Summer REUs: My Experience, Application Process, and Tips for Success

[Takuza]

Anyone have any experience with these? Did you enjoy it, hate it? How competitive is the application process?

I'm a freshmen at a liberal arts college perusing a duel degree in physics / electrical engineering, and even though I only applied to programs that accept rising sophomores, I feel as though my few classes and the fact that my school goes through the material so slowly (I've spent the first year on classical mechanics...) combined with me not solely being focused on physics is really hurting my chances

 

[eri]

I participated in three as an undergrad, the first one at a university down the road from my own small liberal arts college. It's a good idea to try to get some experience at your own school first - most liberal arts professors do research - and then try to get an REU the summer after that, since it helps a lot to have some previous research experience. From my experience applying for them and later advising REU students, the programs typically have about 10 times as many applicants as they could accept. Top programs may get 20 times as many. But it is a great experience - apply to a bunch of them and your chances of going somewhere will improve.

 

[Takuza]

Perfect info. Thanks!

 

[eri]

Good luck!