Does anyone have any experience with getting a research position the summer following their acceptance to a four-year? I am applying as an electrical/computer engineering student for the Fall 2016 semester, and I have expressed interest in graduate school to my teachers here at my community college. My chemistry teacher strongly suggests that I look into undergraduate research immediately after I get my acceptance letters and decide where I am going to attend (the summer of 2016.)
I am 100% onboard with doing undergraduate research over the summer, but I have no idea how I would even get into a research position as a transfer student. Does anyone have any ideas?
If you’re in Southern California, UCLA, USC, and CSULA have research opportunities for community college students. I also know UCSB has some as well. I would recommend checking if any universities close to you have programs you can apply for. If not you can even email a few professors there to see if they are in need of someone in the lab, its worth a shot.
@xraymancs I’m thinking this is most likely what she was referring to. I looked into a bit, and the program is definitely the kind of thing that I am looking for.
@ericeo Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere in southern Illinois. I don’t think that the local university has any programs for research for community college students, but I’ll try to look into it!
The applications are usually due in February. Make sure to get a strong letter from your Chemistry professor, it will make a big difference. What 4-year schools were you planning to apply to?
Like I said in a previous comment I’m from Illinois, so I’m applying to UIUC, that’s probably my most realistic option. Other than that I’m applying to UCB for kicks (I’m also applying to lower tier schools as safeties of course.) I would like to apply for summer research to a similar tier of schools.
I’m confident that I can get a strong letter from my chemistry professor, I was very proactive in helping students in lab, as well as helping them study in my first semester of chemistry. This semester my second chemistry course has its lab time overlap with another course I’m taking, so I do the lab portion on my own with little to no supervision. I’m hoping that showing initiative like that will look very good on applications.