High Schooler doing Research at University, Benefits?

Hi everyone, I am a rising junior who is interested in pursuing a career in science research and biotech and medtech , and I am very involved in college lab research. I am wondering, how much value does it add by doing this type of activity (especially if I can write a couple substantial research papers in the lab and potentially present them at conferences/competitions)? What is the best way I can utilize my research to enhance my application?

Just some background, my dream school is UPenn. I am interested in the Vagelos LSM program (dual degree in life science and management through CAS and Wharton), and that is the probably hardest program I am going to apply to. I did an unpaid internship last summer at WashU in St. Louis (I’m from STL), and I am currently working on the Human Connectome Project in the lead lab on the project. I plan to get a paper or two from this lab by the time I graduate, and I also have a substantial research project that I’ll be presenting at science fairs in the coming year. I am also doing a paid internship at UPenn this summer as a Human Connectome summer intern (I am hoping to get a paper out of my time here). How can I utilize these opportunities the most and improve my chances of getting into top schools?

bump!

It’s like asking. I focus on skiiing and have been asked to participate in the Olympics. Is that good?

Yes. Published scientific research for a hs student is good. Really really good

privatebanker, thanks for the response. Yes, I know that having academic research is definitely good. My one question is how I can utilize my opportunities and make myself stand out the most? Like is there anything major that I can do?

I think go as deep as you can with it. Try to get those papers published, go to conferences, and really dive in so you have more than just a volunteering to enter data type situation.

OhWhatsHerName, thanks! I think you’re right about solidifying my research papers and showing concrete evidence of my skills. I don’t want to come off a “volunteer.”

Getting your name on a publication, sorry, isn’t a tip. It’s common now for teams to include junior members in the credits. And you’re still in hs, yet to start your undergrad education.

The value is in what it shows that you pursued this, got the position and have continued with it. You aren’t sitting on your bum. All that is good.

Have you asked the lead folks about what it takes to get published? There’s usually a long review cycle and I doubt you’d have anything finished, accepted, and published in the next 15 months. Ask them.

Most if all, know what Penn wants to see, how you present yourself best. This isn’t just about stats and accolades, there’s much more a top college needs to see in you, from you. And that also includes breadth, not only depth.

                 The kids around my way that get into research at your age often/usually have parents/relatives who get them in. Ordinary smart non connected kids can apply to a highly competitive summer internship but even then these guys are congsizent they are gophers vs actual researchers. There is nothing wrong with being a volunteer. I would be cautious about overstating your input. 

@Sybylla is right, many kids in my area are also volunteering in the local University labs that their parent/family member has a connection to.

Are you doing this because you enjoy it? Or are you just trying to build your resume? If you are truly passionate about what you are doing, you will want to express it in your college essay.

@Sybylla @Hownowbwncow That was an incredible point that you stated that I worry of all the time. I am genuinely EXTREMELY passionate about my research. I am currently separated from my whole friends and family for 2-3 months living alone to complete my research at UPenn. It’s not like I would do this just to build my resume, especially with the amount of workload and stress I am taking on.

Regarding your comments on parent/relative connections to the university, I have absolutely 0. My parents are both software engineers who work for an IT company, so they have nothing to do with universities. I emailed a couple lab PIs last summer and got an incredible (and lucky) opportunity at a neuroinformatics lab at WUSTL, and I’ve built on those skills to get various opportunities like the one at Penn. I am worried that universities wouldn’t be able to recognize that I did this solely out of personal interest, not personal connections. Do you think they know that when I specify my parents’ jobs on my application?

Lastly, regarding the overstating of my input, I understand what you’re saying there, definitely. I am trying to keep it quite realistic here. At the lab at WUSTL, I will likely be second author in the paper because of the convention they use (postdoc is first, trainee second). However, at Penn, my PI says regardless of how much he helps me, he wants to make sure that I get credit for my efforts, so I will be the first author on the paper. Does this clear things up?

@Sybylla @Hownowbwncow Thanks guys for bringing this up. It’s really important. I am genuinely interested in my research; I am even separating myself from my friends and family for 2-3 months to live alone and complete my research at Penn. I wouldn’t take so much stress if I wasn’t passionate about what I am doing.

Regarding the personal connections thing, that is a great point that I encountered several times. I have absolutely no connections to universities, as my parents are software engineers for an IT company, and the rest of my family is not in the US. I got these opportunities by emailing lab PIs at WUSTL last summer (after 9th grade), and was lucky enough to land an internship in neuroinformatics on the Human Connectome Project. After that, I was able to substantially build my skills enough to get more opportunities like the one at UPenn. Therefore, I hope AOs can tell that I am genuinely passionate about my research and am doing it out of personal interest, not any personal connections that I have (because I don’t have any). Can they tell based off my family background?

Lastly, you addressed overstating my input. So just to be clear about how substantial I will present my work to be, my research at WUSTL is resulting in a paper with my name as the second author (that is the lab convention, post doc first, student scientist second). At Penn, my director emphasizes students taking credit for their efforts, regardless of how much he helps. Therefore, I will be the first author on this paper, and I will be writing the majority of the paper (with some assistance from my PI). Hope that clears thing up.