A while back I posted a rather frustrated entry about my experiance pursing an undergraduate research opportunity. As a result of that post, I was contacted directly by Mrs. Janet McGlynn, who was able to offer me a number of encouraging suggestions. Since them, I have secured an excellent position at the University of Maryland School of Medicine - here's what I learned:
- Being persistant means to try a number of different options, not banging your head against the same few places again and again. Spreading your net wide increases the chances of getting a response.
- Start early. A lot of people take forever to respond to emails and you don't want to be stressed out while you wonder if they've seen your message or not. By starting mid-fall semester I was able to secure a position starting in January without much trouble, but that was a considerably advanced start.
- Don't be afraid to go to the top. I contacted directors of several programs in subjects I was interested in, and often they were able to direct me to others within their departments whom I could contact.
If you have additional suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments section!
3 comments:
That is excellent info, and even better shows you guys that the administration is watching this blog, and I am sure othrs, to see what you are saying.
In case anybody needs clarification, Janet McGlynn is the Director of Communication and Outreach for the Office of Undergrad Education. You can reach her at mcglynn@umbc.edu
@bricknhymr:
I have to admit I was surprised to find out that was true when Mrs. McGlynn contacted me. I hope that some of our other comments find ears as well.
@Sameera:
Thanks for that!
Post a Comment