I think taking that class this summer might serve him better than having an internship this summer. He’ll have more advanced course work in the fall when 26 internships drop. It’s really tough out there.
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My twins are set for the summer but my S19 who is EBD on his PhD is having a heck of a time getting an internship. Not STEM or public policy, but ultimate goal was gov’t job. Last year he got to final stage for an OPM internship, the person in his program who did get that job has now been laid off. A few applications are still out there and one gov’t adjacent job that he has made it to the final round is waiting longer than usual to make a decision. Trying to be positive.
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It sounds like your son is doing all the right stuff and has good insights about the internship search. It really is just hard out there especially for anyone below the junior level. We’ve also heard that the internship after junior year is the one you really want to get.
My son found the engineering resumes subreddit (r/EngineeringResumes) to be SUPER useful. Here’s a link to their wiki page
His university uses vmock (a lot of them do) to help students build resumes, and career services will give advice too, which is nice. But by far the best tips came from that reddit. If he reads the wiki and follows the instructions carefully that will get him 90% of the way. You can also post your resume on the site and they’ll give you advice, though my son didn’t feel that was necessary. But he did learn some great tips from looking at other peoples’ posts. Maybe your son would find it helpful to shine up his resume so it’s ready to go for next year?
Wishing him luck with his summer plans, and he sounds like he’s doing awesome.
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Happy to report an update - D23 was accepted into a fantastic program today and will get the chance to do some amazing research!!! 
It IS NSF funded but they did not indicate the funding was in any way subject to being pulled so… 
Thank you for all your sympathy AND good thoughts folks! 
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S23 hasn’t been able to get anything lined up this summer in the internship department; with what is happening in the country right now I don’t anticipate the situation getting better with more opportunities opening up in the next few months. 
For spring break he came home for a couple days and we got to go to the theater together (which was wonderful!), then he’s off to go climbing for a week in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which is going to be good for him—camping for a week and climbing all day with the climbing team.
I just paid the deposit for him to study in Galway for next fall semester, I hope it’s a terrific experience—I always hoped he’d be able to study abroad and he’s excited!
Yet…I’ll admit I’m also worried that he won’t be on campus in the fall to lay groundwork for trying to get an internship for the summer after his junior year. I have a feeling this summer will come down to just making money and hoping to work for the contractor he’s worked for the last few years over breaks. So that entails next year applying for positions with no interning or major related experience yet.
I feel for all the college kids, and this year’s graduates, the folks applying to (and in) grad school right now; it’s just so stressful and tragic.
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Are you (or is anyone else) worried about study abroads getting canned next year? S23 is planning to go in the spring (and partly for the reason you stated above: i.e., so he’d be on campus for fall ‘hiring season’) so he hasn’t finalized anything yet. But, if things continue as they are, Americans are going to become such international pariahs that I’m afraid that we won’t be welcome anywhere abroad (other than say, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, etc.) 
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I think for the most part study abroad next year should be fine. I’ve known Russians studying in Europe now who are doing fine – it’s the ones being obnoxious that get pushback, but the ones just there studying are fine. I can’t imagine it being worse for Americans. As long as visa issues are resolved, your kids should be fine.
People the world over are pretty good about separating individuals from specific policies/or the government. I lived in Egypt during the Iraq war, and aside from some comments never had an issue.
Basically, no need to hit the panic button this yet. There absolutely are going to be some ramifications from certain policies, but I would argue it’s more imperative we get out into the world and not retreat from it.
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I believe students will be okay, especially if they are kind, thoughtful, and interested in learning about the culture and country they’re visiting. Being someone who is a “good guest” for a semester or more leaves a different impression than, e.g. “spring breakers.”
I agree with @DadBodThor that it’s important to not isolate, and hopefully reach out in our own ways to other countries.
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Agreed! Just got off the phone with S23, I’m encouraging him to go spend his summer in Europe and do some language study and travel around. We have family and friends over there he could visit too. Seems like a more interesting (and perspective-broadening) way to spend his summer, instead of just taking a class that he could take in the fall instead, and working his campus job.
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D23 was officially offered the research position! She is super excited and I have to admit it does sound very cool. It will leave her without a real break between the end of the semester and the start of the research but she will have a couple weeks at the end of the summer.
She also was just notified that she has been nominated by the Chemistry department for special recognition. Really proud of all her hard work.
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Visited S23 this week. He isn’t totally ahead of the game but his head and maturity is moving in the right direction. He’s choosing to do a physical job versus an internship this summer but hopefully he will make money which for now is most important for me.
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Hey all! Just catching up on everyone’s summer plans. I am frustrated along with many of you about the uncertainty and competitiveness of summer options, but honestly, I just told my kids after all their unanswered CS internship applications that they might as well just do something fun for the summer.
One of my S23s is going back to his summer job of coaching climbing, and the other lined up a summer job at a national park. But of course that job went away as soon as he got it 
However, things turned around for him and he was able to get a summer research position in his department at school.
I hate the rollercoaster all of us are on. Sounds like so many kids are running into issues right now. Hang in there, everyone!
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Part of me is secretly happy that S23 gets to have a more traditional summer and get a break from the rat race 
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Rollercoaster is right. S23 had a little rough patch of being really negative about himself and feeling a bit hopeless. The mom in me knows he was just overwhelmed, anxious, and scared. So even though I knew he was coming home in a month, I flew out there to physically put my eyes and arms on him. He just is not the greatest communicator on the phone (to us parents anyways) but spent 2 hours non stop talking when we got there. He’s on the right track.
Speaking of summer jobs, he has gone from wanting a physical job to taking an internship. It is the second time his dad has helped him get internships at places where he works. His dad swears he is not part of his interview and hiring process but not many places will turn away the ceo’s kid. It is not a big area of interest for him (QA department again) where he is usually used as data entry for different projects. He knows it doesn’t look bad on a resume though so he will use it to his advantage he says. The QA internship he did summer before college resulted in him winning a scholarship and presenting at a national conference.
More change may happen this summer with his personal relationships too. His gf is very sweet and smart and has been the one to really get him to focus on academics. But the long distance is getting difficult along with them being at different paths with their schooling and careers. She is graduating college next month and applying to law schools. She understandably is anxious and he is verbalizing as much as he loves her, being her only sounding board and only support person is straining him. She doesn’t have really many friends and she does really rely on him. I’m not saying that is a bad thing but I know he is torn. He loves her deeply and just wishes maybe they would have met 4-5 years in the future instead. He feels like such a jerk but he isn’t the cheating type but he also struggles and might need to be a bit selfish for a bit and concentrate on finding his future before building one with someone else he thinks. I get it.
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S23 never heard anything else about his place on the waitlist for that “dream internship” that was on hold due to funding cuts, so he pivoted and started emailing professors at our local universities that have labs in his area of interest. He included his resume and the contact information for one of his current professors that agreed to provide a reference if needed. I was so impressed with his initiative. I’m happy to say that his persistence paid off, and he just signed the paperwork for a research position in the same field as the failed internship! It will be unpaid (paid positions are restricted to students who attend that university), but he might get a small stipend to cover daily transportation costs. It’s not a bad commute from home and he has a car, so even gas money would be appreciated. He’s thrilled to have something in his desired field, and there’s a chance to continue working with this professor next year if they can secure some lab space at DS’s current university. (It seems this professor attended grad school there and keeps in touch with some of the professors on campus. I think that helped DS land the position.) It’s also great that he’ll get to expand his connections in this field by working with a professor and students at a different university. Even if it’s just for the summer, it’s a wonderful opportunity and we’re very grateful. It’s also nice for me and DH that he’ll be back home this summer. 
Good luck to all the students still looking. If you can afford it, there are still some great unpaid positions out there where students can get valuable experience in their field.
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Bit jealous of my son at Virginia Tech tonight… he’ll be going to the Metallica concert in Lane stadium. I got him into Metallica while he was in high school, so it’s a pretty cool experience.
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H and I are currently on our way! Metallica was popular when I was at Tech! Though the intro at the games came later.
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How was it? My son sent a video around midnight and he said it was amazing.
It was cool. I like Metallica, but I don’t like concerts. I’m noise sensitive, so that and the crowds, and everyone vaping?! Got to me after a bit. But Metallica at Lane Stadium is very special. It was the first concert they’ve ever held there. Fitting choice. They finished with Mater of Puppets and Enter Sandman - probably my favorite part.
And it took us 2.75 hours to get from the stadium to Roanoke! It was nuts.
The weather was absolutely perfect though. The sunset was gorgeous.
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Metallica broke attendance record in the Dome at Cuse Easter weekend.