Study abroad volunteering or Research?

Graduate School
1

<p>Hey all,</p>

<p>I'm extremely interested in going to graduate school to do research in either public relations (specifically doing research with crisis management and personal influence model) or psychology (social and personality). However, I do not have any research experience at all. </p>

<p>Summer 2010 is my last summer as a college student (I am currently a junior). My question is, should I take an awesome study abroad opportunity or do research? I'd rather take the study abroad opportunity, but would that remove my chances of getting in to a decent graduate school? By "decent" graduate school, I mean a school that will challenge me in terms of research and have a decently large funding pool. I know I can't get in to Harvard or any of those elite graduate schools...heh.</p>

<p>Last year, I was offered a research assistant position for both departments but declined them because I wanted to backpack through Europe during the summer of 2009 (I don't regret the decision at all). </p>

<p>My study abroad adviser nominated me for a program for summer 2010 that's in Ecuador. The program puts me in a Spanish immersion class and a Ecuadorian health case studies class. In addition, I would volunteer for 30 hours a week helping under-privileged youth, especially girls who are escaping prostitution in search for a new life. This sounds like an amazing opportunity that I would be so passionate in doing.</p>

<p>In addition to this study abroad opportunity, I have not had any offers to research assist this upcoming summer, but will (if necessary) ask some of my PR and psychology professors about their current research (I've looked at all of their CV's and have found some interesting topics).</p>

<p>My question is, should I spend the money to travel to Ecuador for this amazing volunteer opportunity (I want to do a 2-year commitment to the Peace Corps sometime after graduation, maybe not immediately after, but definitely before I turn 30...)? </p>

<p>Or should I take a research position? I've heard that no research experience = no graduate school admission possibility.</p>

<p>Some other credentials:</p>

<p>I have a 3.7 GPA and will be majoring in PR with psychology and Spanish minors.
I've taken a pre-GRE test and scored a 1100 (I know, it's not great...I hope to improve that score with studying)
I have really great extra-curricular activities, a lot of experience in intense leadership positions on and off campus.
No research experience</p>

<p>Please be frank, I want to know if I would be totally doomed taking the study abroad opportunity over a research opportunity. Also, if this doesn't fall through my backup plan is to apply to become a graduate Hall Director =P</p>

<p>Help?!</p>

2

<p>If you even think you <em>may</em> want to go to grad school, especially in psychology, you really, really need research experience–it’s THE most important part of your application. For PR, are you thinking Human Factors PhD programs or something else?</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the reply psych_,</p>

<p>I am definitely thinking about graduate school.</p>

<p>I have experience teaching a psychology 106 class at my research university. I’ve taught two sections of the class and am now coordinating the psych 106 program as an undergraduate. The class is a 1-credit class comprised of 30-40 freshmen and sophomores that introduces basic psychological elements (ABC, reinforcements, behavioral analysis) and discusses daily life subjects (BAC, dependency, etc) This is one of the “intense leadership” positions I’ve had as a college student. Do you think this experience instructing at the collegiate level will help me get in to a psychology graduate program?</p>

<p>Also, for PR, I was definitely thinking about human factors. I also was thinking about corporate communication and global pr…along the foci of social responsibility and international relationships…</p>

<p>So should I take the research opportunity over the volunteering then?</p>

4

<p>From what I’ve heard (and take this with a grain of salt, as I’m applying this year myself–School Psych PhD programs), teaching experience does help, especially when getting TAships, but research experience–and solid research interest match with faculty–is the key component in a successful application. So I’d say definitely do research if you can and try to develop a solid sense of your research interests.</p>

<p>Also, your teaching experience sounds quite impressive, so good job there!</p>

5

<p>Hey psych_</p>

<p>Great, thanks for the reality check! This sucks that I can’t take the study abroad opportunity because I would have loved to do it, but if research will be my key in to graduate school I guess that’s all there is to it.</p>

<p>Thanks for the help!</p>

6

<p>You could always do the study abroad (it does sound awesome!) and plan to take a year or two office after undergrad to work as a paid research assistant–that’s what most people do anyway, and honestly, you’ll need a LOT more research experience than one summer to be competitive. Plus, given your prelim research interests, the study abroad experience could be VERY helpful if paired with research experience! So, don’t count it out yet!</p>

7

<p>You may also want to consider the fact that you seem to really enjoy the volunteering thing and you have never done research so you may not enjoy that as much or find it as rewarding. So if you do the research and do not like it you will regret it, but if you do the volunteering then you may just have to end up putting grad school on hold for a year or two and try getting a job that gives you some relevant experience.</p>

8

<p>Sorry to post on an old topic, but I wanted to keep everyone updated. I decided to take the international volunteering gig, and it has sincerely changed my life in a number of ways. I volunteered at a leprosy hospital that housed 37 amazing, beautiful and wise Ecuadorian men and women. Additionally, I had the chance to backpack through the Andes Mountains and the Amazon with people who have come from all across the globe, who will remain as my friends for a long time. </p>

<p>I am so happy that I decided to go with the international abroad experience because it allowed me to see what I’m truly passionate about. In March, I will be doing international reporting (multimedia, features, new media) in Guatemala, which is fully paid for by my College. I don’t think I would have been selected for this opportunity if I hadn’t had that experience in Ecuador. I’m also hoping to get a Fulbright ETA (English Teaching Assistantship) position in Colombia. </p>

<p>I’m so glad I followed my heart / instincts because I don’t regret it at all. I had an unbelievably amazing time. Thank you everyone for your help last year :)</p>

9

<p>I am so glad that you chose the volunteering position. Graduate school will always be there, but taking these kinds of international volunteering and development work positions just gets more and more difficult as you get older and face mounting responsibilities. Good luck in your future endeavors, and follow your passions!</p>