@carachel2 This is what I was thinking. If he’s not getting paid, maybe he could go 4 weeks. That would leave 6+ weeks to earn some money.
Honestly, he’s still interviewing so there’s a chance something that pays and is relevant comes along.
But I’m leaning toward encouraging him to run with the internship.
@letsshare Yes, $600/month each for the 4 roommates.
Oh ok. My S is living off campus next year since his school doesn’t guarantee housing after sophomore year and we have found out how expensive rent is. Any money we save on not having to purchase a meal plan is having to go to paying rent for the 12 month lease. So basically during the summer we will be paying for his apartment lease and paying for rent where he will be living for his internship. That’s going to hurt 
@STEM2017 If the money isn’t crucial, I would also encourage him to take the internship for the experience and resume building. If he really enjoys his exposure to working in the field, that might make him that much more motivated. And if he finds he’s actually meh about it, as a sophomore he’s still got time to angle towards other areas of interest.
@letsshare – Any chance of subletting the college apt during the summer? My older son did not have any luck with that, but he had a somewhat grim apt. Subletters have their pick up apartments so the modern buildings with A/C rent before the walk-up above the bar.
If the money isn’t an issue, I’d recommend the internship.
@STEM2017 Hi, I would also recommend the unpaid internship if it is truly a good experience and especially if he can live at home during it. My older son didn’t get either of his internships until just a few weeks before the end of the school year, so you never know what will happen. Good luck to him.
I’m not going to push S17 too hard about an internship this summer because he was super fortunate to get a spot in a soft robotics research lab which he really seems to love and find exciting. If he did get an internship, I’m not so sure I see him living by himself in a big city over the summer right now anyway.
@STEM2017 Another vote for the internship, especially given that it is close to home so living expenses won’t be a big issue. Sounds like a great opportunity. However, if an even better opportunity comes along, I am happy to vote again! Congrats to your son.
Since he’s a sophomore (and he can live at home), it’s worth considering the internship… Don’t commit to early to it, as sometimes other internships offers can still come before the end of the school term (March/April).
Hey @STEM2017 I didn’t have time to post this yesterday but wanted to give you my reasoning for voting yes on internship.
When my. son17 was looking at schools we had a very “A-ha” type of moment when we were visiting NEU and they had a student panel talking about their internships/co-op. Everybody thought the kids were going to say how much experience they gained and all that, but we weren’t expecting what a couple of kids said. They said they each did multiple internships as part of Co-op and they HATED the job/field. They were initially depressed about not enjoying the job and the industry, but after it was over they met with with advisor and planned a new path to finish out their college careers. Both of them said they either switched majors or added a concentration into their plan so they could find jobs in a different field. They ended up getting internships or real jobs that they liked so much better, and they felt that hating the first co-op they worked out was a turning point in their lives. Instead of coming out of school and working in a job they despised, they now have careers they enjoy and are excited about their future.
When we left NEU that day my son told me that he was glad to have heard the kids describe their experience with co-ops and he said he would try to fit 3 co-ops into his schedule so he could evaluate multiple opportunities. He’s interviewing right now for his 1st round of co-ops and is looking forward to it.
Very interesting perspective @RightCoaster Thanks for sharing.
@STEM2017 - Another vote for the internship for many of the reasons mentioned above. The idea of a part-time internship (3-4 days/week) and a paid job on the other days sounds like a nice compromise. Many places will let you inter for ca. 20 hrs/week, esp. if it’s unpaid).
So here’s my update:
D is going to spend her spring quarter in Oxford doing a tutorial and taking some elective classes. She just found out that she got a very prestigious and very generous grant for doing art historical/historical research this summer (basically, they’re funding her to go look at art all over Europe for 3 months!). After she’s done traveling for her research project, she’s going on a 2 week-long faculty-led overseas seminar in September at the Art Biennale in Venice, Italy before heading back to the states to start the fall quarter at the end of September. Not too shabby.
I’m bringing her over to England at the beginning of April (the spring term starts on April 10th and goes through the mid-end of June). We’ll do a London theatre / museum binge for a few days before she starts her program in Oxford.
In the meantime, I’m headed up later this month for Parent/Family weekend – which fortuitously coincides with the StanShakes production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that my D. is producing, so that will be fun!!
@STEM2017 I also vote for the internship. And I have to say…$600 a month is a deal in my book (ok not the deal that $400 would be) but if that includes utilities…I’d be happy with it.
I could not afford to do an unpaid internship when I was in college, it could have changed my entire career path if so. My S17 doesn’t want to consider an unpaid one but if the right opportunity came up, we’d likely support it.
I imagine even if it “could” count for credit you’d have to buy those credits at normal per credit prices so wouldn’t be worth it.
Thank you all for your thoughts, which were overwhelmingly in favor of the unpaid internship - I agree and I will give him my (our) thoughts. It’s still early in the process and he has a couple of interviews when he comes home for a week in March, so he may have more options. I’ll keep you posted!
@STEM2017 thanks for the update and good luck to him on other great internship options.
How many of you have had this conversation with your 2017 kids when they come home:
Parent: What do you feel like having for dinner? Should I make spaghetti, curry or tacos?
c2017: Can’t we have all of them?
Parent: This isn’t your dining hall.
@letsshare When D comes homes it’s the opposite I ask what she wants and she says “I’m hanging with the friend group and were going to get dinner somewhere.” Then on the nights I don’t plan on cooking she stays home looking for food! :))
@bottom :)) isn’t that something! Next time just freeze her portion 
Its nice that she still hangs out with a group of friends from h.s.
Thanks @VickiSoCal, I’ll let her know. Yes, she would just be there fall semester.
@letsshare Love “this isn’t your dining hall”!
@botcom Yes, this has been my experience. D17 is vegetarian, so during winter break I cooked vegetarian on the nights I thought she would be home, only to have her change her plans and run off with friends before dinner. Then, on the nights she told me she didn’t plan to be home, I cooked dishes with meat, and she changed her plans and stayed home for dinner. I was glad to send her back to her dining hall!
It is comforting to hear that others experience the same dinner rituals. Both boys claim they will be home, only to have plans materialize at the last minute. The nights they claim they will be out, their plans fall apart. And if I ever provide advance notice that I will be out, they are both home.