<p>Hello, I am hoping to start doing research for a university nearby but have no idea how to get started. Should I find a professor in a field I am interested in and email him/her? Also, what type of work would I be doing? If anyone with experience doing research as a high school student can give me some tips and steps on how to get started and explain to me how the whole process works it would be much appreciated. One last question, how good is it to have on a college resume that you were doing research over the summer?</p>
<p>It is good to have on a resume. Throughout next year I will be interning and researching at a leading cancer research center. I got this by looking up people and pretty much just calling and emailing. Most people are happy to help. Ayer calling about 40 people someone responded and offered to help me out.</p>
<p>Try not to do things to beef up your college application. If you do that, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.</p>
<p>Engage in extracurricular activities that you find intellectually stimulating…or just plain fun. Doing this will help you sidestep the “quid pro quo mentality” of if-I-do-this-I’ll-get-into-college.</p>
<p>FYI, many students secure acceptances at top-tier colleges without any research experience at all.</p>
<p>To answer your question regarding how to set up such a research experience…
It is best to contact the principal investigator (PI; head of the lab) directly. For a summer job, it’s advisable to start your search a month or two in advance (April or May) since this gives the PI time to ask the post-docs and grad students if anyone would like to take on a high school student. First, you should find out exactly what the lab does. Try your best to read up on current projects and recent publications. Then you should stop by in person, talk to the PI’s administrative assistant, drop off your resume with cover letter, and schedule a short appointment with the PI. During the meeting, show the PI how enthusiastic you are about the work that his/her lab does. Lots of doors open up when the PI sees that you are a bright, highly motivated student. If he/she doesn’t have room in the lab for a high school kid (and many don’t), inquire about how someone in your shoes could get some lab experience. Perhaps the PI knows of a colleague who has room, or perhaps the PI might offer a lab job during the school year. Expect to work full-time during the week in the summer and at least 15 hours per week during the school year. A lab job takes a certain time commitment. You may be fortunate enough to receive a small stipend for your lab work. After you finish your own work for the day, offer to help with other things in lab. Everything you do in lab presents a novel learning opportunity. Read papers in your down-time. Offer to present articles at the lab journal club (if the lab has one). Be an eager learner and a team player. Follow this advice, and you’ll do well.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. Can you elaborate on what you ment when you said “beef up your application”? Are yoy trying not to do things last minute just to put on your resume.</p>
<p>To clarify, “beefing up your application” means “engaging in certain extracurricular activities with the sole purpose of making you a more attractive college applicant.”</p>
<p>FYI, the advice I offered in my previous post is oriented more towards seeking an internship at a biomedical science lab. Conducting research in the humanities at the university level can be significantly different.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you, ill be looking for both opportunities and hopefully make me a better applicant for UofM than the rest. If you are familiar with UofM’s admission program, can you give me any more tips?</p>
<p>Are you talking about the University of Maryland or the University of Minnesota?
For the record, I’m not that familiar with either school.</p>
<p>University of Michigan</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t have any special insight into the admissions process at UMich.</p>
<p>Good luck with everything…</p>