What To Do When You’re Rejected From Both PICS and IIP

Posted on by Nanako Shirai

We’re done with half the academic year and you’ve probably started to think about what you’re going to do this upcoming summer. Many of you have probably taken advantage of two of the largest summer internship programs sponsored by Princeton: Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS) and International Internship Program (IIP). Some of you may be lucky enough to have gotten a positive response. However, some of you, like me as a first year, were probably told that your application “unfortunately did not work out this year.”

One of the locations I interned at was the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan.

But have no fear! While I was rejected from both PICS and IIP as a first year, I still managed to participate in two great internships (one eight weeks and the other four weeks) that led to a spectacular summer — in this post, I’d like to share how. (For another great post about Princeton summer opportunities, look at this post by fellow correspondent Raya!)

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The Center for Career Development: One of Princeton’s Many Gems

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The Center for Career Development is a great resource for students!

I have been madly in love with the Center for Career Development for quite some time now, but after asking a few people about their thoughts, I realized that not everyone shares the same sentiment. Some people have had negative experiences, and others have simply never utilized the service. I, on the other hand, have been to the Center for Career Development countless times, and I was lucky enough to be paired with the greatest adviser of all time. Ever since then, I’ve only ever gone to this one adviser. She always makes me feel proud of what I have accomplished so far, and excited for what is to come. Hopefully this post will show you exactly why you should take advantage of this incredible resource!

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Internship Step One: Reaching Out

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A few weeks ago, I participated in an event hosted by Princeton’s Peer Career Advisers called an “Insider’s Look at Internships.” I was there as an ambassador for OURSIP—the Office of Undergraduate Research’s Student Initiated Internships Program. OURSIP makes it possible for Princeton students to pursue unpaid research opportunities over the summer, such as my own, by providing funding to cover anticipated expenses.

Use professors and advisers as resources to help find summer opportunities

The unique thing about OURSIP is that it asks students to take it upon themselves to secure their own internship before asking Princeton for help with funding. As opposed to other Princeton programs, like PICS or IIP, which also assist students in the internship search process as part of the program. As students came up to speak to me about OURSIP at the event, I found that their first question was always, “So what is OURSIP?” and after hearing my description their second, more hesitant question was always, “But how did you find your internship?”

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