Any experience with summer interships?

[zahc]

I'm a junior physics major at a small private college in OH with a pretty unfortunate physics department. I'm looking into a summer internship to further my experience at a school that has actual, you know, labs and stuff.

Advantages:you usually make money, experience, travel, resume building, see if graduate school is for me.

Disadvantages:I'm an atypical college student; I live in an apartment with a lease agreement, complete with 50 gallon aquaria and big screen TV. Moving away for the summer would either force me to NOT renew my lease, forcing me to find affordable housing close to campus when I come back (not easy) or pay rent on a place I'm not going to be living in all summer. Furthermore, on-campus housing is usually provided, but you know what that means...no contraband. So either find a place to store it (where it's useless anyway) or don't bring it. I'm not sure if I can really live on-campus. I don't think I'm cut out for it. Living with another person on campus is not an option. Finding paying for ANOTHER apartment sounds difficult and wasteful.

A quick look at NSFs summer REU page turned up about three pages of schools offering some kind of program in physics research or engineering. Does anyone know of any good sites that help the search?

Does anyone who has gone through this have any advice?

[DrAmazon]

NSF-REU is actually a great program.  It is well known and well respected.  It pays stipend plus room, and in some places pays board too.  I did one between my senior and 5th years in college, and it helped me cement my decision to go to grad school, and I'm sure that it helped me get into grad schools.

Summer programs are usually 10 weeks long.  

I was so busy in my REU, that I didn't really have time to miss my contraband.  I worked my butt off in the lab.  There was actually a grad student in my group who was a shooter, so I went plinking a couple of times.  

Have you talked to any of the faculty at your school about any opportunities that they may know about?  Someone may have a collaboration at a R-01 physics department within driving distance, (or at least driving home on the weekend distance) that would let you get this valuable experience without giving up your place.

The National Labs (Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, Oak Ridge, Los Alamos (they may be off line right now)) all tend to have excellent programs too.

[Justin]

Have you considered sub-leasing your apartment for the summer?

Given the aquarium and tv, you should probably screen for someone who's respectful of other people's stuff and has a love of fish, but it's something to consider at least.

I would strongly suggest you do what you can to find an internship.  I had three internships during my college years, and they were almost as educational as my schooling.

[zahc]

I've come to find out that I have an excellent chance of being accepted to a summer REU in Puerto Rico doing atmospheric research via radar and rockets. One of my professors used to work there, and has been telling me about it. Moving out of the country is even more drastic, but I'd love to travel, having never even seen the ocean.