<p>Which is a better use of time? </p>
<p>Would working in a lab be better for someone planning to attend grad school and interning be better for someone aiming to land a job straight after undergrad?</p>
<p>Working in a lab is good for just about anyone. It’s almost necessary if you want to get into a top-name grad school (i.e. MIT, Stanford, etc.) but it certainly can’t hurt if you just want to go into industry after graduating. It shows good “work” experience and dedication. </p>
<p>One other thing to consider is that internships are usually during the summer, whereas you can work in a lab all throughout the year (including summer, if you want). So, the best of both worlds is to work in a lab during the school year, and get an internship during the summer.</p>
<p>How do you exactly land a job in a lab?</p>
<p>Well it’s usually not a paid job, just so you know. But if you’re interested in working in a research lab, the best way is to simply email a professor. Make sure that your email shows that you know something about the research (at the very least, you read the website), and also demonstrates your interest in the work. You should also attach a resume.</p>
<p>Ditto on what soadquake981 said. Sometimes there are paid positions. ;)</p>
<p>okay this doesn;t have to do with where this conversation is going, but how do I know if someone answered my post or replied here on CC? I can’t remember every post i make! And i just end up responding very late :P</p>
<p>If you click “go advanced”, there should be an option to get “instant email notification”.</p>
<p>0.o
and where is this mysterious go advanced button?</p>
<p>lol dear god…look an inch below the quick reply text box (which is under this message) and hit the button on the right.</p>
<p>i knew that…</p>
<p>Working in a lab usually gives you an opportunity to do a research which could be challenging, on the other hand, if you go on a internship, you will do a job that is less challenging. When you are considering a grad school, it’s worthwhile to spend time in a lab before you actually get into a grad school because you will never know if you have interests in research otherwise. So the answer depends what you are planning for the next step. If you plan to attend grad school, then I would recommend working in a lab.</p>
<p>If you want to talk to grad students at UT, visit [Utexas</a> Forum Link the Longhorns](<a href=“http://linkthelonghorns.com%5DUtexas”>http://linkthelonghorns.com) .</p>
<p>“Working in a lab usually gives you an opportunity to do a research which could be challenging, on the other hand, if you go on a internship, you will do a job that is less challenging.”</p>
<p>…or it could be the exact opposite.</p>
<p>I don’t necessarily agree with the statement that lab work is challenging. It’s usually not. But as I mentioned before, if you’re planning to go to grad school, lab experience is almost necessary.</p>