<p>How easy are they to obtain? Can freshman get research positions?</p>
<p>Freshman research opportunities are available (I did research as a first semester freshman in the chemistry department). I would almost say, however, that waiting a year until you are grounded and have a firm understanding of the time commitment necessary is a better option. My current lab requires 25-30+ hours a week on top of a rigorous course load and can be overwhelming. It is also advisable to wait until you know something about the departments and professors that you would like to do research with (environment, will you have a graduate student to guide you, etc.). All these are important things to weigh.</p>