Undergraduate research opportunities are a great way to extend your education outside of the classroom and to improve your resumé. Many US universities offer and even encourage students to participate in research, both independently and with a professor.

Undergraduate research exists across a range of institutions. Bigger research institutions often pool a lot of their resources into graduate and faculty research. In fact, their main purpose is to generate public research and train the next generation of academics through their postgraduate programmes. However, there are lots of larger research universities that support undergraduate research or offer opportunities for undergraduates to work on bigger research projects. MIT is ranked number one for undergraduate research, according to the US News and World Report, with over 90% of its students collaborating with MIT faculty. Their Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programconnects students with projects and provides training in research preparation. Caltech also boasts a participation rate of over 80% in undergraduate research, with 20% of students going on to publish results. Another school that prioritises research is Johns Hopkins where 70% of the undergraduate student population participate in research projects.

Students might think that research is only available at institutions that prioritise STEM subjects. This is not the case! Dartmouth College is also a research university but with a large focus on its undergraduate student population. It is no surprise that these efforts focus on student research in all subjects with over 60% of the population participating in projects. Dartmouth’s Presidential Scholar programme provides students with an opportunity for paid research assistantships across all departments. UC Irvine has an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program with a symposium that takes place every spring, as well as the Undergraduate Research Journal where students can publish studies. In that same vein, the University of Chicago also hosts an annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and 80% of students take up research with a faculty member.

Research opportunities are also very accessible at smaller liberal arts colleges where undergraduate teaching is the priority. With no masters or doctoral students, undergrads can often take on bigger roles in research projects or have access to more funding for their own studies. Pomona College offers 200 students the opportunity to participate in a dedicated research focused summer programme and 50% of Pomona students work with faculty on research. Vassar College provides its students with many opportunities through their Undergraduate Summer Research Institute.

Undergraduate research opportunities provide students with excellent skills during their college years and prepare them for entering the work force. This makes these opportunities an important aspect to consider when compiling a list of schools. This is one of the areas we cover in a strategic consultation when we begin working with students. If you have any questions, our qualified advisors at Vela Education are excited to answer your queries. Please get in touch here.