<p>I'm currently a first semester junior majoring in civil engineering. My GPA isn't that great (it's a 2.67). I struggled early on in my classes but so far this semester I am on pace for a 3.2 GPA. I also have no engineering work experience at the moment. </p>
<p>I recently received an internship offer (after applying to many places) for the spring semester that has the potential to give me good work experience. However, it's not close to my school and kinda in the middle of nowhere. </p>
<p>I know I need the work experience since my GPA is low and it would help me after I graduate. However as the days drag on and I am nearing closer to having to commit to this internship, I am becoming more weary about leaving my friends until September (know this is going to happen after I graduate but I'm still just a junior) and living in the middle of nowhere by myself. Would you take the internship or would you hold out and see if I can still get a summer internship? (knowing my GPA)</p>
<p>Thanks! It's just been on my mind for the last few days and I just need someone to talk to me about it.</p>
<p>Not exactly about the timing of this internship. Most juniors don’t already have work experience, so that shouldn’t be a huge issue. This is exactly why you want the internship. However, most internships run during the summer semester, as far as I know, so you don’t miss out on classes and therefore have problems graduating on time. (Note: I’m not sure if engineers are in a 5 year program or 4, or if taking time off to intern is typical.)</p>
<p>Your second concern is your gpa. First, glad you’re doing better this semester. Then, what does your advisor say about your chances after graduation? Position it as a positive (“3.2 this semester”, or “projected to be … if I continue like as I have this semester”). Don’t be a ‘Debby Downer’ by focusing on this weakness when you speak to potential employers. Believe me, your gpa is important but becomes much less important over the years.</p>
<p>I’ll probably be graduating one semester late if I take the semester off.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how much work experience I would need before graduation. If I take classes next semester, I will graduate on time in the spring of 2013 which means I would only get one summer (2012) to intern. Is that enough? Would finding a research project or engineering project on campus count as some form of experience?</p>
<p>I’ve talked to my adviser and he hasn’t really said much other than “you’re doing well, you’re not in any danger of probation etc…” but then I come on this board and hear that your job prospects may not be that good if you have a GPA under a 3.0. I believe I can bump my GPA close to a 3.0 by the time I graduate. I’m relatively young for my age (I’m a junior and I’m still 19) and I think I was a little bit too immature for college at the beginning.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m just second guessing myself on my decision as I always do.</p>
<p>I was graduating with BS in Computer Science degree during IT boom with stellar GPA (only one B in entire college carrier, all other As, public U, big 10 school). I had no problem finding employment, but some of my friends with 3.2 - 3.4 GPA did. These friends did not have relevant job experience. Eventually everyone found a job, but one of them found one after graduation. Keep in mind, it was all going on during IT boom. </p>
<p>Some of my friends who had gpa in your range but had a lot of relevant work experience did not have problem finding suitable employment because they were not viewed as fresh grads.</p>
<p>I think you need the internship. Sure, you’ll miss your friends, but you can still see them occassionally. This arrangement sounds like it’s got the adventure and benefits of study abroad without the drawbacks of distance or language.</p>
<p>You don’t really say what kind of internship you were offered but I don’t see a downside in your taking the internship. Since you are so young, the additional work experience will help you mature in ways that taking classes will not give you. And any job related to your field, whether it is on campus or not, is helpful. It gives employers another way of gauging you aside from your GPA.</p>
<p>I would take the internship. It’s very common. My S took a semester off to intern and when he got back he found it was easy to come back and all his friends were still there. </p>
<p>He was also in the middle of nowhere but he found things to do and the experience was invaluable. I also think it was easier to find a job because they knew he would do what it takes to get experience and a longer internship seems to be helpful to finding employment.</p>
<p>I would probably say take it. Unless you’re really sure you can get something else during summer. The missing friends part, you’ll definitely have to learn to get over quick. But you can always hang out on weekends etc.</p>
<p>I’ll chime in and say that I think you should take the internship. With a sub-3.0 GPA, you will want every advantage you can get in your job search, and an internship could help a lot. </p>
<p>I’m an engineering manager, and when I hire I care a lot about internship experience.</p>
<p>I assume that if you take off a semester for an internship you won’t be paying tuition, so delaying graduation by a semester wouldn’t actually increase your school costs in any significant way. A number of schools that have big internship programs (Northeastern, Drexel) have most students take 5 years to graduate because of time spent in internships, but they are only paying for 4 years worth of tuition.</p>
<p>A lot of kids do study abroad junior year, my daughter went to Sydney with her best friend for a semester. When she came back, she was right back to the social again. I think a lot of your friends will be off campus junior year, whether it’s study abroad or co-op. the only difference for you is you would be by yourself at a not so fun place. </p>
<p>You need work experience in order to get a job after graduation. Take the internship and suck it up for few months.</p>
<p>Don’t just suck it up - enjoy it! You’ll get to learn all kinds of stuff you don’t learn in school. Some of it more exciting, some of it less exciting, but all of it real. Congrats!</p>
<p>I’d encourage you to take the internship. The job experiences will be helpful, especially since your GPA is lower than some of your classmates. Also the experience may help you decide how to best tailor your upperclassman electives toward your interests.</p>
<p>I spent 2 summers doing engineerin internships during college. No regrets. The jobs paid well, but in retrospect it would have been worthwhile even without salary. Good luck!</p>