<p>you know how in the supplement there is a spot where they want to know if youve been in any research? do you think that would significantly improve my chances or is it another scam? (i submitted an abstract and explanation and everything)</p>
<p>why would it be a scam? If you've done great research of course it will help your application.</p>
<p>i mean, is this research something that could get me in if i am otherwise borderline? my sats, recs, essays, random crap and ECs are very good but my gpa is a touch low (upward improvement). do you think this research could cancel out a few b's here and there?</p>
<p>It would depend primarily on how good the research is and how much of it you did independently. Phenomenal, independent research can make up for quite a bit (probably more than a few B's). I'd say it's pretty much an extracurricular, meaning it could go anywhere from not impacting you at all to making you a sure admit. Remember, quality over quantity here.</p>
<p>ahem...Research is an EC...dude i dont know whether thats what most people take it for..but as far as i know research projects take more out of me than any damn class can...and that too a class of indian schooling system..</p>
<p>I'm not sure I understand what you mean. An extracurricular activity that you are extremely devoted to can be far more grueling than any class at school - I agree. By calling research an extracurricular, that simply means that it is something that is (primarily) done outside of school. There are a handful of extracurriculars that make you a guarantee at just about any university; research of the proper caliber is one of them. Perhaps I misunderstand you?</p>
<p>do you speak from experience? or are all just postulating here about the exact usefulness of research in admissions?</p>
<p>plus, here is a explanation i sent to admissions.</p>
<p>I have had a unique opportunity to participate in scientific research as an assistant in the Vascular Laboratory at SUNY-Buffalo, which studies how the heart and blood vessels work together to generate arterial pressure. My introduction to this field was a simple project using a tonometer (a pressure sensor) to study how changes in the body’s position affect the pressure in the arteries. I studied myself and asked some of my friends to be study subjects as well. We soon found that my pattern was the same as other young people who were competitive runners or rowers. At first, we could not figure out why blood pressure was higher in athletes, but upon the use of a more sophisticated analysis of the pressure waves in the arm that allowed us to indirectly measure the pressure at the heart. These “central” pressures were much lower in the conditioned athletes as we had originally thought. The problem was actually in the values obtained from the standard blood pressure cuff, which we now consider inadequate. The part of the project I am continuing uses Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow. Having both flow and pressure values will allow us to estimate how much of the conditioning effect is due to the heart and how much is due to changes in the blood vessels themselves or vascular remodeling. An abstract has been prepared for submission to the International Society of Hypertension meeting in 2006.
One of the best things about this experience is that it has opened my eyes to research in general. I know that I am lucky to have a father who could offer me this opportunity and I have really taken advantage of the opportunity and enjoyed it. Due to this project, I appreciate my current classroom studies much more and I see that the analytical methods I am learning can be used outside of medicine as well, most notably to me in applied economics.</p>
<p>There is certain research that will essentially guarantee you admission to Duke (work done at RSI, winning entries from Siemens & Intel competitions).</p>
<p>Beyond that, the value of research is just me postulating. :)</p>
<p>From what you've said, it seems like your work will be a plus (maybe even a strong plus), and it would compliment a strong application very nicely.</p>
<p>stambliark41- Maybe I got u wrong too. I mean i thought that by saying that it was an EC you meant to put research as a sort of an extra..whereas from my experience as an international i know from the past year admits and universities that research (atleast for a science student) at any level is a great + for admissions atleast for places like MIT,Stanford,Caltech...and a research program like RSI, SSp, SSTP and math camp can surely get u into a college if other parts of your applications are reasonably good..</p>
<p>Duke - both the Trinity and Pratt parts of Duke - is big on having students go into research. Demonstrating an interest in and talent for research would certainly be a plus. Or else, why ask :)</p>
<p>see basically nowadays Duke is going mainstream in Science and Engg as now it is already excellent in Business and Liberal Arts...By going mainstream i dont mean to underestimate duke..just that nowadays it is starting to compete for top spots in Engg and Science so yeah they want more kids with research and science passion..especially since they loose the majority of good ones to MIT,Stanford,Caltech etc..hope u get my point...meaning that if u have aptitude towards Duke and are good and genuinely involved in sci/tech then this is the best time for applying...</p>
<p>Wait. I thought that that box was meant solely for your abstract? I didn't include any explanation, figuring that the abstract would speak for itself. In comparison to the one posted above, it sounds very cold and mechanical.</p>
<p>i sent the abstract under seperate cover. it said to describe the research in a couple of paragraphs so there it is. the abstract was sent seperately. im not sure how much experience officers have in doppler ultrasound and fourier curves and the like.</p>
<p>and i know any kind of research is a plus but what im asking is how much of a plus. im sure 15000 other applicants have lots of "pluses" but we all need to stand out somehow so who knows. this post was kind of pointless.</p>
<p>Relwarc, I just submitted an abstract, too. And admitmetokollege, I'm wondering how much of a plus it will be too! My take on it is that Duke asked for it in the application, while several other schools I applied to, such as Notre Dame and Villanova, did not. So, I'm thinking that I can assume that research is more of a plus at Duke than at Notre Dame. But I guess we will not know the answer to all of our questions until we get that letter in the mail.</p>
<p>we shall find out soon. none of the ivies specifically asked for research either.</p>
<p>You're really asking, here, for a concise and correct answer to "how much of a plus?" :) I'm game - you get three units of yay*</p>
<ul>
<li>yay units are by no means a static entity; their sign will never change, but their relative magnitude might. Daily.</li>
</ul>
<p>Seriously, though - make sure your application is a complete and accurate reflection of who you are - if that includes the desire and ability to do research, include it. </p>
<p>As for admission officers' expertise - it is not completely unknown for them to ask folks who know about various things to check out the validity, depth, and importance of applicants' research. And one of the admission folks I work with most often is herself a Duke Physics grad. Which is meant as a positive - if you are doing good stuff, the admissions folks will want to give you full credit for the goodness of it as well as figuring out if Duke is right for you and if you are right for Duke.</p>
<p>yea makes sense, the more they look into it the more it should work in my favor. well see in two weeks wont we?</p>
<p>ND4Me, I disagree actually. If Duke asks for it, then it has a reasonable expectation that many of its applicants will have done research. That makes research seem less of a stellar EC and more of a commonplace one. At Notre Dame and numerous other places which make no mention of it, it may be a greater "plus."</p>