<p>sorry for the double post, feel free to delete this if need be, but i'm not getting any responses over at 'college admissions' and hoped the parents would be of more help..</p>
<p>i just found out that my research mentor's making me a coauthor on a <em>pending</em> scientific paper. most of my apps are due in less than a week..if it's worth bothering, how should i explain this on all those supplementary info sections? would adcoms believe me if it hasn't been published yet? i don't think we even know which journal's going to accept the paper yet.</p>
<p>Is your research mentor a college prof with other published articles? If so, I think you should definitely mention this. You don't have to make a big deal of it - just mention it on the list of accomplishments/ECs. </p>
<p>It is outside the realm of science, but my daughter has definitely mentioned pending projects on her apps. If you are reasonably sure that something is going to happen, then there is no harm in letting others know.</p>
<p>I'm not a parent but I agree with calmom - this is definately something that should be mentioned. Also, it's probably too late now if you haven't already done so, but you could have your mentor write a short letter of recommendation.</p>
<p>Also, if you have done any write-ups about your work on this project, you could also send a copy of this with your apps. I worked in a university lab for 2 months during a summer, doing work related to a grad student's thesis and I wrote a paper about my work and sent a copy with each of my applications.</p>
<p>My son had a scientifc paper on which he was first author that was pending publication at the time of his applications. He listed the research as an ec, and put the information about his article and its status re publication under the awards, distinctions part. He also enclosed the abstract from his research with the ap, and explained in a cover letter that his paper had had a favorable first review by the journal and that he had re-submitted it with revisions. Some weeks later, when the paper was accepted, he sent an "update" with a copy of the publisher's acceptance letter.</p>