<p>D is currently a Junior and is planning to go straight into a PhD program when she graduates in 2014 (of course, if all stars and planets align correctly) or a MS/MA. She met with her adviser and he suggested to spend the summer doing some type of research in the field she wants to specialize in instead of an internship in the more general area. </p>
<p>Both would be unpaid and she has very limited research experience, she is just starting to work with a teacher this semester but this is not in her desired specialty.</p>
<p>Any opinions from others who have had experience with this decision? It will be her decision but I would like some opinions to help guide her as she asked my opinion.</p>
<p>Having some research background should give her a leg up in admissions, help her to understand what she will be doing and allow her to write a better personal statement.</p>
<p>Hi Munequita~ My understanding…it really depends on what field of study your DD is planning to pursue. For some graduate programs, she will need to have had some research in order to be have the edge in admission for certain graduate programs. No research could really hamper her-and may even disqualify her.
Good luck to your DD!</p>
<p>This is such great and timely information for us. My D is a junior also and planning grad school. Her advisor/department chair has asked her to do some research for him in her very specific field this semester for a book he is working on, and then to continue that research in greater depth in the lab this summer. She had a very nice paid internship offer for this summer, as well, and we were too unsophisticated to know how to consider both options.</p>
<p>I ran the admissions committee of a life science graduate program for a number of years (and reviewing applications many more). Most definitely do research in an academic lab over the summer rather than a broad internship if she plans to go into a PhD program. If it’s at her school (best option if workable) she may be asked to continue in the school year.
Letters of recommendation from professors tend to be, by a large margin, stronger than those from internship coordinators or scientists in industry. Those from industry tend to be dry and fail to compare and rank to person to others at a similar stage in their careers. Of course there are exceptions, but this is my experience.</p>
<p>I agree with others to do the summer research, and that in many cases having no research experience will hurt you. The only exception I can think of is math. If money is an issue, now is a great time to start looking into REUs too, which usually provide housing and a stipend.</p>
<p>Research was a vital addition when we interviewed grad students (in a biomed field). Students with stellar scores/grades from high ranked colleges could circumvent the research background (at our less than top tier grad program; they would have needed the research for a top tier program, but our program gave an opportunity to late bloomers/1st gen folks who weren’t clued in about the importance of a research background). </p>
<p>In Clin Psych, on the other hand, I’ve heard that work with populations (which could be an internship) is a critical requirement.</p>