<p>I just read the article on the All USA High School Academic Team and it seems like most of them do "research" of some sort. From what I've heard from friends, "research" mainly consists of helping professors with some ongoing project. Do these kids actually think on their own and design something totally groundbreaking or are they just merely helping professors in the lab?</p>
<p>That being said, I still want to do research. It seems exciting nevertheless. I know that the deadlines for most summer research programs have passed, but how else can I conduct research? I know there was a thread about contacting local professors, does anyone know have the link?</p>
<p>Well, I personally know a girl who won an Intel prize (not 1st, but still placed) and she absolutely bombed all her science sat II's (and not bombing by CC standards...like 400!)...and "has no idea how it works". So, her research was bogus, and mostly because her dad worked at the lab that her partner needed!</p>
<p>yeah dont worry too much about HS science fairs, less than half (if that) of the applicants know what they're talking about...it's those superstars (see: Yi Sun) who make the competitions great. </p>
<p>I know I'm doing a hell of a lot of research for the next three months, and I'm going to focus on ENJOYING learning what it is I'm doing, and learning to LIKE IT, as if I didn't already (it's closely related to my career choice). That means voluntarily coming in for 8 - 9 hours everyday during the summer because I WANT to do this stuff.</p>
<p>i just never saw the point of doing science experiments (i.e. science fairs, extracurricular research) when you're just re-finding info other people already have. </p>
<p>I remember in 8th grade we had to design our own labs from scratch. I was like, ya, I can't do ANYTHING some other real scientist has already done, so what's the point? In the end I decided to see if magnets work worse through liquid barriers and skinned my hands in the process.</p>
<p>I can't speak for other subjects, but math research is very involved. My professor had his own project going on, so my partner and I had to most of the work by ourselves. In math, you'll usually be proving a theorem, and depending on the level of work, the arguments can get really complicated. It's ridiculously time consuming and head-ache-causing. Also, the theorem starts out as a conjecture that someone proposes, so the research should be completely new, not just a replica of someone else's work. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>RSI is the most solid option. If you aren't a junior yet, you can apply when you are one. Admissions are very competitive (7%ish with a quality applicant pool). </p>
<p>If you want to do something before junior year, try to hook up with a professor in a local university.</p>
<p>To sak09: hookin up with a prof @ a local U is a good idea. Most are willing to help. YOu might want to ask a science teacher to give you a recommendation. be sure to let the prof know what about his research interests you, what you hope to gain, and even a small part of his research you are interested in expanding on in the lab.</p>
<p>mj93: psychological research can be done with a prof @ a local U, but this is not a complete necessity for some projects. So if you can't find a prof, you're not out of luck as much psych research doesnt require a lab. If you could find something to explore in a population related to psychology, you could do an epidemiological study and enter into the young epidemiology scholars competition. Might also do well in behavioral sciences @ intel.</p>
<p>How exactly does someone 'hook up' with a professor? Neither of my parents work at a university, and I don't even know anyone at these colleges- ie. SUNY Buffalo, Canisius are my closest ones I suppose.</p>
<p>I think my research is pretty legitimate. I haven't even started at the actual lab yet, but I am already designing devices and working things out. (astrophysics research)</p>
<p>Well INtel at our school begins in 9th grade, and culminates in 12th, so it as far as getting something together in a short period of time, it is almost impossible. Took most of my class an entire year to hook up with a mentor. I spent a summer @ doing brain cell research, mentor helped me form a hypothesis after reading VOLUMES of studies for an entire year. Then I spent junior summer working on the experiments. Now that is complete, working it into another angle and formulating another hypothesis, luckily it will be mostly work @ home, but it takes up TREMENDOUS amont of my free time, Im talking about 30 hours a week, more or less. It is not a passing extra curricular activity, this is a serious committment for ones work to be taken seriously and potentially getting published if it is of quality/substance.</p>
<p>i really knew about my only science fair project it wasnt a experiment it was a essay...im a walking example of my project...it was all about all the types of brain tumors...</p>
<p>I had these 2 really thick books on pediatric brain tumors my mom got after my surgery and i read both for research...my mom was soo shocked i read so much...</p>
<p>how do you guys get involved in labs / with professors? i feel like whenever a prof is looking for help, he's looking for experienced college students. the same with labs.</p>