<p>I was thinking about doing a gap year between junior and senior years if I could do research and get experience in a lab during that time. I enjoy working in the lab, and I think it might help with getting into graduate school. Has anyone done this and what was your experience? Are there any programs that one can apply to in order to do something like this?</p>
<p>Ask your professors and see what they think and have any suggestions . You could look into doing research internships like at NIH…? It won’t hurt.</p>
<p>What field are you in?</p>
<p>Biology (ecology and evolutionary biology)</p>
<p>I know a few people who did it (usually with a class or two at night), and it worked out well for them. One thing you have to deal with is that any deferred student loans will go into payment. T</p>
<p>I was wondering…do professors take students from other universities to do research in their lab? For example if I wanted to take a gap year during my undergraduate years could I possibly work in a lab at a university near my home? For example if I went to Princeton but wanted to stay at home for a year and work in a lab at UC Berkeley or Stanford would that be possible? Are professors open to that kind of thing?</p>
<p>I am taking a gap year to work in a lab at Harvard Medical School. As long as you are not expecting much in the way of money I think it should be fine.</p>
<p>nicholjs, can you tell me more about that? Are you currently an undergrad that will be taking a year off to do research? Also, what kind of money should one expect to receive? I probably will live at home, but I would like a transportation/food allowance if possible. Did you just send out e-mails to PI’s or did you have your professor set you up? Thanks.</p>
<p>I want to see if there are any other thoughts about this.</p>
<p>Yes, I am an undergrad taking a year off. Right now I am in my junior year, and I will not return to school in the fall. This summer I will be starting an internship in a biomedical research lab working on protein folding. For the summer I am able to support myself through an undergraduate research fellowship that my school offers, but after that I think I’ll have to volunteer. Money is pretty tight these days, even at Harvard (where I’ll be). But if the PI really wants to keep you, maybe you can work out a small stipend.</p>
<p>I got the position through a previous summer position I had. The PI I worked with before knew the PI I will be with. I hate to say it, but sometimes it is about who you know. The initial position is always the hardest to obtain.</p>