Internships: How valuable?

Parents Forum
1

<p>Career centers and college students believe strongly in the value of internships. In terms of your own experience with children, family members, or other college students you know, have you experienced that students who have interned have an easier time finding a job than students who haven’t? Or receive better job offers than students without internship experience?</p>

<p>I will be a college senior next year and I’m trying to decide what to do with my last summer before I graduate. I have already interned in the local office of one of my U.S. Senators and next academic year I will have a paid law-related internship. (I’m a Political Science major and am not set on a particular career field, although I am interested in politics, international affairs, education, public health, law, and consulting.) I have an offer to do an unpaid, but seemingly substantial, internship in DC this summer with a political advocacy organization that employs about 35 people. In addition to the fact that it is unpaid, I will also have to pay around $3,000 to live in DC for the summer. My parents would not have a problem financially supporting me, but I still wonder if the opportunity cost of no pay + $3,000 housing will really be worth having this internship on my resume. Plus I only know a couple people in DC and was kind of hoping to spend time with my family in New York during this last summer before I graduate because I will probably not be returning to my home area after college. Then again, living in DC for 3 months could be a good opportunity to make contacts in the area and explore the city. If I go home for the summer, I will work part time and volunteer/intern part time at my county’s Family Court, doing things like observing the court, filing, and copying, while rotating through the different departments.</p>

<p>What would you advise me to do? Do you think doing this DC internship will give me enough of a substantial leg up on job prospects that it is worth no pay and $3,000 housing? In your experience have you seen student internships result in better/more jobs offers? (Also, I don’t know if it matters, but I attend a top-30 university and my GPA is around a 3.8.)</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice :)</p>

2

<p>I don't think that the difference between the DC internship and the work you would be doing at home is substantial enough to forgoe the pay of a summer job plus $3,000 and the opportunity to spend time at home. You have some good experience already, and you have plans for next year. With your great GPA and all the rest, I don't think that the additional internship would add significantly enough to your application to justify the money. You also don't sound all that enthusiastic about it! Look for a part time job at home that will add to your resume. If you get on it right now, I'm sure that you can find paying jobs in New York in fields you are interested in that will also look good on your resume. Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Is there anyway it could cost less than $3000 to live in DC? That seems like a lot. My parents had a guy live in their basement for free - all he did was walk their dog.</p>

4

<p>George and Laura have plenty of bedrooms, and a dog too, right? I mean, the girls are probably not coming home this summer...;)</p>