Undergraduate research opportunities LACs vs National Universities

When my son was at Bowdoin, two professors proactively approached him in Sophomore year to do paid research. The college also provided free on campus housing over the summer to do it on top of the stipend.

When my daughter was a Sophomore at Davidson a professor offered a summer research opportunity and while the college didn’t directly pay for it, the professor helped her secure a third party sponsor for a stipend. It was virtual because of Covid so not sure how housing would have played out otherwise. The next year a professor lined up a summer opportunity that did include pay and on campus housing.

When I was at UCLA long ago, absolutely nothing remotely like any of that happened as an undergraduate, at least for me or anyone I know. As a grad student there, they did completely cover my grad program costs and provide pay on top of it in exchange for TA’ing a class and administering an internship program.

3 Likes