Undergraduate research experience is optional for many graduate programs’ admissions. However, according to the University of California, “Quality undergraduate research experience strongly enhances your competitiveness for graduate school,” and increases the likelihood of admission. Furthermore, research experiences in undergraduate and graduate programs can lead to career opportunities later.
Though undergraduate students may be interested in pursuing research, the opportunities are slim and inaccessible. In my year of undergraduate research experience, I have faced four barriers to pursuing research opportunities.
First, finding a faculty mentor can be difficult. Sometimes, the student’s research interests may not align with the interests of the faculty in their department or college. The same issue applies to STEM students finding a laboratory with projects that align with their pursuits. Vanderbilt University recommends some strategies for connecting with a faculty mentor for undergraduate research including connecting with course professors, researching the research interests of the department’s faculty, and seeking advice from other undergraduate and graduate students. Ohio University’s website has a full list of departments and schools with faculty pages, which can aid the mentor search.
Once students find a faculty mentor or lab that aligns with their interests, the next issue is obtaining funding for the research and publishing process. According to a study by Shekhar Neema of the Armed Forces Medical College and Laxmisha Chandrashekar of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, funding “is required” to account for the “expenses and smooth execution” often required in research. The expenses can be daunting for undergraduate students.
According to an article by Richard Van Noorden, publishing in an open-access academic journal can cost on average $1,350 to $2,900 per article, depending on the selectivity and content of the journal. The funding to cover the publishing expenses alone is often only available to faculty and doctoral students.
Journals can be picky with whose research they allow for submission and acceptance to their collection. Journals often hesitate to accept undergraduate research unless connected to an established researcher because of concerns for depth and quality. However, there are academic journals that accept and feature undergraduate research. These journals may also have lower costs to account for an undergraduate’s inexperience with fundraising. The Council on Undergraduate Research created a page for institutions to advertise journals catered to undergraduate students.
Finally, research opportunities at academic institutions may only be available for particular groups of students. For example, some faculty and laboratories will only accept graduate research assistants.
Another example is Ohio University’s Honors Research Apprenticeship Program, available only to Honors Tutorial College students. I was one of the lucky few to receive an apprenticeship in the summer of 2023, which allowed me to develop research strategies with a faculty member and establish myself as an undergraduate researcher.
Though I was grateful for the experience and the doors it opened for my research, I am saddened to know the same opportunity is not available to equally passionate students outside the Honors Tutorial College. The inaccessibility of research experiences like these may limit the opportunities of undergraduate students in future programs and careers.
Taylor Orcutt is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Taylor know by tweeting her @TaylorOrcutt.
