This study examined the relationship of business college internships to college performance and to subsequent job opportunities. Whites were more apt to have had a n internship than African Americans: there was no difference by gender. Students with internships had a significantly higher overall grade point average, were somewhat younger upon graduation, and were more apt to be employed upon graduation than students without internships. Internships were thus related to both better college performance and to receiving a job offer upon graduation. Discussion centered on the role of internship in realistic job expectations and recommendations for improving internships.
College internships offer a variety of benefits to students both for improving performance while in college and for increasing opportunities for finding a job upon graduation. While students are still in college, internships can help them develop immediate skills that can improve course performance, such a s better time management, better communication skills, better self-discipline, heightened initiative, and an overall better self-concept (Dennis, 1996: Healy & Mourton, 1987;Kane, Healy, &Henson, 1992; Taylor, 1988). Theoretically, this should produce more confidence and less anxiety in the student as well as enhance specific academic skills. Therefore, performance measures such as grade point average may increase for those students who have had internships (Healy & Mourton. 1987).
Ultimately, the most important result of the internship should be betterjob opportunities, because students have experienced the world of work (Super, 1957). In fact, many students consider internships the most credible means to learn the reality of the work environ-