tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post2060678197347805451..comments2023-12-29T12:27:36.793-05:00Comments on Pondering blather: Applying to an NSF REU site [Updated]Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589096873729951466noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-21871591932672078292019-01-07T03:11:34.772-05:002019-01-07T03:11:34.772-05:00Thank you so much for all these great advices! Man...Thank you so much for all these great advices! Many of them were so revealing and so so so helpful. I cannot thank you enough! I've seen advices before, but most are generic, and none are from someone who actually reviewed applications. <br />I do want to highlight something though, just something I want to point out. The fact that an institution is categorized as R1 does not mean that the student has plenty of research opportunities. I am attending UNLV, institution that just this year achieved R1 status, but this was due to research in areas different than mine. I am a mathematics student, and while I see physics, biology, chemistry and economics students getting research opportunities left and right, I've looked among math faculty many times for research opportunities with no luck. It really depends on the school. I am highlighting this just so you are aware of this pretty weird fact. <br />Still, thank you so much for your help! Ill visit your site many times during the next week to make sure my application is succesful. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-16865027203718478162015-04-03T02:16:38.499-04:002015-04-03T02:16:38.499-04:00Excellent! This post is simply a great milestone f...Excellent! This post is simply a great milestone for the Winning. olighttp://www.bestaessays.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-41760087815087689632015-02-26T12:40:55.080-05:002015-02-26T12:40:55.080-05:00I think that all of you offer valid criticisms of ...I think that all of you offer valid criticisms of this article, but it is an important point to note that Odyssey did mention the criteria are subjective. I believe I am a first hand example of that. On top of that fact that every site has different criteria and are searching for students suited to the environment of that organization, from what I've seen REUs operate under a different set of expectations than other internships. I, for example, am a current undergrad with a GPA of 3.5, Ive also been doing research since my freshman year. After submitting a few of my applications, to pretty competitive universities I received offers. So it all depends on the site and the scientific intrigue and capability you have to offer. <br />-BertBertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-54221892000500827722014-03-14T22:00:58.445-04:002014-03-14T22:00:58.445-04:00What would you say the chances are generally for a...What would you say the chances are generally for a rising sophomore? 4.0, I have taken courses in biology, 2 courses in chem, one In physics (placed out of the 1st semester of a 2 semester 2 course sequence), one in psych, and one in math (placed out of intro statistics, calc I and calc II), no prior research experience, one letter of rec. from my advisor (who is a physics professor) (the REU site asked for 1 letter of rec., preferably 2, but I only sent 1). I recently declared a major in Neuroscience and I plan to minor in math and physics. The program is in Neuroscience but with an integrated computational/math component. The main thing that makes me really unsure is the fact that im only a freshman (currently), and I only submitted one letter of recommendation. Also, it is rolling admissions and but I probably won't be finished with the application until 2 or so days before the deadline...<br /><br />What do you think my chances are? Obviously you can't concretely say but just for some reassurance or for a dose of reality I'd really like to know how likely you think it would be that I get accepted! <br /><br />Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-28909919057152026202013-05-21T04:51:49.781-04:002013-05-21T04:51:49.781-04:00Wow, I would say your chances are GOOD. I hope you...Wow, I would say your chances are GOOD. I hope you applied.koncshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04630746558119212626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-45085164581768996692012-01-16T00:18:17.550-05:002012-01-16T00:18:17.550-05:00From your perspective, could you give an educated ...From your perspective, could you give an educated guess of what my chances are of getting into an REU program?<br />I am a current senior, with one year left in my undergraduate studies.<br />General Biology and Studio Art double major, University Honors Program and what I have deduced as an "R1" state school.<br />I have had my first semester of research this past Fall, but have not had any major publications or presentations.<br />I am pursuing a Masters in Medical Illustration (my top REU choice is actually at 1 of the 4 school's having an accredited Medical Illustration school in North America - Johns Hopkins) and very interested in Biological research as well. Specifically, the morphology of amphipods.<br />My recommendations are from my research professor, and a teacher who I have had higher level Biology courses with as well as studied abroad.<br />My mother is from Central America, and I am a first generation college student.<br />I am a citizen.<br />My GPA is not very competative (My father passed at the beginning of my senior year, and it has taken a while to get my momentum back. My cumulative value is probably close to 2.8/2.9.<br />I know without a statement it would be difficult to gage my application, but, given these demographics, and that my recommendations will be good, and also come from leaders in Antarctic research (both of invertebrates and algae), what do you think?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-12679880365245593242009-05-07T09:31:00.000-04:002009-05-07T09:31:00.000-04:00However, you say that these non-science recommenda...<I>However, you say that these non-science recommendations are "useless," but isn't an undergraduate education about learning how to think, reason, and criticize, no matter what field you're in?</I>Perhaps "useless" is a little harsh. Certainly a non-science prof can attest to your character and work ethic, and we don't ignore such letters. And I can assure you that a 4.0 student from a SLAC who applies to our REU program is looked at very favorably, even if both reference letters come from non-science profs - we are looking for "well-rounded" students. However, non-science profs can't give us some crucial pieces of data. The first is your aptitude for science. Granted a science prof who has only had you for a couple of classes won't have a full appreciation of your aptitude for science, but their judgement will be far better than that of a non-science prof in this regard.<br /><br />Secondly, not all science courses are equal. For example, an A in organic chemistry from one school is not necessarily equivalent to one from another school. If a science prof tells us that a student was in the top 5% of all students who have ever taken their organic chemistry class that means more than seeing the student has an A on their transcript.<br /><br />I'm very glad to hear you were accepted into a good grad program and I hope you're having a blast. Keep in mind that grad schools get one piece of data not available at the REU level - your GRE scores. Decent GRE's can help mitigate the lack of information on your science aptitude in your reference letters. Also science grad programs often (but not always) interview prospective students, giving them the chance to get to know an interesting applicant they're not 100% sure about. At the REU level we have neither the budget nor the timeframe to be able to do that (although I have called applicants on more than one occasion when I've had questions).Odysseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14589096873729951466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-79686586279255620712009-05-06T21:48:00.000-04:002009-05-06T21:48:00.000-04:00Odyssey, I'd also like to thank you for your post....Odyssey, I'd also like to thank you for your post. I wish I had first-hand advice like this when I was applying to summer undergraduate research experiences four years ago. <br /><br />I'd like to make a point, though, because it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.<br /><br />I went to a very small liberal arts college that had little to offer in the way of bench-like research, which is why they encouraged all of us science majors to apply to summer research programs elsewhere. Unfortunately, I was not accepted at any of the places I applied. (I had the 4.0 and the complete lack of research experience that you say is so rare). I know now that there were very simple things I could have done to improve my application, but I'd like to make one point:<br />Reviewers have to understand that students from small liberal arts colleges will often ask their English (or other non-science) professors to write recommendations for them, because by their junior year, they may have only had 3 or 4 science professors, all of which teach multiple classes AND are writing recommendations for every science major in the junior class. (Hence the lack of research opportunities at these schools.) And one advantage of going to a liberal arts school is the opportunity to develop relationships with scholars from all disciplines. However, you say that these non-science recommendations are "useless," but isn't an undergraduate education about learning how to think, reason, and criticize, no matter what field you're in? I wouldn't simply brush off recommendations from non-science sources if these sources can provide significant insight into the applicant's ability to reason and WORK HARD. And isn't half of working in a lab knowing how to follow a train of thought thoroughly and get along well with others?<br /><br />I'm now in my second year of a PhD program at an R1 university. I'd like to think this is because the people who reviewed my grad school application gave more credit to my English professors than SURE reviewers did.Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953501007375531930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-64864532540638939762009-03-31T08:27:00.000-04:002009-03-31T08:27:00.000-04:00I agree that it's probably a misconception, but it...I agree that it's probably a misconception, but it's one the NSF tends to buy into. And it does appear (anecdotally) that more of our applicants from R1's have research experience than those from SLAC's. Of course we do bias against someone who's had significant research experience whether they come from an R1 or a SLAC.<BR/><BR/>Any potential applicants from R1's that read this should take home the message that if they've had trouble finding a research spot at their home institution then they should say that very clearly in their applications to REU sites.Odysseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14589096873729951466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019181.post-29310516946588911922009-03-31T08:14:00.000-04:002009-03-31T08:14:00.000-04:00Odyssey, thanks for insightful post. I'm curious t...Odyssey, thanks for insightful post. I'm curious though about the idea that there are more research opportunities at an R1 for students than at small colleges. At the SLAC I went to I was able to get involved in research between my sophomore and junior year and continued to work in the lab for the rest of the time I was there. The same was true for just about any other student who wanted to do research in science. There were opportunities and many of them led to publications.<BR/><BR/>At an R1 it seems like there are many more students who want to do research than there are spots in labs for them, making it potentially more difficult for students to find a lab to work in. I know you can't take each university as a separate case, but many students at R1s may not get the chance to be in a lab, even if they would like to.Prof-like Substancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09536241129674490468noreply@blogger.com