As part of the National Evaluation of School-to-Work implementation based on the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994, a study used student surveys and site visits in eight states to determine types and numbers of student participation in work-based activities and the quality of internships that students obtain through school. The findings include the following: (1) most students participate in brief worksite observation activities, and these activities appear to be growing; (2) extended internships involve fewer students and do not appear to have increased; (3) work-based activities attract a diverse mix of students, with female students more likely than males to participate; (4) noncollege-bound students are more likely to obtain paid internships, while college-bound students are more likely to secure unpaid internships; (5) students find internships and job-shadowing experiences helpful in clarifying career goals; (6) schools' paid and unpaid internships are more diverse and offer more learning opportunities than the positions students find on their own; and (7) there is a mixed pattern of changes in students' experiences of paid and unpaid internships. Recommendations to enhance work-based learning opportunities include connecting work-based activities more closely with the school curriculum; developing internships that involve a moderate amount of time at the workplace; developing workplace activities in settings that appeal to male students; and increasing public appreciation of the potential benefits of work-based learning. (Contains 11 references.) (KC)