I posted this entry on another thread and was asked to make it a thread of its own. So here goes.
Within this other thread, there was some discussion about choosing an undergraduate school for students interested in science. I just wanted to give my perspective on choosing an undergraduate college for science majors (especially those interested in a research career) and what I deem to be important.
My background, not to sound boisterous but just to give an idea about my experiences. I have a phd in biology (molecular bent), have spent twenty years in research, been head of a lab with continuous NIH funding for many years, and directed a summer research program for undergraduate students at a research hospital. My undergraduate degree was from a large state flagship university, phd from an ivy league school, and postdoc research at a southern ivy university. (My D who is interested in science will attend a LAC)
For a student considering entering a research career, hands down the most important aspect of choosing an undergraduate school is the opportunity to participate in hypothesis-driven, open-ended research, not cookbook stuff performed in “lab classes” attached to courses. Research done in grant-funded academic labs is so different from lab courses that the student without such research experience will have no idea what their career choice is truly like.
Heads of research labs don’t spend time in the lab… they spend most of their time an office reading and writing or giving presentations. Learning how to write effectively and speak in front of others is invaluable in a science career.
There is a lot of rejection in being an academic scientist. You need a tough skin. Most hypotheses are not validated, most experiments don’t “work”, papers get rejected, most grant applications are rejected (NIH funding rate of a grant is <10%… it’s like applying to an ivy league school for your entire career!).
As an undergrad, the hypothesis-driven research I think is crucial can be performed at a LAC department with good facilities and knowledgeable faculty or at a large university. For undergrad, I don’t think this matters too much. Just get in a lab with a pipet in your hand doing experiments where 1) you don’t know the answer beforehand and 2) you have to analyze and interpret the data. This is very important. If neuroscience is your career goal (for example), it doesn’t matter if the undergrad college has a neuroscience major. The actual research topic is unimportant at this stage, but mentorship is huge. I can’t stress this enough. Someone needs to teach you “how to do science”. Also huge is the opportunity to actually get in the lab… this may be a drawback at some large research universities and is a strong point of many LACs. You may not be performing epigenomic research at a LAC lab, but it doesn’t matter… what matters is learning the hands-on scientific process.
As is well-known, faculty at large universities are not there for the undergrads; they are there to get funding for their lab to continue their research. Obviously, this is not a recipe for great undergrad teaching. They are there to mentor graduate students and postdocs… again largely as a means to get data for their publications and grant applications. Of course, there are some faculty at large universities who also focus some attention undergrads, but this is an exception rather than a rule.
If you happen to attend a LAC-like school, perform research in a grant-funded lab during the summer or during the academic year (if the LAC is close by a medical school, independent research institute, or research hospital). There are a plethora of such opportunities, both in formal programs and informally (just ask and, more importantly, show interest and a willingness to work hard). This will get you exposed to life in a grant-funded lab… it’s a completely different animal than a lab at a LAC.
Graduate schools are looking for applicants that do well in undergraduate courses, are motivated, but also have some lab experience. You can attend a top research university for graduate school from a “lower level” college. It’s on you.
Manifesto over… good luck to all!
