<p>I'll try to make this short, so I might accidentally leave out important detail.</p>
<p>I'm a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and plan on pursuing grad school (preferably PhD) and will be applying next fall. I did research my whole sophomore year resulting in a last ( :( ) author publication and perhaps more. Unfortunately, I can't work in that lab anymore due to funding issues. </p>
<p>Anyways, I would love to go into aerospace engineering (research done that year was aerospace). Unfortunately, my school does not have an AE program and there are no other labs that focus on aerospace related research, but ME and AE are very closely related. </p>
<p>I found a new lab this semester. I don't get paid though. The problems is the project I'm working on is more of a "competition" than "research," even though the professor and many graduate students have said research is also involved in the project. I do get to work with graduate students. The professor seems very friendly and approachable and almost acts like teenager which makes him less intimidating than most professors. He says this would look great a resume for grad school as I'll be able to "work with grad students and national labs, and write papers." Another problem is that this is not "very" related to areas I might consider for grad school. </p>
<p>I've been hoping to go to graduate school ever since entering college, preferably a top institution in my field. I don't want to do anything that might hinder that goal. </p>
<p>I should also add there are almost no other labs that will accept or need any additional undergrad researchers.</p>
<p>So my question is, since this project is not "fully" a research project and considering my goals, should I continue to stay with this lab?</p>