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I'm not saying you shouldn't- I was just pointing out the reality of the situation. I will have had 3 unpaid internships (one of which also evolved into a different title) when I graduate. Because they are unpaid, I also had to work a mindless job on campus for as many hours as they will schedule me (currently topping out at 20 - the max my school will allow students to work).
I am on school on a scholarship's dime but I still have to eat and try to save for when I graduate. This means my grades suffer for it.
Well -- I worked my way through college - and I worked many hours because even with 18 credit hours, that's just 18 hours of classes, which leaves plenty of time to work.
I remember talking to this guy who is now a successful lawyer, he also worked many hours and like he was saying, what we had to cut out by working was the partying -- by not partying, our grades were actually better than many of those who didn't work but parties. Working didn't give us bad hangovers and while we might have been tired in class at times, it wasn't from partying and drinking all night. We learned also to budget our time, study between class and on weekends. After class it was off to work.
Well -- I worked my way through college - and I worked many hours because even with 18 credit hours, that's just 18 hours of classes, which leaves plenty of time to work.
I remember talking to this guy who is now a successful lawyer, he also worked many hours and like he was saying, what we had to cut out by working was the partying -- by not partying, our grades were actually better than many of those who didn't work but parties. Working didn't give us bad hangovers and while we might have been tired in class at times, it wasn't from partying and drinking all night. We learned also to budget our time, study between class and on weekends. After class it was off to work.
Just 18 hours of your butt in a desk in class time- but that's at least 36 hours of out of class studying, reading, homework, and papers (on a good week). For instance, for every hour I spent in class for my programming class, it was easily 4 hours of programming out of class. For classes that came more naturally to me, it's 2 hours of reading per hour of class- more time if it was during finals.
Perhaps other schools demand less work- I find that larger classes tend to require less work. All of my classes are seminars- if I don't do every bit of the reading, take notes, and take the time to understand the concepts, it will be painful in my 10 person seminar class.
Partying? What's that? It falls into the same category of sleep- unnecessary. :P
My impression, from the posts here is that we all just have anecdotal
experience and there is a vast difference between our actual experiences.
My background and knowledge about internships is just my own
experience. It gets tiring hearing people telling me that I didn't
get the benefits that I did working in the companies where I worked.
Sorry, I still have my paystubs from the time when I worked.
All my pay stubs show my vacation days that I was able to cash
out on, and I have my stubs from my bonuses.
I can see working an internship for free, also. For some certain
types of experience, I would do the same - even now.
Unfortunately, unlike my experience with the companies I worked for and my
friends worked for, if I was asked to work for free for more than a few months,
my gratitude for the chance to get experience, would turn to resentment for
basically getting slave labor from me.
Even for someone with no experience, the company gets a valuable contribution
from the intern or co-op. For instance, a programmer who is an expert in the field
might make $100/hour while a newbie might only make $15-20. The expert might
add value to the company something like an additional $100/hour, but the newbie,
likewise might add $15-20 hour for the company. In addition, they bring fresh ideas
and perspective to a company.
I just throw the "programmer" out there as an example. Someone
with a history major also has things to offer working in a business
setting. Companies only hiring "experts" are probably not getting
back what they are paying for.
......................................... May they go down in flames someday.
Similarly, MCB and I feel angry when we are essentially told that we didn't look hard enough for paid internships. I don't doubt that some people get paid internships and they are probably more common for some parts of the country. In others, they are the vast minority.
Also, times have changed. When were you in college?
I have spent the last semester interning with the local government. 5 years ago, my supervisor was able to hire and pay the intern well above minimum wage. Today, it's just a volunteer spot. Over the last summer, I was supposed to intern at a nonprofit (in a completely different part of the country) that pulled the plug last minute due to lack of funds. Several of my friends who are a few years older suggested paid internships to me that they did 3-6 years ago that are no longer paid.
I do feel resentful at some points that I had an unpaid internship, but between that and nothing, I'll take the internship.
The problem lies where the internship occurs at a cost to you. For instance, for summer internships, I have to find somewhere to live since those costs are not covered by my scholarship. I also need to pay for transportation and the like. I would have taken a more prestigious semester internship except I couldn't afford to pay for commuter rail and subway passes for the duration of the internship, so I walked over an hour each way to a very high stress, high responsibility, but low prestige position. I know it paid off with my supervisor's glowing recommendation, which does make it worthwhile.
Unless you are a Physical Therapist. My wife, upon graduation had tons of offers with moving expenses and loan payoffs. That was slightly more than 2 years ago, but this May when we moved out here, we got moving expenses paid - something like 6k and we got a check for the unused amount.
Of course they have Clinicals, not internships, and they have to PAY the school for the work.
Loan payoffs? Really? I am just interested in knowing a little more. I am trying to switch to speech therapy.
So you realized your professors weren't so honest after all. huh. You realized that.
I'm sick and tired of students putting professors on pedestals. When will people learn.
When you are a 17 year old kid, you do believe what your teachers tell you. This is why I have said that some kids are simply too young and immature to start college at 18, it was 17 for me. At 17, some kids are too immatue to make wise career decisions. I think some kids would be well advised to work for maybe two years before entering college. You just learn more from real world experience and a lot of kids enter college with no real world experience.
When you are a 17 year old kid, you do believe what your teachers tell you. This is why I have said that some kids are simply too young and immature to start college at 18, it was 17 for me. At 17, some kids are too immatue to make wise career decisions. I think some kids would be well advised to work for maybe two years before entering college. You just learn more from real world experience and a lot of kids enter college with no real world experience.
As long as you know you intend on being a college graduate, there's not much need to delay. Most kids have to take general ed anyway, they can tackle that in the first year or two without deciding on a major/career.
Besides, delaying your career costs you your highest earning years.
As long as you know you intend on being a college graduate, there's not much need to delay. Most kids have to take general ed anyway, they can tackle that in the first year or two without deciding on a major/career.
Some of my classes count toward general ed and my major, so I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone. That's just an example of how it can help to declare your major even if you have to take general ed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles
Besides, delaying your career costs you your highest earning years.
So true. I am happy I went to college right after high school. I plan on making the most of my college years, but when they're over, they're over. When I am 22, I would rather be earning money in the workforce instead of still being in college.
Just 18 hours of your butt in a desk in class time- but that's at least 36 hours of out of class studying, reading, homework, and papers (on a good week). For instance, for every hour I spent in class for my programming class, it was easily 4 hours of programming out of class. For classes that came more naturally to me, it's 2 hours of reading per hour of class- more time if it was during finals.
Perhaps other schools demand less work- I find that larger classes tend to require less work. All of my classes are seminars- if I don't do every bit of the reading, take notes, and take the time to understand the concepts, it will be painful in my 10 person seminar class.
Partying? What's that? It falls into the same category of sleep- unnecessary. :P
I know, I did it. I even still had time to party some, but yes it was a good idea to take a C++ programming or Calculus II with an art appreciation class or Spanish so that you could devote more time to the more rigorous classes.
There are 168 hours in a week, if you take a full load of classes you still have 150-153 hours remaining. Working 50 hours - you have 100-103 hours left to sleep, study, lay around, and party, you just don't party every night.
So true. I am happy I went to college right after high school. I plan on making the most of my college years, but when they're over, they're over. When I am 22, I would rather be earning money in the workforce instead of still being in college.
It's more than that. When you delay the start of your earning years (for whatever reason, but in the context of this thread, due to delaying your education), you are losing your most compensated years.
Simple example, say you retire at 65 and assume you average a 3% raise ever year and you start out at $40K. A person starting work at 25 loses pay age years 63, 64, and 65 compared to a person who starts out at 22. That is, you lose your last three highest paying years, a difference of over $415,000.
Also, by starting early and contributing to both a 401(k) and a Roth IRA, the extra three years of compounding makes a significant difference when you retire.
The 'experts' are always seeing all sorts of problems everywhere in order to justify their existence.
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