Finding the Right REU Program for You

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the process of selecting and applying for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), particularly for students in mathematics and related fields. Participants share their experiences and advice regarding the number of applications to submit, the importance of interest in the programs, and the qualifications needed for successful applications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about whether to apply to more REU programs that may not align perfectly with their interests or to focus on a couple of programs they feel strongly about.
  • Another participant suggests that any experience is valuable and encourages applying to multiple programs, noting that REU advisers do not expect applicants to have extensive knowledge.
  • A different contributor shares their experience of applying to several REUs in various areas and emphasizes the competitive nature of these programs, suggesting that applying to many is beneficial.
  • One participant mentions a specific case where their program had a high number of applicants compared to available spots, reinforcing the idea of applying broadly.
  • A participant questions the value of applying to REUs as a freshman, suggesting that prior research experience or strong recommendations may be necessary.
  • Another participant recounts their own successful application to an REU as a freshman, despite lacking significant research experience or strong recommendations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of applying to multiple REUs due to high competition, but there is some disagreement regarding the necessity of prior experience or recommendations, particularly for freshmen.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the variability in application success based on individual qualifications and experiences, indicating that the effectiveness of applying to multiple programs may depend on personal circumstances.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for undergraduate students considering REU applications, particularly those in mathematics or related fields, as well as those seeking advice on navigating the application process.

l'Hôpital
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Hey PF,

So, I'm a sophomore math student, looking to apply for REUs for my first time. So I've read a few things here and there, and it seems like a lot of people apply to about 8 programs, yet only get accepted into 2 or 3. So, when I was looking at the REU programs in NSF, I was expecting I'd pick out about 7 or 8 programs, and I'd be set.

Upon inspection, however, I only found about 4 programs that I could see myself applying for (whether because I'm interested in the topic or because I think I'm qualified to actually be of use for the project). And of those, only two programs that I could actually see myself being happy to go.

So, what should I do? Should I apply to programs that I think I have a chance of liking in order to widen my scope of programs? Should I just try really hard to get into those two programs?

I should probably mention that I do have a few advantages to my side (I'm a minority, for example) so I'm not sure if the thought of "securing" a spot in a REU is complete tomfoolery.
 
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You haven't gotten too far in college yet; you'll probably change your sub-specialty a few times before the end of grad school. For now, any experience is better than no experience, and REU advisers don't expect you to know much - apply to 7 or 8 and see what, if any, offers you get. Doing something even if you don't think it's going to be all that interesting is better than doing nothing. I did 4 REU/internships as an undergrad, all in different areas of astrophysics, and ended up doing something even different again for my dissertation.
 
eri said:
You haven't gotten too far in college yet; you'll probably change your sub-specialty a few times before the end of grad school. For now, any experience is better than no experience, and REU advisers don't expect you to know much - apply to 7 or 8 and see what, if any, offers you get. Doing something even if you don't think it's going to be all that interesting is better than doing nothing. I did 4 REU/internships as an undergrad, all in different areas of astrophysics, and ended up doing something even different again for my dissertation.

This is very sound advice. In fact my previous advisor for a REU stated that he specifically tried to stay away from people that were completely "sure" what sub-field they wanted to get into at such an early stage in their career. So I'd apply to several, the more the better. Competition is always very high, some even say it's harder to get an REU than to get into graduate school... not sure how true it is. But for example, the program I got selected into had about 130 applicants with 6 positions. But yeah, they don't expect you to know much, so don't really worry about that. As long as you get there and work hard, I think you'll be fine.
 
My program had ~550 applys for 30 spots. Apply to lots.
 
As a side note, as a freshman that just completed my first semester, is it even worth applying to REU's?
 
Probably not unless you've had some research experience, if you have pretty good computational or lab or similar skills, or if you have some really good recommendations by professors that specifically cite your research potential.
 
I got an REU without really having any of those as a freshman (well, I never saw my recommendations but I'm not sure how much they could have talked about any "research potential" I have).
 

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