A critical but often overlooked area of higher education is the career success of graduating seniors.
This study concludes that experiential education plays a vital role in enhancing the career
preparation and marketability of undergraduates in the entry-level job market. Internships provide
students (and faculty) with a means of bridging the gap between career expectations developed in
the classroom and the reality of post-graduation employment. This study provides empirical
evidence to support earlier theory-based research suggesting interns are better prepared to enter the
job market (Groves et al., 1977; Hite and Belizzi, 1986), and enjoy significant advantages in
obtaining full-time job offers and higher compensation (Gault et al., 2000).