FAQ

The following are general responses to specific questions. To better understand how the issues pertain to you, stop in the Career Center.

1. What are the requirements to go co-op?
2. How do I get a co-op job?
3. Do I have to pay tuition while on co-op?
4. Do I get credit for going co-op?
5. How long is a co-op job?
6. How do I make up my studies?
7. Will going co-op guarantee me a full-time job?
8. Will going co-op effect my financial aid?
9. Does the Co-op office help with finding housing for co-op students?
10. Should I go co-op or get a summer job?
11. How do I find out more about the program?

What are the requirements to go co-op?
Students must be a sophomore, junior or senior and be in good academic standing (2.0 gpa) and plan to complete their last full semester at the University.
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How do I get a co-op job?
Most students use both the University resources and their own personal resources. Plan on participating in on-campus recruiting, attending the Fall and Spring University Career Fairs and networking with professionals. If you know of someone in business or industry, contact them to see if they can help!
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Do I have to pay tuition while on co-op?
As long as you are officially enrolled in the Co-op program, your academic and financial status as a student is frozen and you will not be asked to pay tuition costs.
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Do I get credit for going co-op?
Academic credit is not given for co-op.
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How long is a co-op job?
Typically, co-op is one academic semester and a summer, but the work timeframe is very flexible. We try to match your work interests with a company's employment needs.
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How do I make up my studies?
However you make up the work is your choice. You may attend summer school or use AP credit or overload (take more than 15 credit hours) during the semester or push back your graduation date. We strongly encourage you to meet with your academic advisor so that you can discuss which is the best plan for you to make up your classes.
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Will going co-op guarantee me a full-time job?
No, it won't but it will certainly increase your chances - companies place a great value on practical experience. In recent years, the trend in business and industry is to hire entry-level employees from the pool of students who have done a co-op with the company.
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Will going co-op effect my financial aid?
It may, but the SAS office will make every attempt not let your co-op experience negatively affect your financial aid package. That is why it is important to keep an accurate record of your expenses while on co-op.
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Does the Co-op office help with finding housing for co-op students?
Yes! We are developing a database of where the co-ops students before you have lived and information about their housing accommodations. It is ultimately your responsibility to find housing, but we will try our best to assist you.
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Should I go co-op or get a summer job?
Although many students prefer to search for a summer job, most companies show preference to students doing a co-op experience. Companies favor co-op because students are able to spend more time on the job working for the company. This is important because the longer work timeframe provides a better opportunity to evaluate the co-op student and typically the projects assigned to co-op students are genuinely professional in nature. Most importantly, doing well on a co-op job may lead to a full-time offer, which most likely is not the case with a summer position (unless you have worked at the same company for more than one summer).
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How do I find out more about the program?
Stop by the Career Center office or e-mail career@clarkson.edu
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