Need guidance in finding extracurriculars

[paveldatsyuk]

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Hello. I'm transferring to UC Davis next quarter from a CC and I'm worried about not being able to find research/EC opportunities. I'm going to dedicate my long, 3-month summer (switching from semester to quarter system) to finding leads on research/EC's and I'll also be working and doing some hospice/clinical volunteering as well as shadowing.

But anyway, do you think 2 years at Davis will be enough time for me to build up my ECs/research from practically nothing? I'm hoping that Davis will have many opportunities but I am concerned about not knowing how to approach professors, or anyone for that matter, about doing meaningful research pertaining to my major which is biological sciences. I will likely have all A's in my lower div. science classes (maybe 1 B this semester) which will all be completed at the end of this last semester at a CC, if that counts for something.

I'd be grateful for any advice or strategies that anyone could give me.

 

[HeIsHeinrich]

Just a few suggestion I might make--if you've already enrolled in your courses for the coming semester, it might be worth looking up your professors and their research. If you're able to read up on their manuscripts online ahead of time and find something you're interested in over the summer, you will be primed to ask if they are looking for anyone to work in their lab. You could also email them over the break to start the conversation, if you are so inclined.

With extracurriculars, I'd recommend to go for depth in whatever you pursue rather than breadth. Don't just try to fill up space on the AMCAS. I'm not sure if UC Davis has a similar page, but my university has a site where you can view all the organizations on campus. It might be worth checking out if they have something similar so you can scout your options.

Best of luck!