University of Dreams Internships ---has anyone done this?? - Page 2

nyumom · 12-04-2008, 09:21 PM

I had heard previously that students paid up to $10,000 to take an internship via the University of Dreams.

Pseudonym · 12-05-2008, 03:52 AM

This is disgusting. Unpaid internships are bad enough, but paying to work? Are there really people so useless that they need to pay for this? Grotesque. It's not like it's that difficult to find an unpaid internship and a summer sublet (for far cheaper than $8,000, even in New York!). What a scam.

van_sant · 12-07-2008, 12:47 PM

i remember getting an email from this organization. some of the internships were quite prestigious, the kind you cant get without connections no matter how qualified you are. so if you really want that kind of thing, that isnt such a bad deal. after all, you dont have to mention you got it through university of dreams do you?

ThePen · 12-16-2008, 01:09 AM

I have a friend who got an internship through the U of Dreams and he was very satisfied with it. I was planning on taking one summer class this year at a prestigious unversity which costs around $8000 (yes, $8000 for one class!). Now I found U of Dreams a way better way to invest my money and effort. I expect to learn a lot more than what a summer class offers while making new friends in the various industries through the program.

Mac.u · 01-26-2009, 01:15 AM

this program is not a scam. i know a couple of people who did this and made many contacts and have been offered jobs from prestigious companies. to get a job with some of these companies is almost impossible without the right contacts and university of dreams provides you with that. yes it is pricey but they provide a couple of meals a day, accommodations (NYU for those doing an internship in NYC and UCLA for those going to LA), weekend activities, and also speakers that talk to you about the industries they're working in to help participants get ahead in their fields.

chocoholic · 01-27-2009, 12:23 AM

Interesting that all the rave reviews are from New members making their first post?

catherinelouisej · 01-27-2009, 02:05 PM

what is the point about the rave reviews coming from new members? it seems there are some real advantages to what u of dreams offers, if you look at it as an entire experience. certainly, if you look at it as paying to get an internship, it seems pricey. However, it seems that the fee is for more than the internship placement. is there someone out there who has gotten a JOB as a result of their u of dreams internship??

Pseudonym · 01-27-2009, 03:16 PM

All the raves coming from 1-post members = the company having employees pretending to be students post to make themselves look less pathetic. Which has the opposite effect.

If you try to look paint it as not paying for the internship, you just look like a gullible chump or a paid shill. The program fees are far more than market value for housing obtained on your own, and what kind of college students need planned activities on the weekends to keep themselves busy? It's overpriced summer camp for spoiled rich kids who can't get a job or internship on their own. I just feel bad for the people who think so little of themselves or their children that they get sucked in.

sevan9 · 02-03-2009, 02:19 AM

I also find it someone suspicious that the reviews are all from first post members (okay, I am like 5 posts ahead of them but who is counting? :] )

However, I do think its a little too easy to start raging against the price machine we are calling summer program for the rich. Its different for everyone - different strokes for different folks.

People make the same argument all the time on CC boards about the elitist kids that go to HYPS. As a Stanford grad, this was a cost my parents were willing to bear. I appreciate them with all my heart. I still carry education loans but do I regret it? Not one bit. I loved my time at the "farm" and it has undoubtedly opened doors for me.

For these supposed "unpaid internships" - we have no idea if they are interning as a sales clerk at 7-11 (no offense to 7-11 employees) or if they are getting some real life work experience at a fun and exciting internship position. Internships are important for all college students as its one of the main ingredients to help them distinguish themselves (besides the usual grades, ECs etc) for future employers. In this economy, any edge is important. I know this from my Stanford years. Working experience, learning to be a professional, meeting new people - are all invaluable opportunities. Now is that worth $8k? I don't know. Is it worth $45k for Stanford? I sure hope so!

sevan9 · 02-19-2009, 03:24 AM

Bump. Curiosity killed the cat I guess. The combination of people getting up in arms about this program and the idea of paying for an internship v. the potential covert defense made this an interesting thread. Is this actually legit?

Chambay (OP), what did you decide on this?

chambay · 02-19-2009, 05:30 AM

sevan9: These are interesting posts! I still like what U of Dreams offers, but as a parent, I don't think I have that much SPARE change these days. so sad. Maybe next summer...

orwellgeorge · 03-08-2009, 01:38 AM

Just an FYI....

When you receive college credit for an internship, please remember that you PAY THE SCHOOL per credit hour for the internship.

At my school its $2.5k for a 3 credit hour class...I paid $2.5k to my school so I could receive credit for doing an unpaid internship. Yes, your school does it too. (Unless you go to Northwestern...)

What's the big deal? I want an internship at The New York Times or Washington Post.

Then again, I don't have the money =P

sevan9 · 03-13-2009, 04:37 AM

chambay: I agree. Money, unfortunately or fortunately, sure buys some nice things. Did you see today's WSJ article on parents cutting back on summer program spending? Timely read.

Families Cut Back on Summer Camp - WSJ.com

Marian · 03-13-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

i thought unpaid was bad enough, now this...haha, i'd seriously laugh if i saw this on someone's resume as a recruiter.

Who's going to put on their resume that they did the internship through a paid program. They're simply going to say that they interned at X company or Y organization.

sevan9 · 03-15-2009, 10:10 PM

Marian - excellent point. If you do an internship at say Coke through a paid program, the end result is that your resume will say Summer Intern at Coke. I don't think there's anything wrong with that - if anything, in this environment, any work experience is a positive to the start of anyone's career 99.5% of the time.

As to paying for that opportunity, that's a personal choice.