<p>I've noticed that a large number of people applying (or at least the majority submitting "chances" threads) to Stanford have done research of some type. Have most people that get into Stanford done research? If so, whatever happened to having a childhood? And (perhaps more importantly to me) what chance do I have to get in, if all of my other stats are highly competitive, without any research to speak of?</p>
<p>I'm the same sitution and agree with you. Throughout high school, it never once occured to me to do research-- I'd never even heard of anyone who had that wasn't in college or older! Regardless, I don't feel it hampers my application in any way. My own EC's show just as much passion and commitment. Besides, this can't be the norm, seeing as I go to a school of 3600 and not one person has done research (I checked with counselors, principal, the geniuses :), etc)</p>
<p>Thank God, before reading these posts, I'd never heard of kids doing research when they were 16/17 years old. So I panicked a little when I saw that. No one at our school (2100 kids) has ever done research either, but I was just double checking.</p>
<p>I agree. I never thought of doing anything outside school, let alone research, while in high school. I just did a lot of clubs at school, had leadership positions, and did well. I don't think that a majority of students at Stanford had done previous research; I think high school researchers are disproportionately represented on CC.</p>
<p>Kids who do research are probably ones with elder siblings suggesting things that they can do to boost up their applications. I'll admit I am one of them...although it wasn't really research; rather, I had an internship at a pharmaceutical company, in addition to clubs, instrument, etc. Still, i don't see how it will make me stand out if everyone else is doing it. In conclusion, I think we're all in the same boat.</p>
<p>I have been working on a research since early this year(january-february), i dont know if it helps for admission, but i do it cuz i want to and it amuses me!</p>
<p>research is about taking the understanding of your subject to the next level. if you do it for admissions you're missing the purpose.</p>
<p>yeah, I do research, and it's so fun... and I love being dedicated to something.</p>
<p>yeah research AHHH. I wanted to do research in high school because it sounded fun and interesting (and I admit it, it sounded like it helped people's chances) but I didn't because the places I wanted to do research were at least and hour away and my mom was too busy and tired to give me rides etc etc. The truth is, it's WAY easier for kids who live near universities, or have inside connections, etc to do research so it's not really fair obviously. I haven't met a whole lot of people here who did research in high school and most people I've met had some sort of connection with people in labs...Obviously some people do research early on because of true interest and they really invest themselves in it and put effort into getting it, but a lot of people who can do it because it looks good.</p>
<p>sorry for the rant, but I was unnecessarily stressed out about research in high school too, and I want other kids to avoid that. I was dedicated to other things too and I didn't want to abandon them.</p>
<p>btw, if one really wants do some sort of research to make her/him look good?</p>
<p>Can they do some independent research?</p>
<p>I'm not applying to Stanford, but...</p>
<p>Theoretical research can often be done without a major university nearby (that's the situation I've been in; so far I've only communicated with my mentor by e-mail). There are any number of ways to become involved in a reasearch project; for me, it was building a friendly relationship with a professor at a community college (duel-enrollment). Research can be fun, but it takes quite a bit of devotion & drudgery to do well. You have to be committed, and I personally doubt that you can be sufficiently committed if you're just doing to to look good.</p>
<p>i've been doing research since about 8th grade...most of it has been at home..no university or anything...gotten tons of awards too</p>
<p>mainly been computer science/engineering type stuff</p>
<p>it's quite feasible to do that kind of stuff at home...more than chemistry/bio etc</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>did you come up with your own topics or refer to some given topics?</p>
<p>came up with my own</p>
<p>Under a prof's supervision?</p>
<p>nope</p>
<p>...well actually that's a bit misleading</p>
<p>most of my projects have been by myself, but i've done one project with a mentor, in a lab, just for the experience.</p>
<p>however, i'm planning on expanding on the project i did with a mentor at home...by myself lol</p>
<p>if you're interested in engineering/computer science, you can do a project on your home at home. even math, you can probably do one. for ideas....just read a lot i guesss...wikipedia is good lol and any science/tech magazines and stuff</p>
<p>For a long period I mostly was on my own, but 60-80% of the time I ended up with problems whose solutions I'd find in textbooks. (There were exceptions to this, and a few really cool problems.) I do prefer having an experienced mentor, and even in my own home I can feel the spirit of being part of a larger group of researchers in the field - that's cool. As coolphreak stated, read, read, read; to be efficient, you need to be fluent, and to become fluent, you need to read continuously (and, if you ever end up in the situation of having to respond to a judge in a competition, being well-versed in topics perhaps peripherally related to your project can be invaluable). BTW, there is a fine line between what might be called "research" and simply solving problems. Nothing wrong with the latter, but you want to get your words correct if you ever mention that kind of thing on an application; for example, I split the two activities into separate ECs on my Caltech & MIT apps (I am applying to both this year).</p>
<p>If you want my honest opinion, I don't suggest starting research now with the end goal of getting into Stanford or wherever. If at heart you dislike research but fool yourself into believing you do temporarily, you'll lose time in your life you could spend on things you like to do (and besides, if you don't really commit yourself to the activity, it probably wouldn't help you get in anyway). OTOH, if you aren't passionate about anything and want to explore the possibility of research with an open mind, more power to you.</p>
<p>Can adcoms tell whether or not people have connections in order to do research? I guess not, but ... I know some kids who are doing research only b/c it'll look good on their app, and they're doing it through connections.
I didn't have any connections... hmm.</p>
<p>i'm guessing it would show through in your essays? your passion etc? atleast that's what i'm hoping lol</p>
<p>Some high schools have science research programs. At our high school kids interested in science research spend the first year of the program reading hundreds of articles (at approximately Scientific American level). Then they focus on a topic and read real science articles. The next year they go looking for a mentor. I'm not sure to what extent the school helps because my kid decided to drop the course before the first year was over. But we end up having Intel finalists pretty regularly. My son hasn't exactly done research, but he has done some programming for several scientists which has been acknowledged in various papers. It's much easier if you have connections. His Dad does breast cancer research and we have lots of friends who are scientists. If you're from a school without a program no one is going to hold it against you, but if you choose not to participate (like my son), I think they might.</p>