<p>I'm an electrical engineering major. I just finished my first semester of freshman year with a low GPA: 2.8. </p>
<p>I messed up. I know where I messed up, and I'm going to ensure I get a good GPA next semester, because I know I can.</p>
<p>However, as much as I would like to apply for a summer internship, right now, all I have to really present on applications is this bad GPA. :( No work experience. Only volunteer experience during high school. </p>
<p>Should I just wait until first semester sophomore year when I've improved my GPA to apply for internships for the following summer? ...</p>
<p>It's just... I hate that I'll be wasting my time this upcoming summer then. I really wish I could do something relevant to my major/engineering in general this summer. I want the experience because I'm going to have to declare my major very soon (during sophomore year) and want to get a glimpse of engineering to see if it is really for me :/</p>
<p>I mean, it never hurts to apply. The only thing you’ll lose is your time, but it really doesn’t take that much time and putting together a resume is never a bad thing or a waste of time. It’ll make it that much easier to apply to things in the future because you only have to update your resume and cover letter and such.</p>
<p>It’s generally recommended that you leave off your GPA on your resume if it’s <3.0, but they may specifically ask for your GPA. In my opinion, I think the lack of experience and education (you’re only a first year and haven’t really taken many technical classes yet, I’m assuming) will be more of a problem than you’re specific GPA.</p>
<p>You might have a better chance if you apply locally, rather than to large, competitive internship programs. Maybe smaller companies are planning to hire an intern over the summer, or maybe your professors could use a research assistant or something like that. Would you be able to volunteer or take an unpaid internship? That can often be a good way to get your foot in the door. Are any of your professors doing research or are there any places in the engineering department that hire students (or where you could volunteer)?</p>
<p>Try to ask professors in your field for advice. Get any sort of experience you can, and the only way you can get that experience is to ask and/or apply for jobs (paid or unpaid–it doesn’t matter at this point). Even if you just work for the IT support group at your school, that’s a lot better than having nothing when you apply for internships in the future.</p>
<p>And even if you don’t get your dream internship, that doesn’t mean you have to waste your time. You could get a job to earn money for the school year (or to make it easier to take an unpaid internship later). Even if it’s not specifically related to your field, you can get good experience from a variety of things that might make it easier to get a job later or will at least give you something to put on your resume (like tutoring, doing some computer or technical job on campus, whatever). You could take classes (if you have the money to do so) to raise your GPA.</p>
<p>A lot of freshmen can’t find something exactly related to their major during the summer just because they’re freshman, regardless of their GPA. It doesn’t mean that summer has to be a complete waste of time. There are a lot of things you could do to make yourself more qualified next summer (or even during the year–I usually did a handful of jobs throughout the school year).</p>
<p>It can never hurt to apply. And you could also apply to non-engineering related internships if you’re afraid you won’t get accepted into an engineering position. Something is better than nothing.</p>