I don't know what it's like in the US, but up here co-op programs (in other faculties) are fairly common, where you get credit for working in an office BUT you also typically get paid to do so.

There was a discussion about this on archinect not that long ago, try searching for it.

What I think is even more reprehensible is when schools require an internship to earn a diploma, don't provide you with any leads and then charge you as though it were a class like any other. This might be somewhat defensible if the school cultivated partnerships at firms and placed you in internships. At Columbia College Chicago, one must find their own internship, land it, hope it jives with the school requirement, and then pay CCC $2k for the privilege. The class of 2009 is looking at having their diplomas deferred until the market improves.

Every job I've seen will only consider applicants with prior architectural experience (school doesn't count), so I would gladly pay to get some, it beats being stuck in a minimum wage job for years.

Such a ridiculous situation; paying someone to work for them.
I'm already a little apprehensive about doing an internship in Germany where my only earning is a monthly stipend (which allows for a very modest, continued student lifestyle). But to work without being paid, (or even worse to pay to work!) is just reprehensible. Anyone who does that is just foolish, plain and simple. And don't give me some BS about experience and making connections. If you're actually talented and dedicated enough, you can do that while making a living.

Where I went to college the engineering students were required to do a semester of co-op working in the field. For this they did pay a tuition but the University would find them a job and the students were always paid by the sponsoring company for the job they had. Knew some EE's that worked for IBM making a very healthy hourly wage ($25/hr) and were given a discount rate at a fully furnished nearby apartment. In the end the co-op students always came back to college with more cash than when they left.

That's a different world than architecture for sure.

I've often heard about unpaid summer internships but in the slow economy I'm not surprised to hear of people offering to pay architectural firms just to get experience, a foot in the door.

Personally I find any unpaid or pay to play work very unprofessional of the employer. Modern day serfdom. As for anyone willing to go along and work for free or pay to work, you are nothing more than a willing accomplice to a perpetuation of poor compensation in this field. The only reason a reasonable firm would not pay for labor is because they don't need it in the first place, i.e. they don't have work to support you. Cold truth is most firms today are in that position and yes, you might have to wait a long time before something is available. Save your dignity and don't work for free.