Should I do a summer abroad or a summer internship?

Yes, absolutely! You will gain a new perspective on not only workplaces but also grow tremendously as a person. Study abroad was one of the most amazing things I did. It helps with diversity, acceptance, flexibility and perspective. If you have a chance, I strongly encourage you go.

Try to do both! See if there are any summer internships abroad and kill two birds with one stone :)

Studying and traveling abroad can be incredibly enriching, both personally and professionally. However, to make your time investment count, what will you study/do/experience that will impact your future goals? How will it align to securing the next summer's internship and future career opportunities? Strategically planning each step as a foundation to the next not only makes sense, but it allows your experiences to become this wonderful diverse pot-of-gold perspective which enlightens and educates you to be the best version of yourself possible, which again, benefits you tremendously as a person and a professional. Bon voyage!

Going aboard is the most exciting way to gain knowledge of the world I feel all college students need to round the beginning of their personal career journey, enjoy and take lots of photos.

Since I have worked all over the world with students and industrialists, to understand how students outside the US work, it would be good if you can get a summer placement overseas. This will also help you not to take things for granted. This all depends if you can get some support especially financial for the summer program. Good luck.

What is your major? If it has any international component to it, then I would strongly recommend the foreign option. This will not only broaden your experiences but also speak to your goals on a resume.

As many people have stated, studying abroad is a wonderful experience. It allows you to really spend time in another country and learn firsthand about the culture. It also provides a home base to allow you to travel to nearby destinations that would be more involved to travel to from the US.

During your junior year, you could pursue internship opportunities - many programs prefer to hire students between their junior and senior way as these could often lead to full time jobs. Think about what interests you and try to find an internship that aligns with the type of future job you would want.

Good luck!

Devetra, I would consider both if you can do it - Studying abroad will give you an experience and exposure that you would not otherwise get - being exposed to another country's customs, traditions and culture will be invaluable.

Summer internships are wonderful because you will actually be exposed to a work environment in your field of study and could lead to job opportunities that you might not otherwise know about. Employers like to see applicants with practical experience associated with the job they are applying for.

Both are great opportunities to grow as a person. Depending on the internship, it can be a springboard for your entire career. However, studying abroad can also be a life changing experience. If you can manage both, great! If you had to pick one, I would find an internship with a company you could see yourself having a career with, as many people I have worked with interned at the company to start their careers. I know many people who have traveled abroad a lot but who are not happy now because they are not where they imagined themselves career wise at this point. On the flip side of this, I know many people who are very happy in their careers and now have the means to travel for work or for pleasure.

Study abroad! This will give you global exposure which is now a greater commodity in the workforce. It will develop your skills to work with diverse cultures and will be an amazing experience for you personally.

Certainly I will recommend summer abroad, reason, you can get a feel of how other part of the world operates, ranging from people, culture, technology, economy, infrastructure, etc. It will help give different prospection to way you think after the trip.

As a young professional who is now 4 years out of college. I would highly recommend a study abroad course with your university. Thinking back, that is one opportunity that I wish I would have taken advantage of!

I would study abroad. This may be your only chance because life can throw you a curveball. It is always valuable to learn not just about other people but the way they approach life and their view on it. I would think about in terms of personal experience and growth. The international experience you will get will also help you get the internship you want back here in the States. Go experience something many people have never done but always wanted to.

I recommending doing both, if possible. Study abroad is a wonderful experience. An internship, however, has become an important step in securing a position in a business field and has become a requirement for many colleges. Some businesses offer internships during the school year and can work around your schedule. Best of luck!

I highly recommend traveling abroad to expand your horizons & develop an appreciation for what we have as life standards in America; not everyone is as fortunate.