So, I have an offer for a co-op for next semester and the summer.

Right now, I'm torn on whether or not to take it, because while it will be a good experience, it'll probably put me at least a semester behind (and possibly a year, since I'm already about a half-semester behind).

The pro is experience and money. The con is the time it takes, because that one semester making decent money (a little over $2300/mo) will be pushing 50K/year I could be making after graduation.

So, I'm wondering if anyone who has co-oped could tell me if the trade is worth it.

Edit: Forgot to mention: taking the co-op screws me out of moving out, because missing next semester would mean I don't meet the requirements to move out of the dorms.

Yeah, it is. With the way the job market is going in most of the majors/industries UMR bleeds into experience is becoming just as, if not more, important as the education you get. I say go for it.

The experience that you get on a co-op will be invaluable to you, not only because you'll have industry experience, professional contacts, and something to bring to the table when you're hunting down your first job after graduation or negotiating your starting salary, but also because you'll get a glimpse of what you're really working toward. That can be either a push to get through Rolla if you like the work you did, or a wake-up call to change majors if you can't stand doing your job for 20 years.

In summation, take the co-op.

just another thought. You can always try doing only summer internships instead of co-ops. This way you wont get behind, but will still get the experience over the summer. Only disadvantage is you wouldnt be there long enough to really get over the learning curve of a new place. But if you do alright, there is a pretty good chance you will be asked back for consecutive summers. Thats pretty much what i have going for me right now.

That's what I've been trying for, but none of them have replied yet. This co-op is certain, and they need my acceptance by the 29th.

no. don't take the co-op, give it to me.

trust me, job experience is fucking everything. i'm a senior with no industry experience, and i'm watching fucking freshman with a summer of making coffee for an engineer get co-ops an internships over me. pisses me OFF. i've tried to get a job since my 3rd semester here with no luck. i didn't even have ANY companies from the job fair contact me back. no "sorry we aren't interviewing" no "FOAD", nothing. and i'm not like an idiot or anything. my resume is pretty impressive. i don't have a 3.9 or anything stellar but it could be way worse. bahh! i'm just bitter

I had an internship over the summer, and if the opportunity arose, I would most definitely take a co-op. I'll echo the thought that you don't have enough time to get past a learning curve and I'm pretty sure that most companies know this, so you get stuck doing pretty menial tasks with an internship. Granted this was after my freshman year, so its doubtful that I could've done anything of significance, so most of it was spent in data entry for new motors...or as I like to call it, New Model Coordinator.

I hardly learned anything from my internship, and as far as I'm concerned, I don't even consider it an internship, but that won't stop my resume from saying it was. Putting down the fact that I had an internship at Emerson will most definitely help me in getting a better job (perhaps within Emerson) when I graduate.

So basically...take the CO-OP, it'll be more helpful in the long run than convincing them to take you on in the summer. But either way, it'll be helpful in building a resume.

Remember that you can apply for an exception to the campus "approved housing reidency requirement" with Res. Life.

*DEFINITELY* take the co-op, assuming it's a company you would like to work for. I went on a co-op this year, January through August, and I loved it. I've been getting contacted for a lot more interviews this year, even for just a summer internship (I graduate in December of 05 and get delay graduation anymore for personal reasons).

While internships are good experience, probably 1/3 - 1/2 of your time there is spent learning the system, getting caught up to speed, etc. With a co-op, the fraction is much smaller, so you spend lots more time actually getting the practical work experience.

If you need more specific advice, shoot me a PM.

Take the co-op even if you have no intentions of working for them post graduation because:

a.) your preconceptions could be false and you change your mind about not wanting to work there after you graduate

b.) and more importantly, from my experience I'd say about 60-70% of companies won't even consider a candidate who has no co-op experience, no matter what it is, over a candidate who does when looking for someone to hire for a full time position.

The co-op experience will make your entire full-time job interview, trust me.