Howdy!
I am sophomore Urban & Regional Sciences major who is looking for some possible internships up north and I was wondering if anyone in that direction had any suggestions or comments.

I was looking at hopefully interning Spring 2012 with either city's planning & development department or a private firm that does planning and development work. My goal is to one day work with a company that does predominantly urban development & redevelopment work.

As far as internship type, I really don't care if it is paid or not, I'm just going to need a place to live and hopefully some sort of compensation for rent. Both city departments have non-paid internships that sound great but of course, I am keeping all options open in case things fall through.

Any comments on living experiences in any major cities in the region, job experiences, or references would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not in that field, but have lived in Chicago and currently live in NYC, so happy to address any questions you have about living in either place

In that case, I guess I am most curious about living situations. Did you happen to move there right after college or were you from the Northeast/Midwest originally? Most of the internships I am looking at show no compensation or pay and I am going to need to find a descent place to live with a reasonable price. The living situation part is my biggest concern right now.
I'm originally from San Antonio and have never been that far north but I definitely want to at least intern in large cities such as those to be able to get really good experience.

I'm from the northeast originally, but didn't move back until well after graduation. I left Chicago 4 years ago. As you might imagine, city living is expensive in terms of rent. Back then, I paid $1440/mo for a 640 sq foot convertible apt. Basically a studio with a partial wall for the bed area. I had a great view of downtown and all bills including cable and internet were included. But there are far cheaper areas than where I lived. Craigs list is a good place for sublets, etc


As far as groceries, etc. I really didn't see a difference...likely marginally more money.

Both cities have large A&M clubs so might get in touch with the Chicagoland club to see if anyone needs a roomie for the summer, a sublet, or even an extra room. Of course, I can put you in touch with people in NYC.

Are you getting credit for the internship? If so, you might check with financial aid to see what you might get this summer.

As far as living, both cities are great fun. Plenty to do, especially in the summer...outdoor cafes, outdoor concerts, arts, etc.

My email is in my profile if you have specific questions, but I'll check here periodically too.

[This message has been edited by Scimitar (edited 2/10/2011 5:26p).]