<p>I will be working with this rising assistant prof who will be starting his new lab soon. I will be in his lab as an intern student for around 6 months but I do hope eventually to pursue graduate studies with him. We did had a short chat and feels he really care about his students (hope Im not wrong about that) and could feel his tenacious ambitious drive. If everything goes well in this internship, how do I let him know I wish to pursue a PhD under him in future? Isnt it thick-skin to ask him outright since I am not from a prestigous undergrad school while he won national awards and trained under world leading scientists. I definitely wouldnt want to smear his reputation by being a poor grad student.</p>
<p>If he has given you an internship, than I don’t see any reason you wouldn’t be good enough for his graduate student. I would suggest after you have proven yourself during your internship, just be straight with him. Hopefully, he will value you as a part of his team and will want to keep you on!</p>
<p>First of all, contrary to popular belief your undergrad school does not form a direct beeline to top grad schools. Students from lower-tier undergrad schools go to top grad places all the time; they don’t shut out applicants from the lower-tier schools altogether. What’s much more important is your record - your grades, your prior research experience, your GRE scores, your letters of recommendation, etc.</p>
<p>What I suggest is that you do research with him for about a year, and then in the late spring of next year breach the topic of becoming his graduate student. I would just go ahead and ask him out right when the time is right. If you ask him next spring (2012) that will leave you with enough time get yourself together to apply to enter in fall 2013. After knowing you for a year, he can better comment on your research skills and will be more established to lobby for your acceptance to the program.</p>
<p>I see. Well, hope it works out fine. Thanks for the advices!</p>