What skills should a college student build before applying for tech internships ?

Start much earlier than your final year. You don't need to master everything. Pick one direction and build a foundation. For example: AI/ML: Python + statistics + ML + projects Data Science: Python + SQL + statistics + data visualization Cloud: Linux + networking + cloud fundamentals + automation Software Development: Programming + DSA + Git + databases + projects The biggest mistake I see is collecting certificates without actually building anything. Build small projects. Break them. Fix them. Put the good ones on GitHub. Learn to explain your decisions. Also participate in hackathons, internships, technical communities, and college projects whenever possible. By the time you start applying for internships, you should be able to show something you've actually built. That's one reason I like the emphasis on practical learning when looking at technology programs such as those listed by MH Cognition.