Hopefully the following thoughts will help you make your decision ASAP:

• Nothing beats real world experience. It’s vital to realize how competitive the world is right now. Because of the challenged economy and increasing unemployment rate throughout the US, it is extremely important that you have a competitive edge. Internships reveal your dedication to your future career and provide invaluable real world experience.
• Job opportunities after graduation. It has been said time and time again that “it’s who you know” that makes a difference when finding a job. Many times companies hire their interns because they know what to expect from them. If you work hard, you may get a job offer!
• Gaining confidence and finding your true calling. Internships will give you a jump on figuring out what you want to do with your career. This puts you ten steps ahead after graduation. You’ll be amazed at how much confidence you’ll gain by working with great minds…and learning invaluable skills in the process.

Applying for an internship is pretty straight forward. All you have to do is find the company/companies you’re interested in and either e-mail or call their headquarters for details. Most of the time, you’ll find that a company receptionist can steer you in the right direction over the phone. Many companies post internships on their job boards, so you can check those out in your discovery process.

You also may want to check to see if your college has a career resource center that can help. It’s quite common for colleges to have hook-ups with local companies. The great thing about this approach is that your guidance counselor can serve as your reference and fast-track the process.

Once you begin an internship, remember that each and every second is precious. Work hard and in the end you may end up with a great job!

We’d love to hear your interning stories or advice. Share away on our Facebook wall…

http://www.facebook.com/valorebooks

and you’re probably already realizing that you need to carefully manage your funds

The following are a handful of ideas for saving cash - and if you have any additional ideas, feel free to add your two cents.

1. Eat at home or make lunches. It may sound a bit boring and somewhat of a hassle to make your meals at home, but you will be amazed at how much you save. This includes regular Starbucks runs. Dare yourself to make your own coffee and bring it in a thermos. To see how much you’ll save, go through your last bank statement and add up how much you spent on eating out.

2. Purchase Used Books. Why spend two to three times as much for a new college textbook? You can find used books that have barely been touched. As you can imagine, some students were well intentioned when they planned to read through their textbooks and instead used them as bookshelf decorations. Valore Books can save you up to 90% on your books!!

3. Reduce Your Cell Phone Plan. Cell phone bills can be astronomical, no doubt. You can revolt by cutting your cell plan and using Skype or other similar technologies. Did you know that you can enjoy unlimited phone calls within the US on Skype for only $2.99 per month? Or better yet, make unlimited calls internationally for around $15 bucks? It’s a great idea to use Skype when at home and your cell when you’re out and about.

4. Limit Yourself to a Set Amount of Cash Per Week. Make a trip to the bank and take out a limited amount of cash. Put the cash in your wallet, and then put your debit/credit cards away in your sock drawer. When you run out of cash, you’re out of cash! Holding cash in your hands makes you much more aware of the value of a dollar.

5. Discover FREE Activities. There are all sorts of free stuff going on and activities to engage in. No matter where you live, you can probably enjoy great hiking spots, fun places to ride your bike, public tennis courts, beaches & lakes and more. Additionally, as a college student, you can take advantage of free sporting events, art exhibits, concerts, poetry readings and clubs on campus. Don’t miss out!

These are just a handful of ideas on cutting down your cost of living throughout the month. We’d love to hear your ideas as well. How do you cut expenses? Share away!

Many of the courses listed in the link above give full access to class documents and lectures via pod cast or web cast.  After browsing the best free online courses, make sure to check out UC – Berkeley’s youtube page, where they have uploaded hundreds of course lectures.

These are some of the top universities in the country, offering free classes!  Now put down that TV remote and go take a class at MIT and Berkeley…For Free!