Need Aerospace Engineering advice

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I’ve been searching for summer research programs for Aerospace Engineering and I only found a few. Nasa offers quite a few, but they require the applicant to be a US citizen, which I won’t be for another few years. I’m majoring in Mechanical Engineering (my university doesn’t offer aerospace), but I want to pursue grad school in Aerospace Engineering. What do you aerospace engineers do in the summer for research experience? I plan on applying to all the available Aerospace Engineering summer research programs whether it’s an REU or not, but I want to have alternatives because it’s likely I’ll get declined when there’s so few programs available. Also, should I go ahead and apply to Mechanical Engineering REUs also and would that benefit me for graduate school even if I plan on switching to AE? Another thing is, I think the majority of REUs and other summer research programs requires you to write a proposal, I’m only a sophomore and I’m really clueless on what to write in a proposal. Advice would be appreciated, thanks.</p>

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<p>Does anyone have some good advice?</p>

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<p>Have you looked at the REU applications? My S did three and there was no proposal writing. Certainly apply for ME REUs as well as AE if there are some that look interesting to you.</p>

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<p>You can always research at your school. You don’t have to do some formal REU program. Most people never do an REU and instead just do research with a professor or group at their school.</p>

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<p>There’s more to the REU than just doing the research. Also, your room and board are covered for the summer and you come away some money to help fund your next year’s schooling. My son could have done work at his school, but appreciated the opportunity to meet other people and experience the cultures at other schools. (He was accepted into all the grad programs he applied to and I think the REUs didn’t hurt.)</p>

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<p>Umm not actual apps b/c it’s too early, but I’ve seen some of the requirements such as “writing a proposal.” I could have read it wrong because I was just scanning everything pretty fast. How hard are they to get in? I hear all sorts of people with different profiles getting in like those with low gpas, and those with high gpas, what do they typically care about?</p>

<p>Also bonehead, I have a few reasons why I’d prefer an REU.

  1. Going to a different university for the summer and experiencing a different atmosphere. I think it’ll acquire me some more connections and another LOR source.
  2. I love traveling, I think it would be kinda boring to spend the summer at the same place I will be for the next 2 years.
    Also, most of the undergrad research positions are unpaid, and the ones that are are usually not actual “research-based.”</p>
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<p>REU’s don’t hurt, but what it really comes down to is research experience. Publications are a bonus. Most if not all graduate schools are not going to care if you did an REU or just a research position at your school as long as you have the relevant experience and recommendation from the PI. The exception would be, for example, if you did an REU at MIT (if they even have one), it certainly would help for getting into graduate school there.</p>

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<p>I believe they have REUs at MIT. My son is a grad student a MIT, but his REUs were at other schools. (One of his recommenders was from an REU.)</p>

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<p>I want to apply to a lot and decide where I want to go, whether it’s staying or going to another university (assuming that I get accepted). It would be awesome if I can get into a top 10 for a REU, but my career adviser told me that usually top 10 schools are more connected with each other. In other words, top 10 schools are more likely to have other top 10 school students for their REUs. Idk if it’s true or not.</p>

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<p>I would not discount 2nd tier schools for REU programs. You might stand a better chance of being accepted because many people apply for those top tier schools. As far as writing a proposal…our son did an REU several years ago. I do not recall any type of proposal, but maybe it was there. Search this forum for other threads about REU’s. There is a lot of info about this from posters who have participated. </p>

<p>Good Luck…it really is a great experience to see research at an undergrad level and a nice way to make a little money and visit another university!.</p>

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<p>I don’t pretend that an REU is not a great experience, I am just saying that if you don’t get one, staying at your school is still a good idea if you don’t have an internship or something.</p>