<p>That is incorrect UC_Benz. The Freshmen at Wharton, Sloan, Stern etc... are usually high potential high flyers and are given meaningful work, even as Freshmen. There is great value to early internships. Do you realy believe that a Junior with no work experience is as experienced and capable as a Juinior entering her/his third internship? Now Ross manages to give its Juniors incredible internship placements, but I still think there is a benefit to starting them early. </p>
<p>Let me put it this way. You are a recruiter at GE or JP Morgan, and you have the choice between two students who are equal in almost every way, but one has never had a summer internship and the other had two previous summer internships in a related industry and field. Which oen do you prefer Which one has the advantage?</p>
<p>considering that good internships are the exception and in general internship skills come down to how to serve coffee i dont think its make a difference how many internships u had so dont really see ur point vis a vis Ross.</p>
<p>Now, I didn't say they wouldn't matter. I just said they aren't going to impress anyone, and they won't.</p>
<p>Let's take JP Morgan for example (since you mentioned it):</p>
<p>I'd go as far to make the assumption that over 95% of the applicants for a position in investment banking have never had any exposure to investment banking. Getting a junior summer internship at JP Morgan has acceptance rates in the single digits, but getting a summer internship before your junior year is infintesimally impossible. The only people I have heard getting summer interships before junior year are those with connections in the firm.</p>
<p>Ok, so let's assume that 95% of the people applying for IBD at JP Morgan have no experience in investment banking whatsoever. Therefore, the interviews/job offers are not judged on past performance at all. It comes down to the type of person they want and whether the applicant meets that criteria or not. I have talked to several people in the IBD at various banks, and they all said that pretty much all internships are meaningless when it comes to IB. Sure, you might have a nice internship at a financial firm, but it's not investment banking. Therefore, you do not learn anything that would help with investment banking, and thus, they do not really care about your financial internship. </p>
<p>So what I'm saying is if the internship isn't with an investment bank then it is not going to be impressing anyone. Yeah it might be a deciding factor if you are in a fierce competition for the last spot, but in general, they aren't going to be looking at any other internships.</p>
<p>I have a friend who is at Wharton. He hasn't done any internships his freshman or sophomore year. I guess he is the exception rather than the norm.</p>
<p>UC, you are 100% correct. I did not say that students must have internships as Freshmen or Sophomores, but it cannot hurt and it is easier for Freshmen who are part of a B school to get internships than for students who aren't part of a B school to get them.</p>
<p>I think a Kellogg program would do fantastic things for increasing Northwestern's profile (it still remains, sorry Benz, a slight outsider to the Ivies) and since NU already has some innovative professional programs (HPME, Theater, Medill, etc) I think it makes absolute sense to do it. The question is whether they will or not. Personally I have my doubts, it would require a lot of effort to get it off the ground.</p>
<p>I am not sure what you mean by "a slight outsider to the Ivies". The only Ivies that match (not surpass mind you), Kellogg's quality and reputation are Harvard and Wharton and maybe Columbia.</p>
<p>I know many people who turn down the likes Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and UPenn for Northwestern, so I would argue it's not an outsider at all. It is certainly not an outsider in terms of quality of education. Of course it's not on the same level as Harvard, Yale, or Princeton; but what schools are? Certainly not many. </p>
<p>Sure it would increase Northwestern's reputation, but to say it needs that increase is incorrect.</p>
<p>Aaahhhh...we are talking undergraduate education. I would agree with UC_Benz on this rare occasion! LOL I would say that NU is on par with the likes of Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell and Columbia where quality of education and reputation are concerned.</p>
<p>Well...for those members of the class of 2009...if we really push for an undergrad business program at NU...we might just be able to take part in all the action...</p>