<p>Since Cornell is made up of such a strong undergraduate body with very motivated and intelligent students, do you find that you are sometimes competing for certain opportunities, such as research, if you are not at the top of the class? Although I stand out at my high school as one of the top students, I probably would just be average at Cornell, but I am very interested in pursuing research. Current students - how easy is it to get involved?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>There is a greater supply of reserach opportunites than students willing fill them.</p>
<p>Obviously for the more "sexy" opportunites, like driving the Mars Rover around the red planet, there are more applicants than spots, but in general you should have no problem finding ample and exciting research opportunities.</p>
<p>i've never heard of someone calling up to bash another candidate or anything CUTTHROAT like that. </p>
<p>Of course it's competitive for the top positions, but there are always plenty of positions available and plenty of opportunities to advance. You might start as a beaker-scrubber for a prestigious research group as a freshman, but that pays off when you do real research for them as a sophomore onward or something like that. If you'll settle for less prestigious research positions, you can definitely get them as a freshman. Only a few freshmen will end up doing real research for the top professors initially. My friend is a frickin genius and he is building DNA for Dr. Dan Luo (search him to find his ridiculous resume), but that's almost unheard of.</p>
<p>If you have enough genuine interest, have enough coursework in the field, are not a complete idiot, and there are spaces in the lab, then you can get a research position.</p>
<p>If you want to do research, it's really easy to find a job. If there's a topic that you're really interested in or have studied in the past, search for a cornell professor's research. Talk to the professor, learn a bit more about his project and his interests, and ask if he needs a research assistant. </p>
<p>I mean there probably are some competitive positions. But I think the best way is to just get to know a professor, and ask him directly. . .in that case there is no competition, but at the same time you have to make your own opportunities.</p>
<p>I'm sure there are positions in famous professor's labs that are very competitive, but for the most part, not only is competition not cutthroat there is little competition to begin with. I really do think there are more research spots than students willing to fill them and motivated enough to seem them out.</p>
<p>How do you publish a scientific paper? I hear there are certain "hot" professors to seek for such publications. I'm willing to scrub beakers, floors, or whatever they want me to do freshman year.</p>
<p>What if you are not sure what you want to do? I am freshman in physics, and there are so many different topics, most of which seem pretty overwhelming. How would I go about getting into a postion for one?</p>
<p>I go to Cornell now, and it is competitive, but I think that's expected. In terms of research, I really don't think it's to difficult to find some sort of position. Most freshman who get into research may start as research assistants, experiment preparers, or lab cleaners, but within a term, most are usually promoted to a research position. Because Cornell is a research institution, there are lots of research opportunities too.</p>
<p>bubbles, what year are you?</p>
<p>You're not in college yet and you're already worried about publishing? What the hell?</p>