<p>Hey guys is science research really worth doing? It seems like too much work for a high school student and is really stressful. I know it looks good on college apps if you win big research competitions, but i feel like it is impossible to win any of them and some people who win kinda have unfair advantages.</p>
<p>Not exactly…Sometimes, people win some awards even if their research looks completely trivial. Also, why do you think it’s really impossible? Do you have little time? Low insight?
Also, I completely made up my math project during my English class. Turns out, it was a really interesting question. You don’t need professors telling you, if you have a good sense of “oh hey, this research will just take work!” or “hey, this research needs VERY clever insight!”
Also, do research because it’s interesting, not because of colleges. This way, your insights are might higher quality.</p>
<p>I don’t know, it just feels overwhelming to deal with research and highschool at the same time. Maybe it’s because my research teacher is really demanding and that just made me hate the class, not necessarily research itself. I love science, but high school research just seems like bull ****</p>
<p>Research during summer isn’t “stressful”</p>
<p>i meant doing competitions during the school year</p>
<p>Calm down. So basically, from what you’ve said, I guess it’s more of an issue of work than insight. That’s MUCH MUCH easier than stuff I do…relax, that you don’t have to do think a long time. And plus, like you said…you wanted merit, so doing the easier/well presentable research would be better. My projects are purely from interest.</p>
<p>To cheer you up, Evan O’Dorney’s STS finalist project only featured something that’s really well-known in the math community (F(x)=(ax+b)/(cx+d) which approximates square roots if you do F(F(F(F(F(…F(X))))), which is obvious if you see the quadratic formula).</p>
<p>Does your teacher have good results at the competitions? If she does, she is doing her job. Your comment: “It seems like too much work for a high school student and is really stressful.” leads me to believe that your focus in on the teacher and not on the idea you want to pursue. Where is your spirit of adventure? Your inquisitiveness? your initiative to go beyond the boundaries of a classroom? It takes a good mentor, a good teacher, and a positive, hard working student to get good results. You must fall in love with your topic to feel that the work is not a big deal and worth it. You become propelled by the idea and not the demands of the details the investigation demands like quality: writing, inquiry, presentation skills and working in a group. The work in high school pays off. I keep in touch with all my students. No matter what their area of research my students are doing really well and have come away with valuable skills for their success. I am curious what school do you attend?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>yeah, at one of the isef panels, a nobel prize winner said to go into science because it’s your passion, since you can’t expect to win anything. and, i mean, he won a nobel prize, and even he says that.</p>
<p>First: this is my second full-time year interning at a lab, and I absolutely love it. It really clicked with me and I’m super passionate about research. Is it kind of hard to balance a huge commitment like a research spot in addition to schoolwork? YES. But I love it and I make it happen by using my frees, working on the weekend, etc. If you really want to do research, then you can probably make it happen.</p>
<p>Second: from the tone of your post, I got the sense that you’re not really interested in doing research outside of school. That is TOTALLY OKAY. You can do projects in your sci research class w/o taking on an outside of school research commitment! Maybe try out some smaller, school-based projects this year before deciding whether or not you want to do research this summer/next year. </p>
<p>Third: Although I definitely agree that a few (read: FEW) people who place in regional and national science research competitions have relatively unfair advantages (ie his/her parent leads a huge lab and used his/her connections to get a great spot with a super-competitive project), the majority of people who win are successful because they put in a lot of hard work and dedication to their projects and they’re enthusiastic and truly passionate about the work they’re performing. </p>
<p>So: if you love science and you’re passionate about research, then take on that outside of school commitment! If you’re not that enthusiastic, try some smaller projects in school.</p>
<p>ps: Not all high school science projects are worthless!! Some of these projects are awe-inspiring and ridiculously impressive: [This</a> Teenager Might Cure Cancer - Business Insider](<a href=“http://www.businessinsider.com/this-teenager-might-cure-cancer-2012-7]This”>This Teenager Might Cure Cancer)</p>
<p>There’s a certain catch to that - she had the option to work in a lab in Stanford in high school. Coming from a small town in the midwest, there was no such thing as high school research outside of class projects, and there was no university to turn to to get involved in research. This is where I see the “unfairness” - that not everyone has these opportunities to get involved in research at all.</p>