With the extremely competitive job market, it seems as though everyone is applying to every internship during the summer, making it seem almost impossible to snag the internship one really wants. More and more students in a variety of studies choose to supplement their coursework with internships, which give them more of an opportunity to get out the classroom and into real-life work situations.

At the 416 schools that provided internship data to U.S. News, 37.6 percent of 2010 graduates participated in internships as undergraduate students, on average. Of the graduating seniors at the 59 national universities that provided data, an average of 30.4 percent had internship experience.

The list below details ten (ranked) National Universities with the highest percentage of 2010 graduates who worked as interns during their undergraduate studies:

10. University of South Dakota

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 913

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 53%

U.S. News rank and category: 194, National Universities

 

9. Pace University

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 1,388

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 57%

U.S. News rank and category: 170, National Universities

 

8. University of Massachusetts--Amherst

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 4,851

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 57%

U.S. News rank and category: 94, National Universities

 

7. South Carolina State University

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 565

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 60%

U.S. News rank and category: 150, National Universities

 

6. Florida Institute of Technology

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 524

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 60%

U.S. News rank and category: 164, National Universities

 

5. George Washington University (DC)

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 2,405

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 66%

U.S. News rank and category: 50, National Universities

 

4. University of Pittsburgh

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 3,974

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 69%

U.S. News rank and category: 58, National Universities

 

3. Darthmouth College (NH)

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 1,067

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 72%

U.S. News rank and category: 11, National Universities

 

2. Colorado School of Mines

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 666

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 81%

U.S. News rank and category: 75, National Universities

 

1.     American University (DC)

Bachelor's degrees awarded (2009-2010): 1,515

Percentage graduating with internship experience: 85%

U.S. News rank and category: 82, National Universities