<p>So some background, last summer I obtained an internship for the summer in late spring. This year I wanted to start earlier as to avoid the stress of applying at the last moment and to intern in a different area of my field. However, to my surprise, many big companies in the industries have already closed up their applications for summer 2015 internships. Below are some questions I was wondering about so hopefully I can plan even earlier next year.</p>
<p>1) I realized there is more than one "wave" of periods where employers are looking for intern applications (fall, winter, spring), but did I just miss the biggest wave by not applying to many internships in September-November?
2) Did I miss my application window with many of the "bigger name" companies, or do they tend to reopen applications during later "waves"?
3) What is the monthly timeline for applying to internships? The 3 application waves make it seem like a year long process.
4) Do many of the smaller companies tend to have application periods later in the year and the bigger companies earlier?
5) Does having one internship under my belt significantly help my odds of receiving interviews?
6) Assuming there are two companies that are nearly the same in all aspects: Would it be a better option to intern with the company from last summer or branch out and try with another company?</p>
<p>Any insight is appreciated, thanks! :)</p>