<p>a short introduction: i'm a freshman (i'm sure you can guess the university) and i know engineering is right for me, but i really have no idea what i want to go into. somedays i wake up and want to go into MSE, some days computer engineering, some days IOE. who knows.</p>
<p>but that's besides the point. if i want to go to grad school, when do i have to start getting involved in research/internships?</p>
<p>i ask because it seems that a lot of people get internships after their freshman year. however, this is not a realistic idea for me because i was planning on working over 40 hours a week this summer so i could make money so i would not have to work next school year, so i'd have time for research. also, since i don't know what to do just yet, would it be useless to get an internship that may not be relevant to my interests (whatever they are!) at all?</p>
<p>i am convinced i will decide my major by the end of this semester, declare, and then try to find research in the department, and get an internship the summer after my sophomore year, then hopefully i would do that my junior and senior year as well. would this be enough (with good grades, of course. actually, what are good enough grades to get into MS programs? PhD) to get into a graduate program as highly ranked as my undergraduate?</p>
<p>i guess any advice for a somewhat confused college freshman would be great :)</p>
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<li>see if you can get paid positions for research. you wont be allowed to put it on your transcript/get credit for it, you it can be on your resume and you will get a letter of rec (hopefully) out of it. its that last two that really matter.</li>
<li><p>im not sure, but i keep hearing industrial internships arent a big deal for grad school. if thats the case, look up REU programs (google “NSF REU”). those are summer resaerch programs that will pay you anywhere from 3000-5000 to come to a place and do research. I’m sure you could make money working 40 hrs during the summer and doing research fulltime, but I, personally, would rather do the REU and make up the difference by getting paid for research. </p></li>
<li><p>are you sure about graduate school? a lot of people are really smart and can do great jobs, but research isnt for them. of course, tahts part of the reason you do lab work and research as an undergrad… to show grad schools you like being in the lab.</p></li>
<li><p>about getting an internship in a field that youd dont know about= thats how you learn what youd like and dont like! </p></li>
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<p>if you dont get to do anything “special” internship or research-wise, your freshmen summer wont ding you. also, i know a few people who do research and work and carry course loads. i dont know how much of each, but it can be done. </p>
<p>and dont worry about rankings of grad schools. most people dont know anything outside of the general prestiage. for example, u chicago has a fairly crappy comp sci department (apparently…). im pretty sure everyone tries to mention the word “fit”… and if you are going to spend 60+ hours a week in lab (common in grad school) for 5-6 years, i think fit would be a huge deal.</p>
<p>just try to find a subject/project that interest you a lot and good grades. the details can be dealt with later.</p>
<p>Since you are sure engineering is right for you but you are not sure what you want to do, try to do a few engineering courses in the departments which interest you and do some research into what career paths the majors lead into. Talk to professionals in the field or your professors and see what recent graduates in the different majors are doing and what these jobs involve. As an engineer, you will probably not want to spend too much time (more than a year) exploring since the core requirements are heavy (although if you really dislike your major it may be worth to switch).</p>
<p>As for what to do to prepare for grad school, try to excel in your classes in the first year and build relationships with faculty by attending office hours and talking to them about your background and your interest in thier research (if you are interested in what the professor is doing). </p>
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<p>This seems like a fairly decent idea, although if I were you, I would still apply to many paid internships since you never know what you will get. Most internships would pay you better than working at a local restaurant or shop although internships are fairly competitive for freshman. Try applying now: this is the time. As the previous poster said, REU’s are good too, but they are more applicable for sophomores and juniors. In my opinion, having a little more background will help you to find research direction.</p>
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<p>Try and work your hardest in your classes. Look into the integrated BS/MS program at Michigan in your department if it exists and you can find the requirements. For other MS programs, it is possible to be admitted with a 3.3+ although to get funding it is much more difficult. For a Ph.D. program with funding, an even higher GPA and a strong research profile will be very beneficial if not essential. Try a co-op program if that works. If you have good relationships with your professors, maybe you can be paid for your research or do a research based internship. I am in the same boat as you as a freshman and have similar ambitions to go to a strong grad program although I am sure what branch of engineering I want to do.</p>