NASA Fall Session Internship, Late Graduation (6th year) and EE Grad School

Graduate School
1

<p>I have been offered an internship for this coming fall quarter at a NASA facility. However, I am undecided on whether I should accept the offer or not. I had originally planned on graduating by the end of Spring '09. If I accept the internship then I will not be able to take a class that is a requisite for two classes offered only in the winter quarter, and there may be other course schedule conflicts. This means that I will graduate two quarters late, end of Winter '10. </p>

<p>I will be a fifth-year EE senior this coming academic year, taking this internship will make me a sixth year. I plan to apply for graduate school, PhD programs. I'm trying to convince myself to accept this great opportunity to work at NASA but I am worried how this might affect my grad school application. A part of me feels like I've been an undergrad for too long, and I should start studying for the GRE, looking at grad programs, etc.</p>

<p>My GPA is not great. That is why I am trying to strengthen other areas of my application. I've done research last summer, and I am doing it again this summer under the same mentor, who will write me a good letter of recommendation. My only involvement in research has been these past two summers. I also have not produced any publications. </p>

<p>If I choose to do the internship, will grad schools look unfavorably on such a late graduation? Will industry? I also have not taken heavy courseloads in past quarters, and if I choose to stay in school then I will take ~16-18 unit loads in order to graduate on time. So a delayed graduation will allow me to spread my remaining classes over four quarters vs. three.</p>

<p>Any advice? cons vs. pros? What would you do in my situation?</p>

2

<p>Can you do the internship AND take the one pre-req class simultaneously?</p>

3

<p>I can't unfortunately. :(</p>

4

<p>Can your pre-req class be taken at the same time as the other classes winter quarter?</p>

5

<p>The pre-req class (solid state I) is only offered in the fall, and the other two (solid state II & semiconductor physical electronics) are only offered in winter. Sorry, I should have mentioned it in my first post.</p>

6

<p>Possible to take this class at another university in another quarter that could transfer the credit? Online? Community college?</p>

7

<p>I don't know if it's possible to take it at another university. My home institution is UCLA, and the class (EE 123A) is an upper division course, which rules out a CC. The internship is in Alabama, so I will have to find a school that offers an equivalent course, and who knows if it'll transfer. Also, the internship is suppose to be a full-time job, so that will probably not leave me with a lot of time to go class and do the homework etc., assuming I find a school that offers it.</p>

<p>Lets just say that I can only take class(es) at UCLA.</p>