Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts (E22)
Number of Respondents: 5

          C.S. Draper Lab is located near MIT. The company does not subsidize housing. Interns lived in a frat or dorm. Two people walked, two biked, and one drove to the Lab. Therefore, the commute varied from 5 to 25 minutes.

          Projects were generally assigned upon arrival, though one intern's was assigned before the summer. Work was in either product development or applied research. Most found their work fairly challenging and said they gained a lot of practical skills. One intern felt he was underqualified, but he quickly learned how to program. Not much freedom was given to students in defining their projects, and most did not feel encouraged to try out different groups. Equipment was up-to-date, but one student had trouble getting a computer and found it to be "archaic."

          Most interns shared lab or office space with their coworkers, though one had a big personal office. Interns were treated with respect and found their coworkers very competent. The work environment was laid-back, and the dress code was casual. There was a lot of interaction between students, ranging from friendly conversations to technical discussions.

          Three out of the five respondents said they would choose Draper again, and two said they'd work there after graduation. Draper does not provide any dental or health benefits but does pay for fifth-year, first-term tuition. The salary is average.

"Enjoy the working conditions, makes it comfortable to learn."
"Flexibility and competence of workers is nice. The attitudes of a few workers have something to be desired."

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