Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholar (RCPRS) program?

Billium
Fri, 10 Apr 2015 02:42:10 +0000

I’m a current junior in the College of Engineering and RCPRS. I can’t speak to your other options, but I can tell you about some of the perks of RCPRS/Cornell.

First of all, coming in as a freshman with RCPRS is a huge advantage when it comes to joining a desirable lab. Most of the faculty are familiar with RCPRS and it makes you an attractive candidate for an undergraduate research position because you bring in your own funding and have the necessary research experience (usually) to get accepted into the program.

Secondly, there are lots of social events with other Rawlings scholars as well as a peer advising system which can help you meet people with similar interests as well as leverage the experience of upperclassmen who were in your shoes a couple of years ago. I’ve found this aspect of RCPRS to be particularly rewarding.

Additionally, being part of RCPRS helps you stand out as an exceptional undergraduate researcher amongst a very strong student body. In my experience, this has been very helpful during recruiting for internships, etc. (many recruiters who give on-campus interviews are alums and have told me that they are aware of/impressed by RCPRS). Rawlings Scholars place well at the top graduate programs in the country every year and are often recognized beyond Cornell (e.g. a Rawlings Scholar was selected for a Rhodes Scholarship this year).

Obviously I’m biased, but I think RCPRS is a great program that can add a lot of value to your undergraduate research experience and I would highly recommend it. Good luck with your decision and I hope to see you on the hill this fall!

I’d also encourage you to check out the Facebook page for some student profiles and other news: