<p>So I'm a high school junior in the US, love science lover and aspiring scientist... blah blah blah... and so recently I applied to 4 summer research internships, 3 really cool one (jackson lab, city of hope, and some other one in new york i forgot the name) and 1 kinda lame-ish one (Iowa state) that is really a back up... So one of them, Jackson Lab was my first choice, and unfortunately I was rejected from that program. that leaves 2 more awesome and 1 okay-ish programs. But after the rejection, I started to email professors myself, asking to work in their labs because I realized that the chance of me being chosen into those programs is very very slim. After days and days, pages and pages of scientific research reading, I ended up emailing 57 professors in total and got 18 replies of No's... yesterday I was really depressed from all the NO's and stopped emailing... but today I got a positive reply!! This professor in University of Virginia is interested in discussing with me for further opportunities because of my interest in his research! I was so happy when I saw that email, but problems still exist.... he wants me to visit his lab to discuss further, and I live in California so it's impossible for me to fly over there over the weekend or something... my friend says to ask him if i can do an interview or something or phone or Skype formally... but here's the actual problem... what if I end up getting accepted into some summer programs that I long hoped for? then how should I deal with this professor? I cannot say yes to him at first and then turn him down, it's not right, that's like being an a.s.s.... so yeah.. help? suggestions? anything is helpful???</p>
<p>That’s right - if you decide this opportunity is better than all of your programs, you can accept it and then tell your programs you will not be attending regardless of whether they were going to accept you or not (think of this like early decision college applications). By saying yes to the professor, you are saying no to the programs. In hindsight, it might have been better to wait until all program decisions were in before emailing individual profs if you are concerned about this.</p>
<p>First, you need to speak with your parents and have a discussion on if they are fine with you, as a rising senior in high school, to live across the country in Charlottesville, VA. Next, if they are then you need to look at living options for you just to see if that will be feasible. You are under 18 and this may be an issue. See if UVa housing will offer an option to a non-UVa student doing research. Also, look at costs for all of this too. I mention all of this first because what if you find it is not a feasible option to begin with then you will not be wasting the professors time. If you find this to be true then say thank you and it will not work due to cost and/or distance and/or parental consent. Please do this for all of your options not just UVa. </p>
<p>If your parents are good with this and you are fine with housing then email the professor back and tell them thank you for their interest in you for their lab. That you would definitely entertain the idea of speaking with them, however due to distance it would be best to do it on the phone or via skype/facetime. Let them know in the email that you do have other options you are waiting to hear back from and give them the date you should know by. Let them know you have a strong interest in their research and wanted to be sure to follow-up with them. They may say get back to me when you know about the other opportunities. Or they may want to continue on with the dialogue. Who knows you may like this option better than the others.</p>
<p>thank you everyone for the reply!</p>
<p>Woosah: thanks for the detailed advices! I think being honest is really the best idea! (btw my mom is okay with me going)</p>