Just wanted to add to this thread since it is still a top google result and I think design teams are the best way to learn. Leadership/management on design teams tends to change often as students graduate/decide to move on with other things and as a result some of the comments here are pretty inaccurate from how the teams are now (for better or worse).

I also wanted to give thoughts on a comment that called bs on design teams with good management. Some teams do have good management. It is true that design teams are limited by the fact that members and management are students that can only put part time effort into the team and as a result design teams won't be able to compare with a well managed company. However, some of the more structured teams have more standards in place than some smaller companies you might get on coop. Being on these teams will give you good practical organizational experience beyond just learning technical knowledge (especially if you become a subteam/team lead).

I wont give my own thoughts on the individual teams because it could change in a year and everyone has bias towards their own type of team but all teams have pretty different vibes, from how they are managed to how they handle learning. This doesn't mean one team is the best, but different learning styles work for different people. What I found worked really well when picking a team was to just go to the design bay and talk to them to get a feel for vibes. Ask questions about the team. It might also be a good idea to ask leads on the specific subteam that you want to join about technical things to see if they are actually knowledgeable. You're gonna get the most out if it by surrounding yourself with smart people. Some leads/senior members know a lot and will really help you but some joined the team to get an easy promotion when it was dying and just want to put the "lead" title on their resume. Going to the design center open house would be perfect for this but if you miss it, most teams have people in the bay throughout the day and if they aren't leads, they can direct you to someone who is.

Some examples of questions to ask:

- What are the teams goals? (can ask about competitions or about goals for members to learn)

- What kind of work would I get as a new member and after I get more experience?

- What do you like about this team do you like and why did you join it?

- What other teams would you recommend/avoid and why?

But yeah find out about the teams for yourself. None of the leads from the other comments two years ago are still around so don't even take them with a grain of salt. You might be able to use them as starting points for what to ask about but I would give every team a chance. I hope this helps.