What do colleges value more? Future employers?

I’d like to hear as many opinions as possible, and please do give your honest thoughts. I understand that people shouldn’t do things just for the sake of building their resume for college, but it is a valid criteria to consider.

Thanks in advance!

2

An internship would give you work experience and allow you to earn some money, while the summer program would cost money and probably be more like another class than anything else. So I’d say an internship is a lot better, but I’d be surprised if you succeeded in getting one as a high school junior.