When one thinks of all the expenses associated with going to college, one may think of tuition, room and board, books, and possibly travel. But what about the added expense of paying somebody to land the student a key internship? According to a recent Chicago Tribune article, a growing number of students are paying placement companies for internships at well-known companies. Because it is becoming more and more necessary for college graduates to enter the world with some sort of work experience (as the article notes), there is increased competition for good summer internships, many of which are unpaid. The internship-finders that students hire use their contacts at various companies to get their clients into desirable positions.

The whole notion seems a little exploitative. The quote that really struck me was the following, made by the head of one such internship-finding company:

"We go about it the same way we would if we were back at a corporation or an advertising agency marketing a product."

When I was in college, I had no idea I was a “product” that needed marketing. So much for grades.

“Students Paying Internship Search Firms,” Chicago Tribune, March 6, 2007