<p>I just heard about this program, and it sounds great, but where would I start if I wanted to find an electrical engineering REU program? </p>
<p>Also, I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts who was involved in one of these programs. What did you think of it?</p>
<p>I did a REU this summer (the program was a combo of all disciplines) and all I can say is :</p>
<p>HATED IT!</p>
<p>Despite my experience, it was a good program over all. 3k, GRE prep course and test, great workshops, work experience and covered housing.</p>
<p>If you really love research, go for it. It’s great that you are starting now. Take a week to ust google "REU"s and also use the search function to look at old posts on this board that discuss REUs. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>There’s a site that has links to REUs by major and it gets updated throughout the year. The deadlines usually run mid-January to March. Announcements are usually December to February but I’ve seen reannouncements as late as May (for REUs that didn’t get enough applicants). They will usually want transcripts, a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and a resume. It’s good to try to line up the LORs early as professors can be very busy and take their time writing them.</p>
<p>I was in an REU and really enjoyed the experience. The professor I worked with was great, we got to do some fun things, and I got to drive across the country to get to/from it.</p>
<p>A lot of the quality of your experience depends on the lab you’re put into and the people in the lab. Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of way to determine that unless you get to choose which particular lab you’re interested in working in.</p>
<p>Also, REUs are sponsored by the NSF, and they have a listing on their website. A lot of schools also have their own NSF-independent programs, such as Caltech’s SURF/MURF. Unfortunately, they’re a bit harder to find.</p>