about research

<p>major: mechanical engineering</p>

<p>hey guys just want to ask you guys about research program and grad school.</p>

<p>Let's say that I am interested robotics control system and design (actully I am quite interested in it)</p>

<p>So if I do happen to complete this research, do I have to stick to this field permanently when i go to grad school?</p>

<p>Will it matter if I just do any type of mechanical engineering research available?
(for now, I would like to increase the chance of getting accepted by getting some research)</p>

<p>You do not have to stick to that field for graduate school. It would be slightly more beneficial if you did, but most people don’t end up doing that exactly.</p>

<p>thanks for the reply!</p>

<p>like I said I want to get as many research as possible to be competitive in grad admission.</p>

<p>so even if I am not interested in this typical research, (but it shows that I at least did some research), will it be still good for the grad admission?</p>

<p>thank you again!</p>

<p>It’ll still be good. I worked in 3-4 different labs in undergrad because I couldn’t quite find what I was interested research-wise. I came to grad school for something completely different within my field and love it.</p>

<p>thanks for the reply again guys! I would like to ask one more thing?</p>

<p>How did you guys go about getting a research? Did you just send an email to a professor </p>

<p>you have never met before who’s working on research?</p>

<p>should I make the email professional? (like how professional?)</p>

<p>thank again guys!</p>

<p>I got my first one by asking my academic advisor if he knew of anyone in my area of interest that was looking. Not surprisingly he didn’t because he didn’t work in my area of interest, but he was able to suggest a few people who at least might interest me who I then looked up and basically made a cold call in email form.</p>

<p>I got my second one by speaking with a professor who taught one of my classes if he could use an undergraduate researcher. He didn’t have a spot open but he directed me to a colleague who does similar research who had need of undergraduates and told him to expect my email.</p>

<p>Always be professional and respectful.</p>

<p>were they for the summer research? When did you start sending the email?</p>

<p>Did you have specifically what you wanted to do in mind with detail?</p>

<p>(because I’m just wanting to get a research so I’m not sure how I should specifically tell them through email)</p>

<p>lastly, did the professors ever ask you about the gpa?</p>

<p>sorry for the trivial matter and thank you again</p>

<p>I always did internships over the summer. I did research during the semester. I don’t remember when I emailed but it doesn’t matter; the sooner the better.</p>

<p>I, like most undergraduates, had very little idea what I wanted to do.</p>

<p>They almost always ask your GPA.</p>