Are Internships worth a financial burden?

[disney castle days]

Hey all,

I was offered an internship at a pretty big university in South Carolina. I'm from New Jersey, going to college in Connecticut. I am going into sports data analytics, and the internship is in a related field.

This internship is a better opportunity than the ones provided by my college, so I am inclined to take it, however, there is a major financial burden that comes with it. The internship is unpaid and you have to pay for your own housing. I have figured it out to be about $3,000-$4,000 for housing, food, and travel. I also have to pay my rent for my house in Connecticut which is $900 monthly, so $2,700 for the length of the internship. I also am currently paying off my car and I pay my own tuition, to begin with.
The cost of the housing/food/travel alone is more than the cost of taking the credits at my university by about $1,000. I know that the internship is a great opportunity and will helo me with grad school applications and job applications in the future, but I can't help but think that it is not worth the money when I can just get a summer job that will give me experience and then just intern at my school.

I am looking for opinions on whether or not an internship is worth spending the money on. Everyone I ask in my life has their own agenda (i.e. my mom wanting me to stay home for my last summer, my friends wanting me to be in CT, my current boss wanting me to work the summer), so I just need neutral opinions.

 

[HopperFan]

Hey all,

I was offered an internship at a pretty big university in South Carolina. I'm from New Jersey, going to college in Connecticut. I am going into sports data analytics, and the internship is in a related field.

This internship is a better opportunity than the ones provided by my college, so I am inclined to take it, however, there is a major financial burden that comes with it. The internship is unpaid and you have to pay for your own housing. I have figured it out to be about $3,000-$4,000 for housing, food, and travel. I also have to pay my rent for my house in Connecticut which is $900 monthly, so $2,700 for the length of the internship. I also am currently paying off my car and I pay my own tuition, to begin with.
The cost of the housing/food/travel alone is more than the cost of taking the credits at my university by about $1,000. I know that the internship is a great opportunity and will helo me with grad school applications and job applications in the future, but I can't help but think that it is not worth the money when I can just get a summer job that will give me experience and then just intern at my school.

I am looking for opinions on whether or not an internship is worth spending the money on. Everyone I ask in my life has their own agenda (i.e. my mom wanting me to stay home for my last summer, my friends wanting me to be in CT, my current boss wanting me to work the summer), so I just need neutral opinions.

Parent here. Two kids both with Bachelors and Masters. We went with the thought process that the "extra bucks" should be ones spent during Masters. My DD is more aligned with what you are doing, was in Communications and sports were her thing. She got a Athletic Department Internship for her entire senior year of her bachelors. She then did a one year internship at Disney World (DCP) while she was applying to Grad school at a major university. When she was doing her masters she did one year paid internship for the Athletic Dept, worked three years at minor league team (summer), she spent the extra funds for three study abroad - one was actually cheaper than doing in class, she got a Grad Asst (paid) job one year which had her working with football program and qualified for scholarship senior year.

Now your math is this would only cost $1000 more than taking the class at home? If you took at home vs the costs of doing this internship you would only spend $1000 more? That isn't much if this internship will truly help you not only get in to grad school but boost your resume to get a post school job. If you think it's just a cool way to get credit and it won't have a solid benefit then I'm not sure it would be worth the extra effort ... perhaps save that money and focus on internships that would be more a part of your school. THEN use your money for some potential extras during grad school. Only you know if that extra cost would pay off for you in the long run.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

From a purely financial perspective, it sounds like carrying your house rent, your car, your normal tuition, and life in the northeast is already enough on your plate. Any gains you may obtain from taking this internship could be wiped out if it comes with years of carrying extra debt or wiping out other funds. Personally, it doesn't seem like taking more financial risks for the sake of this internship is worth it, especially since other options are available. I like your option to "get a summer job that will give me experience and then just intern at my school."

Also, in the volatile world in which we live, there is something to be said for staying relatively near friends and family for whatever emotional, physical, or financial support they may offer. Plus, remember that your costs above are estimates. Rent, gas, and food prices are currently climbing everywhere, and it may cost more than you originally planned.

It's great that you are thinking this through and seeking other perspectives. Best wishes for whatever you choose!

 

[DL1WDW2]

I would pay attention to the reality many Disney Interns are introduced to and discovering .
In the past , this Disney Internship on the resume came with future respect in the job market . Some of the current reports I have read on this Board … many are finding it is not what they expected. I would hate for you to accept this and then find out this is just a “new way” for the business world to meet staffing needs and not offering anything towards your true goal.
I agree you should wait a year or two until the World settles down .
(My son accepted a job recruiting for a college Hospitality program and discovered many of these young applicants were in over their head and were barely surviving and really no guarantee for job placement in the current environment . It made him miserable until he was able to find another job. )
Good Luck with your future . Keep us posted with your progress.
We have to believe it will get better.

 

[tinkerjo]

Internships are nice but as a mom I wouldn’t recommend putting such a hardship on yourself. A future employer will respect a long term summer job (shows stability) and I personally don’t see taking an unpaid internship states away as being that great of an opportunity. More fun probably, and I’m sure you would rather do something in your field, but the benefit does not outweigh the reward. If you are a good student you shouldn’t have a difficult time getting into grad school anyway. Also you may budget one thing, but reality is it will cost more, Especially these days. Listen to your mom. You may think she has a personal agenda, but that personal agenda is you and your best interests.

 

[_19disnA]

This internship is a better opportunity than the ones provided by my college

You mostly talk about the unpaid internship opportunity, so I am not sure I understand what your college is offering. In the industry where I work we ALWAYS pay interns since they are doing work for us and learning about our company. One day they may become full-time employees. Apparently in some businesses, there are also unpaid internships. I would look carefully at what they are supposedly offering because it also sounds like some companies are using this as a clever way to get 'free' labor by not paying any salary. Seems to me the company gets all the benefits and it isn't clear how you would gain from that. Would talk with others who have gone that route to make sure you aren't being taken advantage of by the company. Just because something is called an 'internship' doesn't make it a great opportunity and may mean little to your grad school application or other companies when applying for a full-time job.

I don't quite follow how a college you are not attending is offering you an 'internship'. Why wouldn't they be offering these internships to students already attending their college? Other types of college internships I am aware of are offered by the college you are attending as part of a particular course. The 'work' is unpaid but you are doing the internship to help get credits for a particular course you are taking. Those combine classroom time with time at an employer.

 

[disney castle days]

You mostly talk about the unpaid internship opportunity, so I am not sure I understand what your college is offering. In the industry where I work we ALWAYS pay interns since they are doing work for us and learning about our company. One day they may become full-time employees. Apparently in some businesses, there are also unpaid internships. I would look carefully at what they are supposedly offering because it also sounds like some companies are using this as a clever way to get 'free' labor by not paying any salary. Seems to me the company gets all the benefits and it isn't clear how you would gain from that. Would talk with others who have gone that route to make sure you aren't being taken advantage of by the company. Just because something is called an 'internship' doesn't make it a great opportunity and may mean little to your grad school application or other companies when applying for a full-time job.

I don't quite follow how a college you are not attending is offering you an 'internship'. Why wouldn't they be offering these internships to students already attending their college? Other types of college internships I am aware of are offered by the college you are attending as part of a particular course. The 'work' is unpaid but you are doing the internship to help get credits for a particular course you are taking. Those combine classroom time with time at an employer.

Hi, so my college actually did not approve the credits so I did not take the internship, but I figured I would reply anyway.

My college's internship program for the Exercise Science department (my major) is honestly really stupid. About 80% of our students are pre-Physical Therapy students, so those kids all have to do something like 400 supervised hours on their own for admission into the program, so they count that as their internships. I am not pre-PT so my 2 options are to do research or apply for the limited internships the school has (or apply outside of the school). There are about 20 people that get internships out of maybe 200. The admin's top priority is the students that are going to take the exam to become strength and conditioning coaches, so those students typically get the internships first. Of my friends that are not pre-PT and not doing the strength and conditioning exam, none of us got interviews for the internships. I have school-sponsored research that I am trying to count as my credits for the internship requirement, but that is still up in the air.

The university I was applying to has 2 internship openings for students at different colleges, and there was about 20 students in the program that attend that university.

 

[Mle8308]

Hi, so my college actually did not approve the credits so I did not take the internship, but I figured I would reply anyway.

My college's internship program for the Exercise Science department (my major) is honestly really stupid. About 80% of our students are pre-Physical Therapy students, so those kids all have to do something like 400 supervised hours on their own for admission into the program, so they count that as their internships. I am not pre-PT so my 2 options are to do research or apply for the limited internships the school has (or apply outside of the school). There are about 20 people that get internships out of maybe 200. The admin's top priority is the students that are going to take the exam to become strength and conditioning coaches, so those students typically get the internships first. Of my friends that are not pre-PT and not doing the strength and conditioning exam, none of us got interviews for the internships. I have school-sponsored research that I am trying to count as my credits for the internship requirement, but that is still up in the air.

The university I was applying to has 2 internship openings for students at different colleges, and there was about 20 students in the program that attend that university.

If it going to be unpaid, maybe look for something unpaid in your area? Contact some hospitals or businesses that are similar to your area of study and let them know what you are looking for. Tell them you are looking to do it on an unpaid status. I would not go into debt or financial hardship over an internship, especially not where the economy is heading.

 

[_19disnA]

I would also look around in your area for companies who do PAID internships. Many of the larger companies have those types of positions for college students in the summer. Part of doing an internship is to broaden your horizons on the available job opportunities. There are likely a lot of companies who do some sort of data analysis in their marketing/sales departments. Anything unpaid would be a lower priority after you have investigated all of the ones offering a salary.

 

[bakerworld]

Our eldest had 3 internships - 2 paid & 1 unpaid - over 4 College summers. None led to a paid position. She finally obtained a lead thru networking friends and neighbors. Two years later she went in a different direction and entered an accelerated Masters program focusing on advancing. Then just as she finished the masters she changed direction again towards teaching. After 6 years of teaching she returned to the office in a coordinator position which aligned with the masters. She's still not complete satisfied with her job but her focus is now home life and kids (which I have to say I really didn't predict) at twice the pay of teacher (same aggravation level).

Our middle is still working in the job he obtained PT in 11th grade at a manufacturing warehouse and he's doing OK with lots of vacation - LOL.

Our youngest kept veering off into 'life happens' but finally managed to obtain a BA which she has used to steer into a fairly good position. Her only 'internship' was her assistant manager position she worked at while in College.

That's a long way of saying take your present employer up on his need for summer employment and stay there until you wrangle a job in whatever it is you said you were going for (which I obviously didn't understand). A paying job is better than spending savings and gives the ability to fly places to interview for more interesting jobs.