<p>So...I have an opportunity to go to stanford for summer research in engineering. I was really excited in the beginning, but now I'm seriously considering if I should go.
I won't go into detail but the general situation is, I'm from Canada, I don't get paid by the prof, if I go, I'll probably stay for 4 months, I really like my project but I'm seriously thinking not specialize in that area, so I'm worried about wasting time. and honestly, I think this opporunity is too good to be true, I don't know how it happened, but it somehow did..so now I start thinking...according to the rule of gruaduate school admission, admission w/o financial stripend = polite rejection, I'm thinking if the prof actually meant a polite rejection since I'm not getting paid, but somehow I just didn't get it. and besides I really have no idea if Stanford is good for the particular rresearch area I'll be in, because as much as the real academia community is concerned, prestige in a specfic reserach area doesn't usually associate with good school name.
and also my parents don't want me to go, they think it's too unecessary and cost too much money. I'm trying to apply for scholarships, but my GPA really isn't that impressive, if I don't end up getting anything, then it'll be really really expensive. Also someone used to tell me how sucky the quality of stanford undergrad is because her dad went there. I was also thinking about taking summer courses while I was there working towards my 2nd major in humanities, now I'm just don't sure if it's really a good idea.
On the other hand, I secretly want to go to Stanford just because it's in California, beach, parties, sports, greek life and all that, I just want to check out the social scene. But I'm not sure there'll be any stanford students left on campus during summer.
I talked with some profs and they really think it's a good idea to go, but obviously they probably just don't want to discourage me and try to keep me interested in research. I couldn't really discuss this with my friends because I'm sort of an underdog, no one would expect I could get something like this, so I don't want to be pretentious and tell the whole world. also, in general lots of them aren't that into research so they probably don't know anyways.
In general, I have the typical syntrom of "If I get something, then it must not be good, because I don't deserve anything good. " So, basically I doubt if this whole thing is over-rated because otherwise why would I out of all those people get it? Will this be a good investment for 4months? is it over-rated or is this an opportunity I shouldn't miss even if I end up having to be a lab rat and spend 10k?</p>
<p>It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. As for Greek life, beaches and all that, keep in mind Stanford students will be gone during the summer as will the Greek life and the nearest beach is about 40 minutes away by car.</p>
<p>ok, revised version:
I got offered an unpaid summer research position in engineering @stanford. I don't know if I should go:
1) It's expensive if I don't end up getting any scholarship from my own school
2) Stanford might not be that great for this particular area
3) parents aren't supportive. no one is really excited for this except me
4) I'm not sure if this opportunity is overrated given the kind of project I'll be doing for a 2nd year undergrad
5) I'm thinking about NOT specializing in this area at all, so it might be a waste of time to spend a summer on it
6) It's summer, all the stanford students are gone, I might not get the real flavor of the school</p>
<p>7) but It's California, and it's Stanford.</p>
<p>So. Suggestions please</p>
<p>Well, if you aren't going to get any sort of compensation to do it, it might not be worth it. Generally in engineering you should get at least enough for you to break even during the time you're working there.</p>
<p>
[quote]
5) I'm thinking about NOT specializing in this area at all, so it might be a waste of time to spend a summer on it
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This doesn't really matter, as every summer research position has had very little direct impact on what my current PhD project is, but the knowledge and lab skills I gained during that time has continually been useful. For example, one of my friends was doing a quick corrosion experiment and couldn't figure out why his solution was turning purple. I told him I had worked in a chemistry lab before where I was using titanium solutions and they were a similar purple, and he told me one of the three elements in his alloy was titanium!</p>
<p>Also, northern California sucks (but only slightly more so than southern).</p>
<p>I couldn't disagree more with Racin. If you go to MIT, I could see giving up the opportunity. If you go to a school not on Stanford's level, it could be the thing that separates your resume from the pack coming from your school when it's time for a job.</p>
<p>Unpaid internships that give you a leg up in the job market pay for themselves many times over.</p>