<p>If you think #5 in UK is a “top school”, more power to you.</p>
<p>You shouldn’t be concerned about research opportunities. All top universities run summer research programs for undergraduates (including those from other schools). Here are a couple of examples. You have to be competitive though.</p>
<p>[Summer</a> Undergraduate Research Fellowships … S U R F … <caltech> …](<a href=“http://www.surf.caltech.edu/]Summer”>http://www.surf.caltech.edu/)</caltech></p>
<p>[DMS</a> / Diversity / Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP)](<a href=“http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dms/Diversity/shurpintro.html]DMS”>http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dms/Diversity/shurpintro.html)</p>
<p>[MIT</a> Department of Biology: Summer Research Internships and College Outreach](<a href=“http://mit.edu/biology/www/outreach/summer_research/undergraduates.html]MIT”>http://mit.edu/biology/www/outreach/summer_research/undergraduates.html)</p>