College internships offer many advantages: they offer a chance to get real-life work experience, add value to your resume, give you insights into actual working environments, give additional course credits and so on. However, internships can be paid or unpaid opportunities, so which should you choose?

Unpaid college internships
While working for pay can seem like a better option, it is not always easy to get such opportunities. If you have the financial means to support yourself without receiving pay for your internship, an unpaid internship may be a good option to consider.

Usually, freshmen and sophomores may find it easier to go the unpaid route.

Non-profit organizations cannot afford to pay interns. However, they might have programs that offer valuable hands-on experience and learning opportunities. You can benefit from these programs even if they do not pay you. Startups also tend to offer unpaid internships, and you tend to learn more when you work in a smaller organization.

You might consider internship programs that also provide college credits.

Paid college internships
Seniors who have completed one or more unpaid college internships might have a better chance of getting into paid internship programs. The Fair Labor Standards Act has laid down stricter regulations on unpaid internships. The rules include stipulations that the intern derives more benefit than the company through the program, the intern should not displace any existing employee, the internship provides similar benefits as an academic program, and so on.

So, many for-profit organizations find it easier to offer paid internship programs. Interns, however, will not be paid on the same scale as that of regular employees. Still, the wages received in addition to the experience gained make these programs a great opportunity for students.

Studies have found that interns who were paid for their work have a better chance of getting a job than those who did an unpaid college internship. So, if you are a senior, you should probably consider well-paying college internship programs to add to your resume.

Paid or unpaid, college internship programs give you the opportunity of experiencing a real working environment, network with people who might help when it is time to look for a job, learn non-academic job skills, and be mentored by experienced professionals in your chosen field.