6 Things every Student Applying for a Position in a Research Lab Should Know

As a the principal investigator (PI) of the Frohlich Lab, I receive numerous applications from undergraduate students who apply to work in our lab. Unfortunately, there are never as many slots as students interested and we have to make a selection. Today, the number of applicants far outnumbers the slots we have, likely because many labs have decided not to accept undergraduates because of COVID. The applications that land in my inbox differ quite a bit from email to email. I am suspecting that many students have never been taught how to approach a lab. This is of course an issue since it creates privilege and may contribute to biases against students who did not have access to mentoring earlier in their academic journey. Let me share with you the 6 things everyone should know in the hope that many students get to see this and can learn from it. Ideally, this post will be one small but hopefully important step towards leveling the playing field. And, of course, being aware of this issues will help us PIs take this into account when we assess applications. I feel very strongly about this responsibility. Here we go:

1. Read at least two papers from the lab. It is OK not to understand most of it. Try to get the bigger picture message (often the last sentence of the abstract and the last paragraph of the discussion) and try to have an independent thought about what you have read. Perhaps you have a question or you see a potential connection to your previous (life) experience. Write few sentences about this in your email to the PI. This will separate you from the majority of emails that do not contain any information why the student is interested in this particular lab. Note that specificity is always the winning strategy. So "I am interested in neuroscience" loses against "I am interested in non-invasive brain stimulation since, after reading your paper on auditory hallucinations (Ahn et al 2018), I am curious if the same approach could also work for visual hallucinations".
2. Explain why you are prepared to take on this responsibility. It is OK not to have had any previous research experience. Perhaps you worked a physically demanding job to fund your studies. I find this is also a strength! You can explain how meeting the demands of this job has demonstrated your willpower to succeed and your ability to handle multiple responsibilities besides being a student.
3. Make sure your message is tailored to the lab. Sending out a mass email or something that looks like this does not show specific interest, which is what the PIs are looking for.
4. Ask for a meeting. There is nothing wrong with being assertive and proactive. This demonstrates your true interest. Of course, you will want to be kind in your request for a meeting and demonstrate your understanding of how buys the PI may be. Do not hold back in showing your commitment and interest. Sending messages "and it is OK if you do not have a spot for me" will not get you to the final round.
5. Do not get frustrated when you get turned down. Rather, inquire specifically of what you can do to strengthen your application and when you can reapply. Learn to accept the rejection but also make sure you leverage it as a tool to get to the next level.
6. Attach your CV and your unofficial transcript to the initial email such that the PI does not need to loop back and ask for those documents.

I hope these tips will help you strengthen your application. Please post below if you have any questions or thoughts. Mentoring undergraduate students is a win-win for everyone and I sincerely hope that my colleagues will open their labs to undergraduate research assistants again, since lab experience is one of the most important aspects of a college education if you are interested in a career in science or medicine.

Take care,

Flavio