<p>I am contemplating applying for research via URAP for fall/spring, but I am wondering if I at all have a shot at a research opportunity. I heard that some labs get something like 75 applications for just a couple positions. Has anyone had any success with URAP? Any advice for getting a research position?</p>
<p>I don’t have any experience with URAP but I had with SPUR. SPUR is CNR’s equivalent of URAP. Anyway, like 5 of my friends got research experience with URAP and they don’t have the greatest grades. I don’t even know what is required for URAP but they’ve done it more than once. I doubt it is that hard to get a URAP position.</p>
<p>um, actually, i had pretty good grades in some pretty difficult classes (no prior research experience) before i applied to urap, and i applied to 3 positions by the first deadline. i didn’t get any of them. i then applied for another one by the extended deadline, and didn’t get it either. i would definitely not take it for granted that you will get a position, because like EVERYTHING in the bay area, these positions are difficult to get. i applied for science positions (biology, chemistry, psychology), so i’m unsure about the humanities positions</p>
<p>The competitiveness of URAP is highly dependent on which project you’re applying to. Hot research topics and research in EECS are very hard to get, but you should try your best and apply to three projects that are interesting to you anyway.</p>
<p>By the way, I applied to two URAP projects last semester, and got one of them.</p>
<p>URAP for the biological sciences is competitive. Some MCB projects can get over 100 applicants.</p>
<p>What they look for are previous experience and academic record. I applied to 3 projects in Fall 2007 and got into all 3. I’m now finishing my MCB honor thesis.</p>
<p>I have good grades… but not experience. I was hoping URAP could help build up my experience. :-/</p>
<p>if it’s experience that you’re lacking, you could just approach a professor during his/her office hours and inquire about any research openings in their labs. Many professors don’t care much for prior experience anyway–they have grad students to train you to do stuff their way. Just make sure you brush up on what their research is all about and be sure to appear enthusiastic when you are inquiring.</p>
<p>Does URAP still allow people to apply during the extended deadline if they already applied during the regular deadline?</p>