<p>To be fair, a lot of engineering majors have no interest in SURFs - internships can be much more beneficial.</p>
<p>The ‘ease of getting a SURF’ is really one of those things that should be added to the exit surveys seniors do, since it’s hard to get a gauge beyond our anecdotal experiences otherwise.</p>
<p>My observations, though, are that it’s not hard to get a SURF if one isn’t too picky about the Professor (being willing to work at JPL helps greatly too). When one specifies a professor or two, however, things can get a little dicey depending on the student’s year and perceived ability. </p>
<p>The best advice is to email Professors early and often (by early I mean late Fall term). If they don’t answer, call them or talk to their secretaries. If you can find a willing and funded Professor, as spoon said, the SURF application is mostly a technicality. Otherwise, if you’re not getting warm responses, you should still have time to look into other REUs.</p>