Sophomore Seeking Internship Advice. Should I take this if it's unpaid

Hi guys, I'm currently a sophomore (diversity) at a semi-target uni (think IU Kelly, UNC, UT, etc.), majoring in finance. I have two (remote and unpaid) internships on my resume—one in PE and one in IB. My GPA is well above average, and my extracurriculars are also solid.

I recently received an offer from a local small PE firm (~40 employees) and am currently deciding whether to accept it. The program looks promising—it's offline, the people are nice, and there's allegedly a lot of technical exposure. However, it's still an unpaid internship, and I would be running a deficit covering my own housing, meals, etc.

I'm really debating with myself. On one hand, having this internship on my resume could boost my chances in the upcoming 2025 SA recruitment season. I could also focus on preparing for recruitment during winter break. On the other hand, I could decline the internship and try to find something potentially better, though there's a risk of not finding any and making myself look like a clown.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

2 Comments
 

Despite unfortunately being unpaid, it sounds like it could be a good gig for your chances at an SA position. It might be worth doing some maths and seeing if, despite running a deficit, you can afford to do the internship.

 

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