Planning a Leave Term, Too Many Choices Edition

Parents Forum
1

<p>I’m a sophomore in the process of planning my next leave term. I have two plans (in the most general sense!) to choose from, and while I am exploring both, I’m not sure which would be the best to concentrate my efforts on. I’d appreciate any thoughts about which of these would be most fun, productive, educational, or resume-enhancing; which you’d recommend for your own child; which you’d like to see from a prospective employee… anything that would help me make a decision!</p>

<p>My school is on the quarter system, and I’ll be on campus taking classes in the summer (it’s required for sophomores), so the timeframe for this is September through December.</p>

<p>The question: Is my time best spent at an internship exploring a potential career, or at a less-glamorous job on campus but with a leadership role in a new organization?</p>

<p>The options:
1a) Internship in New York: I would live with my family in Manhattan; I'd be sleeping on a folding bed in the living room for four months, but having no living expenses would allow me to consider unpaid internships (though I would try to find a part-time job to have some sort of income). </p>

<p>1b) International internship: If I were accepted to an internship abroad (ideally in London or Geneva) and granted funding from my college, this would be an option, but both of those are probably more aspirational than realistic. I’m not sure I want to spend three months living alone in Europe, but an internship at The Economist would be impossible to turn down, not that I think I’ll qualify.</p>

<p>2) Work and/or research on campus: This would be some combination of a paid research assistantship in my major department and continuing at my work-study job (an administrative assistant sort of thing, at a campus center related to my academic interests). I’m currently involved in starting up a new campus organization, and much of the development will take place in the fall; being around for that would open up all sorts of opportunities for leadership. I'd have to pay for housing, but I'd also be working full-time.</p>

<p>The broader context: I’m a Government (political science) major and Public Policy minor, and I’m interested in political economy, international trade and development, urban issues, health policy, and a variety of other things. I am not interested in banking or finance, but I’m skeptical of nonprofits unless they are well-established and demonstrably effective. I like writing, research, problem-solving, and analysis. After college, I’d like to find a job in D.C. or Boston, doing some or all of those things.</p>

<p>Thank you very much in advance!</p>

2

<p>…Anyone?</p>

3

<p>I would find 1a) to be the least desirable. You already know NYC and sleeping on a folding bed in the living room, you’ll be the last to bed and the first awake. I would pursue something overseas unless another similar opportunity will present itself before you graduate. You would find both London and Geneva very accessible having lived in NYC :)</p>

4

<p>I’ve never actually lived in New York (my family moved there from D.C. in 2007), but otherwise your point is well taken. However, I’m not sure that I’ll actually qualify or receive funding for an overseas internship, which is why I only consider it a half-option. I worked in Geneva the summer after my high school graduation, but that was a receptionist job I got through my mom (who was working there at the time), and most internships I’ve looked at only want graduate students. So it’s really between 1a) and 2), with 1b) as a theoretical-but-not-so-likely possibility.</p>

5

<p>I also don’t want be all “been there, done that” about living in Europe, but I did it for the first 11 years of my life; it doesn’t feel so urgent. (I’m an EU citizen and could go back at any time, should the desire strike me.) I’d do it for The Economist, but there are few other internships that would justify the expense and the social isolation.</p>

6

<p>I like the sound of door #2! It’s the one that seems the most focused. It also sounds like the one you’re most interested in pursuing, by the way you described it.</p>

7

<p>I suspect there is some fear of the unknown and adjusting to new places. NYC is relatively new for you, but you would have support of family.
Going out of country would be fine, if u r in a structured program, perhaps one that offers housing.
Less stressful is remaining on campus, pursuing current goals.</p>

<p>So, foremost is to find out job prospects and program in Europe iand NYC. Unless they are structured and include a peer group, then I’d vote for staying on campus.</p>

8

<p>You are a Political Science/Public Policy major who would like to end up in DC or Boston.
Why aren’t those two cities options?
The opportunities for fall internships in government or a non-profit organization are typically much better than in the summer, when there’s more competition.
I see this time as a way to sample your likely career path and decide if you are headed in the right direction.
Least useful option: staying on campus, no matter what you are doing.</p>

9

<p>Agree with siliconvalleymom. Head over to the USAJobs.gov site to search for internships.
I wouldn’t recommend staying on campus without at least looking for and applying for internships related to your field.
If it turns out that, after all is said and done, you prefer to stay on campus to get the new organization off the ground, see if you can get some leadership internship credit formally.</p>

10

<p>I’ve lived in [three European countries], for a total of 11 years; I’ve spent time in [two others]. I don’t know if it’s fear of the unknown as much as having spent my whole life moving from one country to the other and not having any real desire to go through that logistical hassle one more time unless it’s for something truly amazing. The cost of living there is insane, too. And no, I can’t do a structured program, because it is expensive and I have no money.</p>

<p>D.C. and Boston aren’t options because I can’t afford the rent. My school offers funding for internships in government and public policy, but only once, and I’m saving that opportunity for junior summer.</p>

<p>In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have mentioned Europe, because (a) the only internships I’d want (UN, Economist) are wildly unrealistic and (b) I’m a European immigrant to the U.S., and it would not be a new or life-changing experience for me. The realistic options are New York and staying at school, unless someone wants to give me $5,000 so I can go elsewhere. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Edited to remove details for privacy and to apologize for the tone… I’m running to class and wrote in a hurry.</p>

11

<p>Some more context: I did an internship at a D.C. nonprofit last summer and worked in Geneva the summer before that. I’m going on a Government department program to D.C. in the spring, and it consists of two courses and a part-time internship. I also plan to do a full-time internship in D.C. next summer. So I’ll have plenty of time there… I just can’t do it right now. :)</p>

12

<p>Hi, . . . uh, Liz.</p>

<p>Just why are you saving your shot at a Dartmouth-subsidized internship for next summer? As some have noted, I think you are much more likely to get an interesting, substantive opportunity in the fall, and that can lead to an off-the-grid opportunity the following summer. (That’s what happened to me when I was in college. I got a great university-funded internship in the fall, and they hired me back the next summer at a nice wage. This was a bank, not government. But at the time I was the only undergraduate working in the company, and some of the stuff I did was insanely interesting.)</p>

<p>Also, don’t discount the possibility of working a student-like part-time job during the summer to fund your rent if you are in DC or Boston. You wouldn’t be the first intern-by-day, waitress-by-night in history. I know DC and Boston are expensive, but both have marginal neighborhoods where scrapping bohemian kids share apartments, and decent public transit systems. I have to believe that you could find a sublet in a shared place for $500/mo., and that you could find a way to earn enough to make that work over the next 15 months.</p>

<p>I can tell that you are cautious and conservative by nature. Still, this is a great time to challenge yourself.</p>

13

<p>Truthfully? Because my boyfriend is studying abroad at Oxford in the fall, and we were planning to be in D.C. together next summer, after being long-distance for nine of 15 months due to mismatched academic plans. I don’t want to worry about money or a second job then. Silly reason, perhaps, but having that to look forward to makes long-distance seem almost bearable.</p>

<p>I’ll definitely look into the possibilities you mentioned for fall, though.</p>

14

<p>
[QUOTE=JHS]

I can tell that you are cautious and conservative by nature. Still, this is a great time to challenge yourself.

[/quote]

Very perceptive. Thanks for calling me out on this. :D</p>

15

<p>I think 2 is what you most want to do and you shouldn’t avoid going right to it and making the most of it. You have life and travel experience that many students don’t have, so going to those other locations makes less sense for you. And the opportunity for management experience and research experience will add depth to your resume and hone skills that will be valuable particularly if you go into government/policy work.</p>

16

<p>Liz, here’s a bump for you :slight_smile: </p>

<p>My advice would be to go for #2 but I would be concerned that you might get weary of Hanover by this time next year. Would it be possible to do a combination of 1a and 2? I’m thinking- start the fall quarter at Dartmouth, get all your activities under way, and then take time off towards the end and go to NY for that sofa-bed in the living room. Help your sis with college apps. Enjoy NY in the holidays…take in the nutcracker, whatever. Come back refreshed for the next quarter.</p>

17

<p>Option 2 sounds the best to me. Academic research and campus leadership positions won’t be open to you once you graduate, so take advantage of them now. For a multi-lingual, multi-cultural student like you, an internship in Europe will not add much to your already impressive background. You could consider applying for a few highly desirable internships – only the ones that you are positive you would want to do. Depending on when you need to commit, you could plan on taking the campus jobs if an internship doesn’t come through.</p>

18

<p>You’ve all convinced me to look into option 1a) more seriously. Staying in Hanover will probably be my Plan B, but now I’m looking at London… if you’ve any suggestions about that, please share [url="<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/706253-finding-internships-abroad-london-specifically.html"]here[/url"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/706253-finding-internships-abroad-london-specifically.html"]here[/url</a>].</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all the advice, and I’m really sorry that I’m so indecisive!</p>