<p>I know I started fairly late in the game (couple days ago), but luckily a prof I emailed recently expressed interest in having me work at her lab over the summer. Problem is, she's away for a couple weeks and will only be able to meet with me when she returns. The email wasn't an explicit 'yes' (it was more like 'your work is impressive and I would like you to come in to talk about specific projects') but it was fairly positive. </p>
<p>In the meantime, would it be best if I continued applying to other labs in case she eventually doesn't offer me a position? If accepted by other labs, I would really hate to be in a situation where I have to turn down an offer. If it came down to this lab vs. any other lab I am considering applying to, I would definitely choose this one. </p>
<p>Essentially what I am asking is this: in the hypothetical scenario that I apply to another lab and am accepted by them, if I turn them down, what are the chances that I could reapply next year and be accepted?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your input! Sorry if anything is unclear.</p>
<p>While they probably cannot say “I don’t want you because you’re only 16,” they might say something more like “I don’t want you because you don’t have a college degree and are not currently working on one.” It is much more difficult to get a job in a lab as a high school student, simply because you don’t have much of a background and the lab supervisor doesn’t want to spend all their time explaining what they would consider to be basic fundamental concepts. In my experience, however, most labs will be more than willing to get another pair of hands (especially if they’re free) to do some of the more menial tasks in the lab. I would apply to as many as possible. Take into consideration if you are ever going to have to deal with them again, and if you’re not, who cares what they think about you. I would try to be polite though if possible.</p>