Taking courses during summer with REUs

[mellamocow]

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Would it be possible to take a single biology course with a laboratory sequence during an REU at a host university? SURF, AMGEN, NIH, NSF, etc...

I think some programs have restrictions?

 

[Josh7]

Would it be possible to take a single biology course with a laboratory sequence during an REU at a host university? SURF, AMGEN, NIH, NSF, etc...

I think some programs have restrictions?

Most programs wouldn't allow that.

 

[plumhill]

Would it be possible to take a single biology course with a laboratory sequence during an REU at a host university? SURF, AMGEN, NIH, NSF, etc...

I think some programs have restrictions?

That would be difficult to manage. When you're doing a program like an REU or other summer research opportunity, the lab you work with is expecting a full-time commitment out of you (as in, 9am-5pm, 5 days a week, maybe even more). In addition you'll probably have to go to a number of program-specific events/classes/etc, which will require you to do additional lab work outside of those hours. The biology lab especially is going to kill you since that's 3-4 hours each week you can't work during a time that you're supposed to work. The only way you'd realistically be able to fit all of that in is if your biology course was in the evening, but if that was the case then your days would be VERY long, and you would probably burn out and not do as well in the course.

tl;dr: not impossible, but NOT AT ALL recommended (and probably not allowed)

 

[487806]

Would it be possible to take a single biology course with a laboratory sequence during an REU at a host university? SURF, AMGEN, NIH, NSF, etc...

I think some programs have restrictions?

Most summer programs explicitly prohibit taking classes over the summer, as they expect you to dedicate your time to your research.

 

[mellamocow]

Is the prohibition based off the discretion of the mentor or program itself? Currently, my class schedule is very heavy so my mentor understands that and as long as I can fulfill the weekly 20 hours, whether it is at midnight or on the weekends, and make sufficient progress on my project, she is fine withwhatever distribution of my hours. This has worked very well for me. Would a special request possibly allow taking a course/shadowing/volunteering along with the program?

 

[487806]

Is the prohibition based off the discretion of the mentor or program itself? Currently, my class schedule is very heavy so my mentor understands that and as long as I can fulfill the weekly 20 hours, whether it is at midnight or on the weekends, and make sufficient progress on my project, she is fine withwhatever distribution of my hours. This has worked very well for me. Would a special request possibly allow taking a course/shadowing/volunteering along with the program?

The program prohibits taking summer classes. In your case, I would send an email to the program coordinator regarding the situation and proceed from then. It looks like you already know who your mentor is and what program you'll be in. For different programs, I wouldn't risk it.

 

[mellamocow]

Ok thanks everyone!