A few questions about the Biology / Molecular Biology Program

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston University
1

I was recently accepted into CAS with my intended major as: biology with specialization in cell biology, molecular biology & genetics. I have a few questions that I hope some of you could answer:

  1. What are the opportunities for conducting biology research, freshman and sophomore year? Many schools with large intro classes and grad shools make it troubling connecting with professors and TAs for positions in labs, which of course have limited seats. If it’s hard to get a position your freshman year, will having previous lab experience help? I have a few summers of lab internships under my belt, and would really love to continue doing some of the stuff I was doing, my first year here.

  2. Where do most underclassmen go for research and internship opportunities? How hard is it to get a lab outside Boston?

  3. Rigor of research. What do you make of it?

  4. General student culture and enthusiasm - are fellow students involved in their program of study? Is it fast paced, just right, too slow?

  5. How easy it is to double major or minor with another subject like economics? (How would you describe the economics program?)

2

Any current students in the biology program?

3

I’m not a biology major but there is a website full of undergraduate research opportunities - http://www.bu.edu/urop/

Professors post research listings on the site all the time, and most faculty are always willing to accept students into their labs. It’s easiest to get research if you volunteer your time. Otherwise, getting paid is kinda difficult since labs don’t usually have that many grants for paid assistants.

4

Thanks @orangebanana‌

Does anyone know how many students are in the molecular biology program?

5

How competitive is it to get research opportunities?