If you haven't had a chance yet, take some time tonight to research companies that are providing internships to students. Tomorrow, you will be expected to rank companies by order of preference.

Here are a few things you might want to research:

• How large is the company? Do you want to work for a smaller or larger company? Is the company in question an agency, a small company, or a larger enterprise company?
• What stack does the company use for software?
• What products does the company make or what services do they offer?
• Is the company's core values in alignment with your own values and interests?
• Are there any open positions at the company? What are they looking for?

The most obvious place to start your research is by looking at the company website. Some companies have blogs (or developer blogs). You may also want to consider looking on LinkedIn — can you find any employees at the company in question? Employees may list projects they are working on, the stack they are using, and other useful information about the company.

Even if you don't end up getting an internship (or interviewing with) a company that you research, this information can still be valuable down the road. You might land an interview with one of these companies later — or even get your first (or a future) job.