Hey guys! So I've never done this sort of thing before, so I'm not sure how it works. I've been looking for productive ways to spend my sophomore-junior year summer and have found that getting research and hands-on experience can help me get employment or internships later on in college, all while enriching my college application. I'm a prospective EECS major, although I'm also interested in physical sciences and environmental or mechanical engineering.
I'm a resident of California and live close to a few junior colleges and universities, including a lower-tier UC. I also know of a couple engineering firms near my area. So comes the question, how exactly do I ask for a research spot or an internship spot at one of these places, in a manner that doesn't get my email deleted right away? I have a few specific questions:
1. Are requests such as these from high school students common? Are these requests usually accepted or denied? (I've heard of a few kids before me who sent out emails and snagged their own research spot at a local UC)
2. What's the correct way to ask for one? Do I email the faculty directly, etc.?
3. What do I put in my request? High school transcripts, letter of recommendations, standardized test scores and the like? Do I send these right away or as a follow up, or even not at all?
4. Are these sort of experiences good on college admissions? Do they display depth in a field, initiative or the like?
5. Does it help if I have connections to people? (If I know someone personally at a medical center, for example, that conduct research)
Thanks for answering my questions!
↧