"It's an opportunity to specialize in a topic of interest, which could help solidify future research/professional plans."
"Getting close with professors is great in terms of being able to get letters of rec for future applications."
"It may provide an opportunity to present/attend conferences, which looks good on resumes, and exposes students to a variety of different topics they may find interesting and want to pursue further."
"Use your PI, PhD students, and labmates as a community and a resource for not only career development, but also life decisions and academic help."
"When helping to run studies, you learn how to carefully follow directions, think on the spot and adjust when curveballs are thrown at you, and engage with people from many backgrounds."
"The people skills that you can learn are incredible. If you run participants, then you learn the balance between being professional and being amicable. You develop a lot of patience and understanding for people in different situations."
"You learn how to be accountable for your actions and ensure that the part you are working on does not violate any of the regulations of the experiment. And if it does, to make sure you can correct it."
Other tips:
- Plan to spend at least two semesters working in a lab.
- It's OK to switch labs if you are not getting what you need. Just be sure to communicate your intentions with both labs!
- Contact faculty early if you plan to register for course credit.
- Review our Preparing for Graduate School page