<p>I'm currently trying to plan out my future. Part of that includes being able to understand what opportunities are out there as an undergraduate and what type of programs/activities/ research to get involved in, while completing the last two years of undergrad. (first two were spent at a CC)</p>
<p>My main question is: What credentials are vital to have, when applying to very selective grad schools like Stanford, UNC, UVA, Texas, Upenn, Columbia...etc.</p>
<p>Here is a list of my ideas, (Ideally, I'd like to stick with two solid activities. Copious is a No-No for me.</p>
<p>-Research Assistant for professor
-Honors Program
-Summer Research Programs at another university
-Internship (related to field) paid/unpaid
-Habitat for Humanity</p>
<p>Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Which two activities on this list would help me out most educationally...and for admission purposes.</p>
<p>Research Research Research. Grad schools do not care about your other activities. The only other relevant activity would be being a teaching assistant or teaching a relevant course.</p>
<p>Your LORs should be from people who supervised your research so you might aim to do a longer research project at your home university and then also do summer research elsewhere or with a different advisor on a different project.</p>
<p>Actually, depending on your discipline, a meaningful internship or job directly related to the field can be quite helpful, particularly if you’re going to be a teaching assistant.</p>
<p>Research, a summer program at another University, or an internship are clearly your best options. Habitat won’t get you far unless you are looking at an Urban studies program or something of the like.
Honors programs are good, but its the research that is going to make the difference especially at the top tier schools you have your eye on.</p>
<p>Your smart to be laying out your game plan this far in advance of your graduation. If you follow through you should have a great shot.</p>
<p>All of them are good. I agree with tmhyd, Habitat for Humanity won’t do much good for you unless it has something to do with what you’re wanting to study in grad school.</p>
<p>I did the honors program for my major only because it forced me to write a senior thesis and present a poster. That, and I got to graduate first. It benefitted me b.c I got my hands dirty in terms of presenting my undergraduate research in a meaningful manner. </p>
<p>compbio also has it down. Research is all that will get your application on the admissions table.</p>
<p>Habitat for Humanity and other charities are fine if you’re going into non-profit work, because that’s your field. Or, if you are volunteering as a lay engineer for them, if it’s engineering, a little volunteering might spice up your application, though I wouldn’t focus on it.</p>
<p>It really depends if you’re talking PhD or a more practical master’s program. I think internships will make more sense for a practical master’s like an MBA, than research. PhDs are all research.</p>