<p>Hey! I'll be a freshman at college next year, and I'll be coming in with ~a years worth of relevent AP credit for the majors I'm interested in (electrical engineering, cs). Do you think I'd be able to/be ready to participate in research by second semester of freshman year? Note that I'd probably be taking some of the "core" classes for my major during my second semester (curcuits, signal processing if I EE, algorithms for CS etc). Assume that I'll be in a school that does an ok amount of EE/CS research, and isn't a "oppertunities everywhere" school like HPYS.</p>
<p>^ Yes, it is very possible. I’ve seen some freshmen joining research group while I was an undergraduate, but they were pretty advances. I’m guessing they’re actually “Sophomore” level though they were in college first year.</p>
<p>You can absolutely get a research position as a second-Summer freshman. I did. I know other people who did. It happens every day.</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>Most universities have some sort of program to expose undergrads to research and have paid/unpaid positions available.</p>
<p>However, ask around and find something you are passionate about! If you stick with the same lab throughout your UG days you might be able to have a MS worthy work by the time you graduate!</p>
<p>Start trying to network after acceptance with professors in your department. In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to have a job now, or at least during the next summer if you already don’t have work experience.</p>