<p>I'm a sophomore right now in the process of planning EC's for my junior year (academic year and summer). I've always had a passion for science and I keep up with scientific publications like Science American and NEJM, but if research is too much trouble and won't get me that far in terms of admissions, you can see why I'd like to spent my time elsewhere. </p>
<p>I plan on researching neuroscience (or at least something biology-related) in college and attending med school to give some more information. A high school teacher I know may be able to get me in touch with professors who may let me use their labs or guide me through the process. </p>
<p>How do people usually get involved in research? Is it performing your own scientific experiments or is more common to assist actual researchers and receive a mentorship? If the former provides a better ratio of impressing colleges to requiring time and effort, should I enter some competition to justify the effort? Something like the Intel Science Talent Search doesn't appeal to me because even if I were to do well in that absurdly competitive thing, the results don't get announced until after I would submit my apps. </p>
<p>Bear in mind, I'm interested in science but I'm no genius (just got a 2090 on SAT from past year). I might not have the resources to pursue something like neuroscience this early on, given how expensive many experiments in this field are. If that's the case, I'd be willing to pursue another branch of biology. </p>
<p>As you can see, I have a ton of questions and know very little about the endeavor of research in high school, so it would be great if anyone with experience or knowledge shed some light on this.</p>
<p>Usually HS students get experience by assisting other researchers (sometimes professors; sometimes graduate students and postdoctoral research scholars) with their research. The kids who do Intel Science - even who win - are rarely breaking new ground in the scientific field of their choice; they’re often just performing at a really high level of science but not necessarily creating new knowledge in the field. In fact, high schoolers often don’t know enough yet to be of real substantial help in the lab, although some of course conduct rudimentary experiments on their own. Still, a lot of researchers are pretty delighted to mentor driven and ambitious HS students who want to embark on a career of research (or at least learn about it).</p>
<p>For example, I wouldn’t mind mentoring a HS student who genuinely wanted to learn about research and demonstrated an interest in it. It’d be kind of fun. But a HS student who made it clear through actions that they just wanted to use the experience to look good for college or med school…I wouldn’t want to mentor them.</p>
<p>Like the Intel Science thing…yes, of course, the results don’t get announced until after submission, but college admissions is not the <em>point</em> of the Intel Science competition. It’s to follow your passion of exploring science. If you are just pursuing it to get into college, it will make you miserable, trust me. You have to do it because you really love it.</p>
<p>How to start?
Ask your science teachers if there are aware of any internships offered in the area. Often, universities or other research facilities, send letters to the area high schools announcing internship positions. If you are lucky and you live near some universities or research facilities then chances are that they reserve some internships specifically for the area kids. This is done for outreach and community purposes. Those type of internships are the easiest to get.
If you do an internship search on line chances are you will get the ones that are extremely competitive or the ones that you need to pay for (like a class). The competitive ones are pretty much impossible to get if you are not already somehow accomplished. Of course you could try, just be realistic. The paying ones are up to your financial situation.
The other thing to do is try to initiate something yourself by calling or emailing places near your high school. Again if there is a “neighboring” college that is by far your best bet. Email some professors including a short resume and ask if there would be willing to have an intern. Some they might point you to existing internships and ask you to apply. Others will not offer any help and others might say, come over and lets talk.</p>
<p>The most common is to assist other people’s work. However, you might be lucky and end up contributing in a significant way. You never know.</p>
<p>I assume the most impressive is work you started yourself and then found a place to help you improve it, finish it etc. However, I assume you should have been doing this already this year through the science fair project. Anyway, if you want to go to this path, spend this summer brainstorming and /or researching and start a project. Then see if you can get people to help you with and enter some competition. If you do well in your school’s fair then you can enter “states” and take it from there. If you do well in states you can enter Intel. A girl in my son’s school did this this year (junior), won states and entered intel. She came 4th in her section. So I am not sure what you mean by the results not in before applications. Depends which competition (section?) you enter.</p>
<p>The most valuable thing about engaging in research is that you get a taste of the fields you believe you’ll love before you have to commit. I cannot tell you how many students I’ve advised in their thesis work who realize that they have no connection with the field they believed they wanted to pursue.</p>
<p>Yes, it looks good to colleges, but do it for yourself.</p>