I am an undergrad in Pharmacy, from a small country and recently I got an offer from a lab at Caltech to conduct research for a year. I am currently 3rd year, and if I accept this offer it will mean that I will have to graduate a year later. The lab work is sth like 12h per day, no weekends free, but the topic and the prof are pretty cool! I am really into science, but in a way, graduating a year later may be a big problem. My parents are pretty conservative and strict in that way and do not want me to go on a wild goose chase for a year. Nevertheless, a chance like this comes once in a lifetime. Any suggestions and opinions on this?
For your parents: Mom and Dad, I want to go on to grad school to complete a PhD in xxxx. I think this opportunity will help me be admitted to XXX super university, and I’m sure I will get superb recommendation letters, and my undergrad school does not have the resources of Caltech. (Only a handful do!)
Maybe I was not clear on this - I am 3rd year and the total degree is 5 years. So in the end I’ll end up studying 6 instead of 5 years. The break I will take will be in the middle of my studies.
Same answer as TooOld4School. Taking a year off to do research at Caltech is an investment in your future. Lots of American students take time off to do research because it makes their applications to grad school that much stronger and builds their professional resumes. Caltech is a good name to have on a resume - along with letter of rec. Unless there is some penalty in your country associated with taking the extra year, this is a no-brainer.