Research Experience Issue

[qualthian]

Hello

 

I am a 4th year undergraduate student in computer science and this December I am applying to Ph.D. programs. The problem is, I have no research experience.

 

I live in an isolated campus and the professors at my university have no experience in my area of interest. There is no lab for research too. So my university really sucked to support me to do research and I will have to apply without any experience. I was never informed of this research experience aspect and it is really bad for me to see that it is very important.

 

What should I do? It is too late to do proper research at the moment, so what do you suggest? Should I try to implement an easy-level paper published in a journal and talk about that in my application?  Like working on it for the following 2 months and demonstrating practical and research experience I have over a subject? I tried to improve it but couldnt really kind of stuff?

 

Or maybe you have some other ideas?

[juilletmercredi]

If you have zero research experience and you want to go to a PhD program, you are not a competitive applicant.  It's unlikely you will get into any top or mid-ranked programs without that.  It is arguably the most important part of your application.  Furthermore, how do you even know that you want a PhD if you don't have any research experience?  That means that you don't have any real exposure for what you will be doing for the next 5 to 6 years of your life, much less for the career for which you are preparing.

 

Working on research for the next 2 months isn't going to do anything for you; most competitive applicants hve 2-3 years of undergraduate research experience.  You will be competing with applicants with MS degrees, work experience in research and development, or who are coming from undergrad having begun research in their sophomore or junior years.

 

You have a few options:

 

-Apply anyway, see what happens.

-Take 2-3 years off, and work as a research associate or in some other research-related position somewhere.  That could be at a university's lab, at an industry firm, at a think tank, doesn't matter, as long as you are getting some research experience.  It would be preferable if it was in your area of interest, but it just needs to be in computer science (or a related field, like bioinformatics).

-Apply to MS programs in computer science.  Here, you will prove you can do graduate-level work and can get research experience.  Many MS programs in computer science are funded for competitive applicants.

[qualthian]

I know I want a Ph.D. because the level of knowledge I currently have is far from enough from me and I want to go deep and explore things. Certain things you just know. It is arguable that research during undergraduate years can be indicator of a Ph.D. level research. 

 

I am not really looking for top programs since I know I won't be accepted. Any university in top 250 or around is fine with me. Can I get into a top 250 university with no reserach experience? (Times world ranking for example)

 

I don't consider MS since I have no money for that.

[pears]

You have a few options:

 

-Apply anyway, see what happens.

-Take 2-3 years off, and work as a research associate or in some other research-related position somewhere.  That could be at a university's lab, at an industry firm, at a think tank, doesn't matter, as long as you are getting some research experience.  It would be preferable if it was in your area of interest, but it just needs to be in computer science (or a related field, like bioinformatics).

 

personally, i think both of these are good options, & i took the route that i've put in bold. i lacked field experience & had a mediocre GPA, but i intended to enter a program & field of work that require strong field skills alongside very strong academic skills, so i made up for it by working my rump off for a year & a half.

 

doing so really helped me mature in terms of time management, communication, work ethic, etc. — which have already paid off immensely — & gave me a chance to network with some mentors who wrote some of my great LoRs. if i hadn't taken the time off, i probably would've still gotten into a couple of programs, but maybe not my first choice program (where i am now), & certainly not in a mature enough state of mind to be fully equipped to tackle heavy loads of coursework, a part time job, &, y'know, having hobbies & fun.