Sophomore Year Internships: What to Do?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges and considerations of securing internships after the sophomore year in electrical engineering (EE). Participants explore the relevance of internship opportunities, the importance of aligning internships with their field of study, and strategies for making productive use of summer time.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the typical internship timeline for EE students, noting their GPA and previous application experiences.
  • Another participant suggests that internships are generally pursued in the junior year and emphasizes the need for more background in the field before applying.
  • Concerns are raised about accepting an internship in a packaging division that is not directly related to electrical engineering, with one participant advising against it in favor of more relevant opportunities.
  • Suggestions are made regarding productive summer activities, including learning a scripting language and reviewing past textbooks.
  • A participant expresses uncertainty about the importance of the division versus the nature of the work in the internship opportunity and considers the implications of accepting or declining the offer.
  • Another participant seeks further opinions before making a final decision on the internship offer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the value of internships that are not closely related to their field of study. While some argue against taking such opportunities, others highlight the potential benefits of any work experience.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention varying levels of experience and expectations regarding internships, indicating that individual circumstances may affect their decisions. There is also a focus on balancing research opportunities with internship experiences.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in engineering fields considering internship opportunities, particularly those in their sophomore year, may find this discussion relevant.

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Hi, I just finished my sophomore year in EE and I had a quick question: how many students get internships after their sophomore year?

Currently, I have a overall 3.2 GPA overall, and a 3.7 GPA in my EE & CS classes (about 5 of them so far). I applied to a lot of internships, got a few calls, even a few on-site ones, though didn't get any. I have a few questions:

1) I might have a good chance with this one company, that focuses on materials engineering (alumnium). However, the division I would be working in would be the "Packaging" division. It packages things like pharmaceuticals, beauty products, and other miscellaenous things. It's more of an industrial engineering internship... even though its not really related to my field OR really not that interesting to me, should I take it?

I'm currently doing research (more biomedical engineering oriented) with my school, but I'm unsure what to do. I'd rather be doing things, but it's not in a company setting. Any advice?

2) I'm also taking a summer class, Calculus III. It ends in two weeks. I have two months, basically ONLY doing research. I just e-mailed a CS professor to help TA a class, so I might do that (not to put on my resume, but I love tutoring). What else can I do to make this a productive summer? I've also picked up a book on PERL, to learn on my own.
 
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Internships are usually done in the junior year. You'll need at least some background the field you are going into, so five courses won't cut. Just hold out till the later part of your junior year.
1) I might have a good chance with this one company, that focuses on materials engineering (alumnium). However, the division I would be working in would be the "Packaging" division. It packages things like pharmaceuticals, beauty products, and other miscellaenous things. It's more of an industrial engineering internship... even though its not really related to my field OR really not that interesting to me, should I take it?
Nope. Do something that's is related to your field, don't waste your time with this.
2) I'm also taking a summer class, Calculus III. It ends in two weeks. I have two months, basically ONLY doing research. I just e-mailed a CS professor to help TA a class, so I might do that (not to put on my resume, but I love tutoring). What else can I do to make this a productive summer? I've also picked up a book on PERL, to learn on my own.
Learning a scripting language is a good idea. You can also read up on future courses. Just find out what textbooks they use and go buy them. One thing I like to do over the summer is read past textbooks. I always learn something new when I reread them.
 
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Thanks for your advice, ranger. It makes sense. I don't want to waste my time with this, but should I care more about what division it is in or the work that I will be doing? I'm more interested in doing the research, but at this point, I can continue to do the research during the school year if need be. I'm concerned if I should take this "opportunity" (I use this term loosely)?

I just googled the company itself and the location in Google Maps, and I found that it was a subdivision of the actual company. From the name and description of the subdivison, I doubt they do anything electrical. I think I'll tell her I'm not interested.

Any other opinions? Thanks in advance.
 
Quick, she called me back today! I need another opinion, before I ultimately decide. Maybe I'm missing something, and you guys can shed some light on me :/
 

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