Lackluster research experience?

[beamiestface]

Does anyone on here have no out-of-school research experience?

I have spent my summers working full-time (to earn more money than a reseach job would give me) and volunteering (~10 hrs/wk) on the side. I have done a little research in school, but nothing spectacular, and the research was within my major, which is not a hard science (cognitive science, which is more related to psych than anything else).

How much would this lack of an amazing summer experience hurt someone with pretty good scores (say 3.65-3.7 GPA, 35+ MCAT) at, say a top 20 school (such as Pitt)?

Thanks!

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[mpp]

A very prolific SDN poster that is on vacation in Mexico at the moment had no research at all, a lower GPA, and a lower MCAT and was accepted at Columbia.

 

[Resident Alien]

I had a semester of research while applying, got into osu the hard way, but still got in!

 

[11000]

i've never done research, and i got into hopkins... i think it depends on the school and the year, sometimes they really want to see research, sometimes its enough to do other extracurrics or whatever... good luck!

 

[Wahoo]

I was in a similar situation... I only did one semester of research. My research was in a psych lab (doing neurosurgeries on rats), back in my sophomore year.

It's not the end of the world, if you have other activities on your application which make up for it. I've gotten into Stanford, Yale, UCSF, Pitt, Case Western, and a few other schools, all with stats just a little bit above what you mentioned and with the same amount of research as you.

 

[Yogi Bear]

beamiestface:

your stats seem comparable to mine, although I did research each summer (w/ stipend) in 3 different labs so that equates to no sustained project/no publication. I haven't taken MCATs yet, but doubt I can get a 35, releastically probably around 31-32 (haven't been able to break 30 on Kaplan FL's yet).

 

[ValleyGal]

Same numbers as you but zippo in the research department. Summerarily waitlisted or rejected from the top-20 schools which I applied to. I think a little research would have helped me to get in, but I didn't want to do research so I don't care. Do what you want to do -- don't feel like you have to do anything. When they ask you about the research in your interview and you were not enthusiastic, they will be able to tell, I promise.

 

[strangeattractor]

as long as you're consistent you're fine, imho. i'm guessing you probably aren't planning on going into a career in medical research anyhow, so don't sweat it. every medical school is looking for diversity -- meaning there are always people admitted no matter what institution it is -- who have NEVER done research. you took a stab at it, too! don't cut your research down either and call it lackluster just because it it's cog sci, either. consider that research isn't necessarily to prove you can make a dent in medical history, but rather to prove that you have academic curiosity beyond class in WHATEVER field you studied. if your curiosity is displayed through hospital work etc, so be it! and remember, there is never a formula to a winning candidate except to gain the most out of what you have done.