POTENTIAL Internship v.s. Cosmos.. HELP!

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
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<p>EDIT: This turned out to be a really long post, but I'm thinking so much about it (and arguing with my parents over it -____-) that I think I'm going to crazy soon. I had a mini-breakdown yesterday already. :| Maybe I'm overthinking everything, but... PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. Thank you very much.</p>

<p>A few weeks ago, I applied for an internship at a biopharmaceutical company. I made it past the phone interview (first ever.. very nerve-wracking), went to the face-to-face interview last week (another first), and (I think) I made it past that too.</p>

<p>Let me first say that I really really really REALLYYYYY want to get this internship because I'm really interested in biomedical science as a future career and this is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Personally, I'm pretty surprised that I've made it this far in the interview process... My resume is not too impressive - no previous laboratory experience, and I'm quite sure I wouldn't get into Clarks or UCSF Biomed Internship, etc (though I'm a sophomore, so I couldn't apply for those anyway.)</p>

<p>During the interview, my interviewer described 3 different projects that an intern would work on. 1) A laboratory-based internship; basic research and analysis work. Ex. finding how to make a certain sticky molecule stick to one protein but not another. 2) Reviewing current & recent research; doing additional experiments to fill in gaps, using image analysis, then finally rewriting or completing the research paper. 3) some engineering project, very math-based. Not for me.</p>

<p>So yesterday, I was sent an email that said,

[quote]
During the interview, you showed interest in laboratory work. For your final assessment, please tell me how you would detect the vitamins listed below in a non-microbiological assay. </p>

<p>Please provide references (e.g. journal abstracts or assay protocol) for the following vitamin assays by Thursday, May 28, 2010...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm absolutely thrilled that they're giving me a chance at the internship.. but there are some problems.</p>

<p>I've been accepted to COSMOS's UCSC Oceanography/Statistics cluster. I know COSMOS can be a pretty good program to explore interests, etc, and I'm happy that I got in... But I'd definitely choose the internship over COSMOS because, well, the internship is closer, paid, for the whole summer, way more selective, and something I'm MUCH more interested in (I took a marine bio course two summers ago, so COSMOS might be a bit repetitive. Also, I'm not really considering marine science as a future career...)</p>

<p>I have to reply to COSMOS by May 13, otherwise my spot will be gone. Originally I was planning for COSMOS to be a back-up plan, but the internship evaluation is due way after the COSMOS acceptance deadline passes.</p>

<p>Does the email above mean that I've pretty much been hired?
Possibility #1: the email means that I've been hired as an intern. The final assessment is to determine which project I'm best suited for and to make sure that I am willing to put in the time and effort to do a good job. Unless I totally screw up the final assessment, I'll be hired.
Possibility #2: I have not been hired yet. They just sent the final assessment email to a few or tens of their qualified applicants (I think at least 100 people applied... 20 minimum from my school alone) to get down to the final 2 or 3 who will become the interns. It's possible that it's a test to see, other than the time & effort thing, who is so dedicated that they'll sacrifice other summer programs for a chance at the internship. (Which, if they then didn't accept some of those people, would be pretty cruel. Or they might just not know/care about those other programs.)</p>

<p>So should I just ditch COSMOS completely and hope that I'm accepted as an intern? I'm definitely going to try my best to write up the vitamin assay plan... but actually, I have no idea how to do it or what format it has to be in, etc. I'm going to do a lot of research on that, hopefully I'll find some help. However, there's still a possibility that I'll be rejected.</p>

<p>If I didn't go to COSMOS and was rejected from the internship, I'd probably end up wasting most of my summer; I'd volunteer at the hospital, like I am right now, but I don't think I can volunteer there every day... College classes are very unlikely because of budget cuts and very few available classes. I think most, if not all, jobs available to high schoolers are taken by now.</p>

<p>Or should I email the company and ask whether I've been hired or not, explaining that I'd like to make good use of my summer and that if I'm not interning with them, I'd like to go to COSMOS? Would that sound very impatient/demanding/obnoxious/ungrateful for the opportunity? I'd still do the vitamin assay, of course.</p>

<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm extremely excited about the internship opportunity and I don't want to give it up! Thank you!</p>

2

<p>So I’d like to start off saying I have no idea how the internship will turn out, sorry. However, I think going to COSMOS would be an excellent experience. The name (and slight prestige) of COSMOS make take you further. When applying to other colleges/summer programs, it often helps if you’ve attended other programs with a defined structure. I think in this case, since you aren’t even sure whether or not you’ve gotten the internship, it’d be a lot safer to go with COSMOS. There will always be other companies that are looking for interns, but COSMOS only happens during the summer. (Wow that last sentence sounded so dumb -_______-)
But what I mean is that it’s not worth the risk of being home all summer, just in exchange for this internship. </p>

<p>And on a last note, don’t worry about marine biology not being what you want to study. At the high school level, anything related to biology will help you pursue a career in the biomedical sciences, so its definitely nbd.</p>

3

<p>If you explain to the internship your predicament they may be willing to tell you your chances. This may mean you have to answer the final email this weekend so they can review your complete application. I would also talk to the other applicants from your school who applied and see if they have received the email as well. This may tell you if they really have boiled it down to the last few applicants.</p>

<p>After gathering more information I think you will be in a better position to make your decision. You can always accept COSMOS and then retract your acceptance if you get the internship. I know this seems bad but if want the internship that bad, this is your safest bet. College applicants do this a lot if they are wait listed at a top school and then are accepted after may 1st (deadline to accept all offers)</p>

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<p>WHEW. I just got another email, saying that the assay results are due at the end of this week. My dilemma regarding deadlines is gone… replaced by another deadline. I’m going to go do some research after this.</p>

<p>cyberchondriac, thanks for the reassurances. Lately I’ve been starting to doubt the value of going to COSMOS for a cluster I might not be as interested in anymore; but you’re right, COSMOS is better than a summer of staying at home and growing fat on ice cream. Instead, I’ll go to COSMOS and get fat off dorm food. xD And hopefully COSMOS can be a stepping stone for other programs next year!</p>

<p>ender94, thank you also! I considered accepting COSMOS just in case, but I wasn’t completely sure if I’d have to pay the fees immediately or if there’d be a refund; or if I’d even be allowed to retract it later… And asking the other people at my school who applied is a pretty good idea, until I remember how competitive everyone is. xD To the point that when we ask each other questions, we give vague answers so that no one else gets an advantage. Even if there is no advantage to be gotten.</p>

<p>Time to find out what an assay is. Thanks for your help!</p>