Torn between attending college or disney college program internship

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>Hi, I got great news from both end. On one hand, I got admitted to Binghamton university as a transfer student. On the other, I got accepted into the Disney college program Internship.
I haven't pay my deposit for either. My dilemma is which would be a better option for me? </p>

<p>I graduate out of my current college next month. I have the option to go straight down to orlando florida to work quick food and beverages after I'm done with school, and it will stretch through the beginning of january of 2013. </p>

<p>My other option is finish school, find a job in the city over the summer, and use the money to pay tuition when I begin binghamton fall semester. </p>

<p>Question-</p>

<p>If I opt to go with disney world, I miss out on 1 semester, does that mean I miss out on 1 semester of federal aid? Government only pays for 4 years, but because I am taking a semester off and won't be attending school, will I lose out on the aid?</p>

<p>Also, Does that mean I have to reapply for the spring term? I may not be lucky to get accepted this time around...</p>

<p>pros of Disney</p>

<p>good on resume
experience
one in life time opportunity?</p>

<p>Cons- </p>

<p>will be behind 1 semester of college
Cannot be sure I'll have a fun time there</p>

<p>Pros of going to school</p>

<p>Be on track
experience</p>

<p>cons</p>

<p>$- may have to take out loans</p>

<p>If Anyone been in the program, can you shed some light on the benefits? How are the people? What is working in quick food and service like? Is it a harsh environment? Is it worth it?</p>

2

<p>Anyone?</p>

<p>10 char.</p>

3

<p>156 views, no response? sad face.</p>

4

<p>To me the disney internship sounds like a great experience that can give you the push to better opportunities. I’ve heard both good and bad about it. I guess it depends on the person and specified job.</p>

<p>Working in the food service industry is also a toss-up. Sometimes, the work is fine and nothing goes wrong. Other times you’ll have a bad manager. Really depends on the place.</p>

5

<p>What are some cons to disney? I fear that i’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night just to do early shifts. I also fear I may screw up in the food service. </p>

<p>The only thing keeping me from rejecting the program is the people I’ll meet, experience and future career goals.</p>

6

<p>If you fear failure, you’ll never reach your full potential. All jobs come with responsibilities and some sort of ‘new experience’. The reason why internships are great is because you can experience these beforehand. </p>

<p>Companies know this and like hiring people with internship experience for this very reason. You need to learn how to meet new people and learn new ideas.</p>

7

<p>I guess you’re right, I’ll give it a try. This will force me to change.</p>

8

<p>I had the same dilemma. First you MUST talk to whoever holds your loans. Only they can tell you of you might lose it. Second, ask yourself if this internship is essential to your career goals in life. Sure it will help socially and be a great opening up experience, but you can get those types of experiences where you are too. You don’t necessarily have to go to Florida for that. I’ve just gotten a reality check on this same situation too. I was accepted into the program in attractions and I was so excited. But my family and my professors kept telling me it was a bad idea, that I shouldn’t delay school and waste my time right now. Besides the character building experience, there are some negatives the disney college program I couldn’t ignore. It’s min wage so you WON’T make much money. If you’re terminated from the program for whatever reason then it doesn’t look good on your resume. They hire twice as many people expecting drop out, and if there isn’t enough people leaving, they start terminating people for nit picky things. It’s a toss up really, just really ask yourself if it’s worth delaying a for sure, GOOD thing. You can always apply again for the season immediately after graduation and Finnish school first. That’s what I’m gonna do. I WILL be applying again, just after I graduate.
I hope this perspective helps!</p>

9

<p>Oh, I meant I submitted my 2012-2013 fasfa for schools I got accepted to but I haven’t committed to any nor paid my deposit. My concern is how will it affect my federal aid if I plan on taking the fall semester off for this disney program? Will I only get aid for spring semester when I return back & the fall aid gets wasted?</p>

<p>As for the program, I am still very torn. I haven’t been able to make a stable decision & it has been affecting my school work. People say working at disney looks good on resume but I highly doubt that. Working manual labor for little pay isn’t great either. People make it seem it’s all happy and magical when it’s really not.</p>

<p>I just don’t know what to make of this anymore…</p>

10

<p>Right, so you’d need to contact fafsa and ask them directly on loans. I’m not sure if they have a standard policy on taking a semester off (for whatever reason) or not. It could even be case specific. But seeing as you are having many doubts like me, I wouldn’t suggest doing. I think you need to be 100% sure in that you want and can do it. Like me, it doesn’t sound like the benifits outweigh the potential risks or setbacks :/</p>

11

<p>You definitely make a strong case. I am considering it. I still have a couple of days before my decision deadline . If any disney program alumni want to weigh in on this, please do, I encourage it very much. The doubts I have are just others saying it. Truthfully, I fear I’ll regret not taking this opportunity. I just don’t know what I am getting my self into. I do apologize if I may appear annoying to anyone reading.</p>

12

<p>You definitely make a strong case. I am considering it. I still have a couple of days before my decision deadline . If any disney program alumni want to weigh in on this, please do, I encourage it very much. The doubts I have are just others saying it. Truthfully, I fear I’ll regret not taking this opportunity. I just don’t know what I am getting my self into.</p>

13

<p>I’m a parent and know a young man who went to the Disney program. He is my son’s friend and is graduating from community college this year in upstate New York. My son is going to Binghamton as a freshman starting this fall.</p>

<p>I visited my son’s friend in Orldano while he was doing the Disney internship WHILE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND FOR CREDIT. First off, he was interested in the hotel management business. In fact, he is working at a hotel now in back home as a result. He will graduate this year and I steered him to transfer to SUNY Plattsburgh next year and his is following my advice.</p>

<p>He was a concierge at Disney and enjoyed the job. The suite he lived in was nice. The housing was nice. There were six guys sharing the place. The roomates were extremely messy. There were roomate issues. They were from all over the country. Everyone had a cultural adjustment period. One dropped out the first week. One later had a mental breakdown. My son’s friend toughed it out. His biggest complaint was that he had no car. So he was a prisoner of the bus system. Disney tries to make it fun on campus. But he had long hours and not too much downtime and so there was not much opportunity to do anything other than go to work and then go to the suite, sleep and do those things necessary to live – shop, do the laundry, etc. Outside of the job itself, there was nothing particularly enjoyable he had in the experience. </p>

<p>Now back to you. If you are not interested in the hotel industry or the fast food industry long term, then I don’t see the point of going. You can work at a food service job at Binghamton and probably end up with a better roomate situation. Oh, and I was at Bing. the other week and the dorms are incredible overall and they are building new ones. I am telling you right now that after being to a number of schools (over two dozen) over the past two years, Binghamton is the closest thing to Disney you will find in the educational realm. Like Disney, each dorm complex has its own character and theme. Newing, College in the Woods and Moutainview are incredible. Dickinson is being rebuilt and will be stunning in 2013. The East Gym renovation looks like it was done in resort style. You can even arrange for a massage in the complex just like at Disney. The East Gym is beautiful and outdoes anything Disney has going for it on this level. You can see it on the Bing. website. Check out the Binghamton YouTube channel too. So at the end of the day, you can have the best of Disney at Binghamton.</p>

<p>Bottom line: </p>

<p>If looks matter, Binghamton will look better on your resume than Disney. </p>

<p>You can get the same job experience that you plan to get at Disney at Binghamton. But at Binghamton there is the opportunity to do so much more than work at a food service job. I went to the career office at Binghamton and was impressed. There are plenty of internship opportunities and volunteer opportunities. You can get credit for those at Binghamton.</p>

<p>The only reason I would consider Disney is if you planned to go on into the resort industry after graduation. But even then, I would take Binghamton. The internship and volunteer opportunities there go beyond what Disney can offer. There is a variety of employment available there as well for students. You can go to Disney after Binghamton (as they will like your resume) but can you go to Binghamton after Disney? That seem problematic. I woul much rather fear missing out on Bing as opposed to missing out on Disney.</p>

<p>As far as your loans go, if there is any school I would take loans out to attend as a state resident it if for Binghamton – the elite SUNY school. Where else can you get a top notch education for more than half off? Now that is the opportunity of a lifetime in my view.</p>

14

<p>One more thing. The food service jobs at Disney are repetitive and boring after a few weeks, if not a few days.</p>

15

<p>Yeah, whether I take the binghamton route or the disney route, both will be a huge stepping stone for me. Honestly, the only reason I even consider disney is CHANGE.
I may just visit binghamton campus first. Anyone know a fast route to binghamton from NYC? Bus I can take? Plane?</p>

16

<p>Yes, go to Binghamton for sure.</p>

<p>A car is preferable. </p>

<p>I don’t think a bus or train trip will give you the best vantage point to see everything Bing has to offer.</p>

17

<p>Have you visited the DIS Forum’s “Disney College Program” board (the DIS Forums is a Disney-related forum on Disneyland, Disney World, ect if you haven’t heard of it!)? Maybe you could ask around on there, because I am sure some DIS members are currently or have done the Disney College Program and probably give you some insight on it.</p>

18

<p>Already posted on their website, didn’t get much advice, but thanks. </p>

<p>I am still in a sticky situation. The school I plan to attend (transfer) in the fall of 12’’ (binghamton university) estimated cost is 18k. My financial aid only covers 10k. The difference will have to be taken by loans (debt). Now, add 2 years to that and my debt will accumulate to nearly 25k. I know scholarships and grants are available, but they’re scarce and not always guaranteed. I direly want to go to binghamton for the education and experience but I don’t think it’s a smart choice economically.</p>

<p>My other option is baruch college. Tuition will be fully paid by the government aid & I will have additional money to use for transportation, books, expenses, etc. I already know the experience will be mundane, not really my cup of tea :(</p>

<p>Another thing is I still have a day to accept my offer for the disney program. If i accept, ill be going for 7 month (missing a semester of college regardless of which institution I choose (baruch or bing). I will have the experience, lasting friendship and fun. Of course, I cannot discount the bad. Work exhaustedly, cheap labor, rude guest, etc.</p>

<p>What is the best option for me. I spoke with people on forums, my brother,friend and my parents yet I still cannot make up my darn mind. I never had something stress me out this much!</p>