Internships & Co-ops

The distinction between "internship" and "co-op" is increasingly blurred — both are paid, structured, time-bounded student work experiences. Co-ops tend to run longer (4–8 months vs. summer-only) and are often woven directly into a degree program. We surface both here because the experience is functionally similar from a career perspective.

Internship hiring runs on a calendar that's surprisingly aggressive: summer-2026 listings open as early as June 2025 at the most competitive companies (Big Tech, top quant firms, top consulting). Most close their cohorts by November-December of the previous year. If you're applying for summer 2026 in May 2026, the calendar is brutal — apply yesterday.

Many internships convert directly into full-time return offers. The conversion rate at well-run programs (Stripe, Anthropic, most FAANG, top consulting) clears 70%+. Treat internships as a 12-week interview, not a side project — return offers compound faster than re-applying full-time as a new grad with weaker credentials.