Are internships important when applying to grad school?

Graduate admissions committees are mainly interested in two factors: your academic performance (GPA, standardized test scores) and your experiences outside the classroom. When it comes to experiences outside of the classroom, admissions officers do tend to prefer applicants that have work or internship experience. Here’s why.

Internships improve your communication skills.By interacting with others in a professional environment during an internship, you will have many opportunities to become a better communicator – which is an important skill not only for grad school but also for your future career.

Internships build your management skills.There will be more work to do in graduate school. If you have an interning experience, you will enhance your leadership abilities by getting better at time management, delegation and teamwork. These skills can be used both inside and outside the classroom.

Internships provide career insights.You can gain career focus through professional experiences, which, in turn, will allow you to build your network and connect the pieces between your graduate school studies and future career path.

Internships help you build your résumé.The more internship experience that you have in your field of interest, the more you will be able to demonstrate focus and passion for that area – which will be beneficial both in the graduate admissions process as well as your job search.

Internships provide you better letters of recommendation.Recommendations from professional references, such as employers, make great letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation from employers can highlight your professional skills and give you a leg up in the admission process.

Beyond an advantage in the admissions process, internships provide graduate candidates with many valuable skills and can even help steer candidates toward the best fit career field.