<p>So i applied to 12-13 research assistant positions at laboratories in universities; 11 or so turned me down but the other one, however, said he was "open to [the idea of me being a research assistant]" He also said that he wanted to meet me. I am getting worried because will the meeting be like an interview, or will it be more of a "hi how are you? tell me more about yourself" kind of thing to get to know me better. Have i been accepted already? Im not sure what to make of his statement. Please help. Also, if you think it might be an interview, what kinds of questions would he ask?</p>
<p>This question is allowed for anyone THAT has applied to research assistant positions at labs in universities while in high school. I don't want nonsensical answers. </p>
<p>Not knowing the researcher, we can’t know what sort of meeting this is. You will just have to dress neatly, show up about 5 minutes before the scheduled time of the meeting, and find out for yourself.</p>
<p>Definitely dress up. You are gonna be talking to a tenured professor or faculty at a top university. Take my word: they will be in suits.</p>
<p>I contacted 15 professors at 5 research universities. I got 6 responses back at 4 of the schools. This was 2 years ago. Anyways, i wore a nice polo or button up shirts and slacks to the meetings. </p>
<p>They will lightly go over your credentials and why you want to do research. Then they will talk about their research alot. </p>
<p>The most important thing i can tell you is to ASK SEMI-Intelligent questions about their work. Read their most recent paper. I realize this is ungodly hard (I spent like 3 hours reading each paper even though I had previous research experience on the same topic) but it will pay nice dividends. I managed to snag a job at $8.50 an hour (a WHOLE dollar above minimal wage :D).</p>
<p>I got to go to a lab at a local university, and I had a “sort of interview”, but it was pretty relaxed. Just make sure you know why you want to do it, have some sort of idea what you want to go into, etc.</p>
<p>Dressing up in dress pants, shirt, and tie would be plenty adequate. You don’t need a suit.</p>
<p>Considering that you’re a high schooler, it’s unlikely to be an “interview” that you might be thinking, but you do want to leave a good impression. Showing that you can dress in dress clothes shows something, even if you will never need to wear dress clothes there again.</p>
<p>The most important thing is to look curious and willing to learn. You don’t have to know everything - you’re a student, your job is to ask questions. Also, it helps to at least read their website.</p>
<p>I went into my interview dressed neatly. My mentor was not. He had uncombed hair, a messy t-shirt, and an open box of pizza. He offered me a slice. The interview went swimmingly.</p>
<p>Also, my mentor is a Harvard man. Not all academic people are hard asses. In fact, most of them are not.</p>
<p>This meeting will be what you make it. Are you interesting in developing your own project? Or submitting to a science fair? Be up front about these things unless you have absolutely no prior research experience, in which case it might be wise to just take what you can get. Be warned, though, that if you call the position that you are interested in a “research assistant” type position, you may be simply pipetting or doing very menial work during your time at this lab. The focus will be on your laboratory skills, not necessarily your research interests. If you want more than that, definitely be sure to mention your own research interests within what his/her laboratory is doing - or at least within the same field. </p>
<p>It’s also generally advisable to be very well versed in your mentor’s research interests. I have been to about 4 meetings with different mentors and two out of the four showed me a powerpoint describing some of their current research, which I believed had been recently presented at a conference. Being able to ask educated questions about their research definitely leaves a positive impression.</p>
<p>^ I certainly do not want to be labeled as a “research assistant” and have to do menial work. But if i express my interests, and tell the professor what i want to do, I would be pushing the limits, no? What would a college professor care about a HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR’s INTERESTS?
I first email him about volunteering with the projects he was working on, which i recited through his website. Now I tell him that i want to do a project, one that favored my interests? How about this: What if i told him that i wanted to actively be a part of his project, instead of doing menial work?</p>
<p>I would love to do a project involving biology. But i wouldn’t do it for a science fair or something. It would be out of pure interest in the subject matter.
A
d i do have prior experience with research in microbiology at a lab at a state university with pretty good ranking for its research department. We worked on DNA analysis of new organisms and the application of the findings to real-life situations. I was published. The professor knows as well. U guys might also wonder to know that the professor has academic interests in global warming, environmental studies, biological observation, and Ecology.</p>
<p>I would LOVE to start a environmental science project.</p>
<p>And i don’t see how the skills that relate to research tie into any of the things you are talking about. I know you have to be more specific than an “environmental science project” Who doesn’t know that??? BUt why would i want to waste your time telling you about my SPECIFIC interest? So i kept it short and said “environmental science project”</p>
<p>Also, who are you to determine my intelligence from 3 measly lines? You seem to be the one not intelligent enough to make a rational conclusion.</p>