<p>Have any college students here asked a professor from another school for a research position before? I go to USC, but this summer I'm going back to New York. Thus, I might want to ask a professor from another school (maybe NYU, CUNY, etc) for a research position. Is it going to be hard to do so? Will the professors be willing to take students from other schools for their research projects?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>I’m a USC student and I had a research position at Caltech last summer. It’s definitely possible.</p>
<p>Really??? How did you ask your professor? Did you have any research experience before you worked with your professor at Caltech?</p>
<p>I had done research at JPL the summer before the Caltech position. The professor took me on through Caltech’s SURF program.</p>
<p>[Summer</a> Undergraduate Research Fellowships … S U R F … <caltech> …](<a href=“http://surf.caltech.edu/]Summer”>http://surf.caltech.edu/)</caltech></p>
<p>^nice. However, I plan on asking the professors individually, not through any special program. Would it be much harder for me?</p>
<p>It’ll probably be harder, and you can’t expect to get paid. If you want to get paid, apply to REUs, though it’s really too late for this summer.</p>
<p>Been there, done that. It was a bit easier for me though because I had met the professor I asked before. Maybe your professors at USC have colleagues in New York who they could recommend you to?</p>
<p>I live in New Orleans, go to school in St Louis.</p>
<p>I emailed a prof a Tulane (randomly, no prior experience); said “hey, can I work in your lab this summer?” and the PI responded “sure! Come meet with me when you’re home during spring break.”</p>
<p>Easiest thing ever.</p>
<p>(I was of course more professional than I’m implying in my emails)</p>