Kayla Johnston  |  Contributing Writer

It seems that every year, the expectations on college students pile higher and higher. We need to take a full class load. We need to apply for study-abroad programs. We need to be working part-time – scratch that, full-time. We need an internship – scratch that too, a paid internship.

As a college student who has often fallen victim to these pressures, I am forced to ask myself how necessary it is to fulfill these ideals. Will a semester in Europe or a side job swirling frozen yogurt really help me land work post-graduation? The question of internships is even more pressing: Does it even matter if an internship is paid or unpaid?

According to a bold statement made in a Forbes article, “Why Your Unpaid Internship Makes You Less Employable,” unpaid internships are unlikely to get college graduates a job. On top of the pressure to find an internship in the first place, the odds are stacked against us in the race for paid internships, as they are often the most desirable and sought-after positions.

In the article, Forbes cites a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers which states: “Hiring rates for students who had chosen to complete an unpaid internship (37 percent) were almost the same for those who had not completed any internship at all (35 percent). Students who had any history of a paid internship, on the other hand, were far more likely (63 percent) to secure employment. “

This information speaks volumes to the ever-growing pressure college students are facing. Employers are seeking the best of the best, and internships that offer pay typically come with more work and more responsibility. An employer assumes that between the resume with an unpaid internship and the resume with a paid internship, the latter has received more work experience and has ultimately worked harder due to the nature of a paying position. Gone are the days when an employer asked about our personal learning experiences; know it is now about how many computer programs we’re trained to use. It’s all how good we look on paper.

An unpaid internship, while an incredible opportunity, is not valued the way it should be. The benefits of a paid internship may be greater in the long run, but who’s to say an unpaid internship can’t teach you everything you need to know and then some? If you’re in the position of needing an internship, and the only options left are unpaid, take one!

Don’t let the facts scare you out of an opportunity. If given the choice, a paid internship may be the wiser decision, but we are rarely given that choice. Take what you can get and choose to learn all you can from the experience regardless.