UG research- Actually doing research more important than relevance of field?

[Fizicks1]

When graduate school admissions look at your undergrad research experience, does it matter that much whether the field research experience have any relevance to the field you want to pursue in graduate school?


Or in other words, is actually doing research and acquiring research experience is much more important than whether the field of research has anything to do with what you want to pursue in graduate school?

 

[streeters]

Bit of both.

I applied to projects that had nothing to do with my summer placements, but they really liked that I did lab experience and publications. I ended up doing a project in the same field of my placements because I was comfortable with it and quite enjoyed the project.

So, relevance is good but research experience is the most important factor. And an interest in the project helps.

 

[Choppy]

Or in other words, is actually doing research and acquiring research experience is much more important than whether the field of research has anything to do with what you want to pursue in graduate school?

Yes.

Many undergrads simply won't have access to projects in the graduate field they want to pursue. Others simple won't know what they want to pursue. Sometimes you might think you'll like one field and then find out you really dislike it once you start working in it - and realize that there's another field that fits with you much better.