Can I do undergrad research and summer classes at another school?

[jack476]

I'm planning on going to graduate school, and that means I'll need research experience. Now, double-majoring in electrical engineering and physics, my semester schedules are too rough for me to take up research, but I was thinking of doing it over the summer. However, the university I'm at is pretty small and doesn't have a great deal of student research going on to begin with, and none at all over the summer.

Is it possible to do research at another school? If so, what sort of grades or experience would I need and what's the over-all process of going about doing that, like do I need to formally apply to another school? My GPA is 3.1 and, while it's not research, I'm currently working for the physics department repairing lab equipment, what should I expect with that kind of record and experience?

If I don't get research, I may also try taking summer classes, but the summer offerings at my school are pretty slim. I've taken classes at a junior college over summer before, but now I'm past the sort of things I could take at a community college, would I be able to take summer classes at a traditional university? And again, same questions, would I need to go through the same formal application process as though I was enrolling in a full-time degree program and are the standards for admission the same as though I was transferring completely between colleges?

 

[jtbell]

Many universities and other institutions sponsor summer research programs for undergraduates from other schools, under the NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.

http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/

 

[Vanadium 50]

The REU program is good for this. It's also difficult to get a research position at another school - that professor will be under pressure to take one of his own students.

One other word of advice - if you want to go to graduate school, you want to get that 3.1 up.

 

[jack476]

Okay, that sounds like a good place to start. Any advice on how to go about that?

One other word of advice - if you want to go to graduate school, you want to get that 3.1 up.

I know, I know :( I've been getting pretty much perfect grades for the last few semesters, but my second semester of electrical engineering really nailed me. That's one reason I've been thinking of taking extra classes.

 

[jtbell]

Any advice on how to go about that?

You mean how to find REU programs? Follow the "Search for an REU site" link on the page I gave. You'll eventually come to a collection of links for individual universities' REU programs. They'll tell you details and application deadlines. I tried a few at random. Some (e.g. BYU) don't have their 2015 information up yet.