<p>If I'm aiming to apply to top grad schools, how important is it to participate in top summer research programs? As a sophomore undergrad, I've volunteered in the same lab (during school and over the summer) since freshman year, and I feel like I'll get more accomplished if I stick to my lab rather than participate in a different NSF-REU program every summer. (example- I'll help present a poster from my lab at a conference this year) Granted, being accepted into a program would show that I'm promising enough to be chosen from a competitive pool of applicants -- and the stipends are attractive for this poor volunteer! -- but I'm happy staying with my current lab. (I'm not sure if I'll get published, though.)</p>
<p>I've participated in two REU programs. One of the biggest benefits of these programs is the immersion in a whole different research area. I assume as a sophomore you have not been exposed to many areas in your field, and this is one of the best ways to do it. After my first REU, I found my research project to be far more interesting than what I had been doing at my school before, and I had never even considered this area prior to the program.</p>
<p>Also, among other things, I learned a lot about the kind of graduate school I'd like to attend. One REU program I participated in was at a school in a small town in the middle of nowhere. The other was in a major metropolis setting. From these experiences, I learned I very much want to go to school in an urban setting. I'm sure I would never have realized how important this was to me if I never did these programs.</p>
<p>These programs are extremeley beneficial to a budding researcher, they look great on a resume, they are usually quite fun, you meet interesting people with similar career aspirations, and it's good to just get away for a while and experience something completely different for a couple months.</p>
<p>I agree with Addwit that the REU program is great, but no, you don't need to do a summer program to get into a good graduate school.</p>
<p>It's definitely seen as a good thing if you choose to stay in one lab your entire undergraduate career, even if you don't get published -- it shows you're able to make a long-term commitment to a single research project or line of projects. A friend of mine who had done a summer program and had worked in three or four different labs at school was asked rather pointedly on interviews if he would be happy sticking with a single thesis lab.</p>
<p>just to kind of tag along on the original question:</p>
<p>i'm a junior (psychology major) at a college that actually does not have any labs or research of its own in the department (it's more of a teaching school rather than a research school). would it be crucial for someone in this situation to have had experience in a summer program?</p>
<p>fyi: I am applying for two, possibly three summer research programs this summer. They have been said to be ridiculously difficult to get into, but I believe that I will stand out as a candidate (we've had to take a lot of statistics courses, our upper-division capstones are basically research projects constructed by students with faculty mentoring, I've learned to work most stasticial software, the major requires you to be self-starting and self-sufficient). Does it sound practically doable?</p>
<p>yes, I plan on applying to Ph.D programs at the end of this year (for fall 2008). I really want to get my schooling done without any breaks. I'm interested in biopsychology or neuropsychology (my minor is in biology; I had neither the time nor money to do a psych/bio double major, and there's no psychobiology or neuropsychology major at the school). Mostly I want to work at NIH, eventually become a grant director.</p>
<p>for neuropsych you should definitely find a lab to work in. google a particular area you are interested in to see who is doing interesting research, and email them asking if they need a research asssistant this summer</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your replies, Addwit and molliebatmit.</p>
<p>I asked this question because I'm still trying to decide whether to apply to a summer program or to stay in the lab this summer. To Addwit, or anyone else to whom this applies- when did you participate in these programs (e.g., the summer after freshman year)? You mentioned that your summer project was more interesting than the one you had been working on in school; would you say that these programs are more helpful if you're not exactly sure where your research interests lie? Did you end up changing your research interests after attending the programs?</p>
<p>I participated in an REU program after my sophomore and junior year. These programs are definitely very helpful if you're not exactly sure of your research interests. </p>
<p>Before my first REU, as a sophomore, I was doing research in an area I found fairly interesting. That summer, the REU program set me up with a project <em>completely</em> different from anything I had previously looked into. I ended up loving the research and came back to school eager to learn more about it. I dumped any interest I had in my previous research in pursuit of this new subject. My current interests are still strongly based on this REU project.</p>
<p>The next summer, I applied to a variety of REU programs and made my newly-found research interest very clear in my applications. Again, I was assigned a project <em>completely</em> different from anything I had ever even looked into. Initially, I was disappointed I was not assigned the kind of project I would have chosen for myself, but I ended up totally loving it. I surprised myself by excelling in my project though I came in with no knowledge in that area. It really boosted my confidence in my abilities as a researcher. </p>
<p>What I want to get across is that REU programs are amazingly helpful to students who aren't quite sure what they're into. If you think you have a good sense of what you're into, maybe there's something else out there you find even more exciting. An REU is a fantastic way to find that out. Before applying to grad school, when you're expected to have a general sense of your research interests, it's important to explore as many research areas as you can to find where you fit best. Sticking to one lab/project your whole time as an undergrad may look good by showing dedication, but I think it's in your best interest to have a variety of experiences so you can be relatively informed when exploring graduate school possibilities.</p>