<p>I am going to be going to college next year, and I am very nervous on whether I will get the opportunity to do research with professors as early as freshmen year or even sophomore year. Its very difficult getting REUs and such these days. I was wondering if strong freshmen year is really necessary for most applicant to get into a top 5 or 10 program in their field.I know its not completely necessary, but is it what most applicant have. I am planning to major in Applied Physics.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about “top school,” worry about “school with research group I want to join/professor I want to work with.”</p>
<p>Use your time as an undergrad to see what areas of physics there are and what interests you.</p>
<p>Also, here are some useful forums:</p>
<p>PhysicsforumsDOTcom
PhysicsGREDOTcom</p>
<p>Also also, you don’t need an REU to do research. You can work with professors at your home university. And you can start freshman year.</p>
<p>No, you won’t be expected to have done research as a freshman. If you are able to that is just a plus. The research experiences my daughter had as a freshman didn’t even make it onto the CV because there was more recent and relevant experience later. However, getting involved in a project in your area or even a related area is still good to learn and develop research skills for your later work.</p>
<p>I spend as much time as I do on CC on PF Tomservo, haha. But I am still very naive and don’t really know how things work. The reason I want to go to a top grad school because it is very recognizable to Employers if I don’t want to go into academia or CANT get into Academia as I hear the positions are very limited. But perhaps it really doesn’t matter as much as I now think it does. I am going to my state school for UG.</p>
<p>Also thanks for your reassurance BrownParent.</p>
<p>Look at it this way, better to go to a grad school where you can do research in an area you enjoy and would excel at than to go to a higher ranked school that doesn’t have any research programs that interest you.</p>
<p>I would not even recommend trying research as a freshman. Sophomore is even a stretch, most do not even manage it until their junior year.</p>