faraday

It's not a myth at all, that MIT undergrads really have an enormous advantage at getting involved into research. It is extremely striking at how much ease there is to getting a UROP here, even as an unskilled freshman.

For me, all it took was a quick look at a faculty page in the department I thought was cool, and 3 quick emails: result=> 2 positive replies.

I know at least 3 other froshes who already got a UROP, less than 1 month after classes started!

OK, enough of the rant, time to got study :-D.

mia305

there are 4 types: direct [mit] funded, sponsor [professor/research group funded], for credit [not paid] and volunteer.

The direct funded urops pay a max of $1300/semester at $9 something an hour. with the sponsor funded urops the pay starts at that figure [but it is far more expensive to the prof to hire you than just your salary since mit charges the prof an overhead factor on top of your wage of something like 65%?] the other two are self explanatory.

Particularly with the budget cuts/endowment drop, the direct funded urops appear tantamount to work study [but with real research opportunities]. financial aid recipients are guaranteed at least one; and, those not on financial aid appear to have hard luck getting approved for direct funding [all apps go thru a committee]. For those not receiving direct funding that leaves getting sponsor funding or doing it for credit or as a volunteer. the situation with paid urops should be watched as the budget cuts progress.