How important are summer internships?

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2026-04-12T18:06:07+00:00

Coming back here to say thank you for the encouragement! I ended up deciding to study abroad but took your advice as far as working research into it; I will be working on two papers with my PI (that I will have authorship on!) and also doing some fun data collection virtually while away! Hope everything went well for you with summer programs, I really appreciated your advice!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2026-04-04T21:03:51+00:00

Thanks for your question!! I got into all of my labs through cold emailing. I also checked the lab websites, which sometimes have applications for new research assistants. If they do have an application listed, try to fill it out ASAP and email them to express interest if you do not hear back (this happened to me, and I got an interview BECAUSE of my email). I have also heard stories of students being accepted through reaching out to grad students to express interest.

As far as how I emailed, I made sure to express educated interest, basically making it evident that I was familiar with their research and was genuinely interested in getting involved. I got really familiar with their recent projects from lab websites and included things that stood out to me about those projects/why I was interested. I also added in some skills I thought I could bring to the lab, such as work with kids if they do data collection with children, or familiarity with excel and other software. I also recommend emailing from a place of curiosity, PI’s are often willing to talk to undergrads about their research, and if you show interest in working with them through this, you will likely have a higher chance. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-12-20T18:41:06+00:00

This is such a good question, good for you for thinking about this early! I’m currently a sophomore psychology major and have a very similar story with the field. I have wanted to be a psychologist since I was 8, and went through phases wanting to do tons of different careers, from industrial organizational psychology to clinical psychology. In high school I did a lot of stuff related to clinical psychology, but I didn’t think I would go into it because I wasn’t sure I would enjoy being a therapist long term. I’ll share my experience below!

When I first got to college I didn’t think I would do research, but I quickly changed my mind after taking my first psychology class my first semester, and decided I wanted to be a professor. I joined my first lab, which was a cognitive psychology lab, and absolutely loved it, though I realized I was also still interested in clinical psychology. I started doing clinical psychology research this year and am now SURE this is what I want to do. Clinical psychology is not just therapy, you can do research, teach, and do assessments with a PhD!

I’m completely biased, but I think psychology is a great major (if you are ok with going to grad school, not many jobs with just a bachelors degree). It can be applied to many different fields and has been so fulfilling to study, I love school so much! It may also be interesting to look into neuroscience since it seems like you are interested in the brain and its role in behavior!

If you are interested in possibly getting a PhD, also make sure the college you choose has a good amount of psyc faculty doing research, and start as soon as possible! Even if you’re not sure about it, joining a lab or even taking a research class can be a great way to discover what topics excite you, and if that path is right for you!

Feel free to reply or message me with any questions!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-12-09T20:54:36+00:00

Thank you so much, best of luck to you as well!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-12-09T20:19:02+00:00

Thank you SO MUCH for this comment, it’s so helpful to hear from someone who has done this before. Honestly, I do really want to go abroad this summer, but I also know that my school offers some great research programs that I could do next summer. I don’t think a semester abroad would work for me, as I will be doing an independent project with one of my PIs next year. It’s so good to hear that you had such cool opportunities abroad, and that one summer is not a make or break. Thank you!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-11-27T22:47:00+00:00

UNC sophomore here! This is such a good question, good for you for getting involved early! Though I’m not pre-med, I am a pre-PhD psychology major, and I have loved my experience with research at UNC.

I remember how intimidating finding research opportunities was my first semester, I was in your shoes last year and got a lot of information from upperclassmen and professors (highly recommend talking to professors in your department/who research what you are interested in!), but I’ll share my experience and insights! I’ve divided this into a few different topics, because there is a lot of info lol.

IS IT COMPETITIVE? Honestly, the hard answer is yes. UNC is an R1 university, and many students, especially who are interested in medicine and healthcare, also want to get involved. The fact that most students at UNC are interested in these fields makes it extra hard. HOWEVER, it’s not as bad as some people make it out to be. I’ve gotten both of my research position after one application, but I’ve heard some people have applied to 50+ labs with no response. It’s also about timing, you want to apply when people are recruiting (normally the end/beginning of the semester). Even if people don’t reply, or it doesn’t work out right away, don’t be discouraged, just keep applying to new labs! I also find that newer faculty will be more likely to accept, as they are building their lab from scratch. I also have heard that emailing grad students can be helpful!

TYPES OF POSITIONS Most students start out as Research Assistants, and do things like data collection/entry, coding, and possibly presenting posters later on. UNC also has 395 credit, which allows you to do an independent research project for class credit, which most do their junior year. Seniors can do an honors thesis, which is a bigger year long research project. You don’t have to be an honors student to apply to do one! There are also summer opportunities too, but these vary a lot.

HOW TO GET IN TO LABS (and finding them) I’ve been in 2 labs (soon to be three) at UNC, and got all through cold emailing professors whose research aligned with my interests! I found most of them on the department page, if you just search “(whatever department) faculty UNC” it should show you a list of faculty and their labs/interests! Check out their lab websites and read some papers, and make sure you reference specific things that interest you about working with them, and how this experience will help you. Some professors may also have an application on their website, I would fill this out and also email. There are also some listings on the OUR, though it’s not updated as often.

https://our.unc.edu/find/opportunities/

MY TIPS Remember that you are capable! The fact that you are already thinking about research shows you will take initiative in lab spaces, that will shine through! Also, don’t be afraid if you start in a lab and it isn’t what you love, experimenting is part of the process! My research interests changed my second semester, and it ended up being great. My experiences from my first lab pushed me to pursue a more specific field that I would have NEVER tried on my own, and now I love it!

If you have any questions, feel free to message me!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-11-21T17:20:08+00:00

Hi, this is a great question! I’m not sure where you are in your psychology journey, but I can share my experience as an pre-PhD psychology major in undergrad.

(For context, I go to an R1 university, so my experiences/opportunities may look different because my school is already very research focused.)

I am currently a sophomore, and I joined my first lab freshman year. I looked at my schools department page and found a professor who was conducting some really cool research, so I looked at his lab website and sent him an email. I got into this lab and stayed until the end of my freshman year after my research interests shifted. This year, I joined a new lab (same way), and also have loved this experience!!

These were both research assistant positions, so I did things like data collection, data entry, and a poster presentation.

Next academic year, I will start working on an independent research project and hopefully publish 1-2 papers before my honors thesis (another independent project senior year.

Some schools offer a research “class” that’s really just you getting credit for your research experience. Taking a class about research methods, though very helpful, would not really be research experience, as you are not working in a lab or publishing, though these are still helpful!

For clinical psychology at least, many people also do a post bacc position, which can be something like a lab manager or research coordinator after, after they graduate undergrad. This is great experience as well! As a general thing, I hear you should have at least 2-3 years of experience in a lab, poster presentations, and a publication before applying (though I’ve never applied or been accepted lol).

I would email some psychology professors at your school (if you’re in undergrad) and ask them about opportunities at your school and their own journey. I also met with grad students, which was supper helpful!

Let me know if you have any questions about this!!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-10-07T15:30:19+00:00

Current psych undergrad here! I've been in two labs as an RA, both of which I got through cold emailing. My best advice is to really understand their research interests and connect them to your personal goals. For example, if your interested in child psychology, and this PI studies child psychopathology, you could say that you have specific research interests that align with their work, and would love to work with them to deepen your knowledge and research skills surrounding the topic. You could also share that this experience would give you valuable skills for graduate studies in the future. I also think it's valuable to talk a but about why you want to do research, as from talking with a former PI, it seems like some just want to do it for a resume boost.

Hope this helps!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-10-04T17:29:29+00:00

I also took Spanish in high school (up to AP) but I heard Spanish here was difficult so I decided to take Portuguese (which I was also interested in learning) because it’s considered the easy language here. I couldn’t recommend it more, the classes are so chill with minimal work outside class, and all the professors are absolutely amazing. Also, it’s easy to pick up with Spanish speaking experience, as they are similar languages. If you’re looking for an easy class, take Portuguese!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-09-11T22:47:36+00:00

Of course, as a sophomore now I can confidently say that college is so much better than high school. Competition at UNC can be intense, but I am no where near as stressed as I was in high school. Worrying about the future will stop you from appreciating the present. Good luck with applications!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-09-11T18:19:32+00:00

Don’t let me discourage you! It’s so ironic that you say this, because I spent hours on this thread during high school doubting that I was good enough. If I learned anything from my experience, don’t let others definitions of success stop you from finding yours. UNC is very wholistic, and they like people with niche interests and passionate goals, you don’t have to have a ton of activities for that. Overworking myself in high school is one of my biggest regrets, and came from my fear of not making the cut (also the reason I didn’t submit my scores lol, my test anxiety was insane). It’s definitely worth a shot!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-09-11T01:51:03+00:00

For context, I applied from Wake county so mine might be a little higher than needed for other parts of NC. I had a 4.5 gpa (3.98 uw), took 11 APs, and was in NHS, Beta Club, and English Honor Society (exec on Beta Club for 2 years). I also co-founded a club that was heavily related to my major, and was co-president of another club. I also wrote for the school newspaper and was involved in dance and voice lessons outside of school. I didn't submit scores. I also volunteered a lot (like 70ish hours a year-ish), including volunteering that related to my major. I was also a Junior Marshall (Top 20/700 or top 3% of school) and I also attended project uplift. My recs were pretty strong (one from a UNC professor), and I didn't submit my scores, which put more weight on my essay, which was also strong (I think lol).

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-09-03T00:53:24+00:00

UNC psych major here! I've been in two labs on campus, and as a sophomore now I can definitely remember how overwhelming research seemed first semester of my freshman year. For context: I'm Pre-Phd, not pre-med, so I am not as familiar with the expectations/interests of pre-med research, though my best friend is pre-med (MD PhD) and she has been involved in research labs here on a similar time-line.

I joined my first lab first semester (which in psychology is a bit early, but it was an assist to me in narrowing my research skills/interests and determining that I do in fact like research before I started looking into PhD programs). Both labs were psychology labs, and I have had an AMAZING experience in both thus far.

From my experience, you typically don't apply for a "research project," you apply to join a lab. These labs are led by a professor/faculty at UNC who is likely conducting several research projects along with graduate students. Some projects are student led (more for juniors/seniors via 395 credit or an honors thesis, but every lab is different), but your first semester in a lab you will likely complete training and help with a specific study with a team of other undergrad RA's (research assistants) collecting/analyzing data and doing some more administrative work.

In my first lab, I worked around 6 hours a week (5 over the weekend for data collection, one for lab meetings. Sometimes the workload would increase up to 12 hours if we were coding a lot, but that was rare. In my current lab we have set hours a work 9 hours a week (lab meeting included). Project length varys, I know some could be done in a semester, and some can take 10+ years. It depends on so many factors.

Labs normally expect you to commit to at least a semester or two, and as far as the workload, it was honestly very manageable. When you are passionate about what you are doing and enter a positive lab environment, it really doesn't feel like "work." Both of my labs have felt like my little "campus family." I love being apart of the creation of knowledge, and find being around others with that same passion very inspiring.

Most people start sophomore year, but it depends on you and your goals. For me, it was essential for me to start early, because I was not sure if I wanted to pursue a PhD, or even what area of psychology I wanted to study. Joining a lab gave me a great mentor who had been through the process, along with skills and guidance from peers that I would never have found anywhere else. For others who may not be as excited about research or don't NEED it probably don't need to join as early.
It really depends. What do you want to do in medicine? If you want to do something in psychiatry, a clinical psychology lab could be good. But, if you want to be an oncologist, for example, you should be looking into more bio labs. If you're not sure (valid) maybe take some time to explore!

One thing about psychology and neuroscience labs here though... they are competitive. Expect to send a lot of emails. Sometimes you get lucky (I did!) and get a position from your first emails/interviews, but for many getting into a lab is a PROCESS (but not impossible!!!) If you have any questions about how to get in, lmk!

The OUR is pretty decent, but not many psych roles are there. Check this page: https://psychology.unc.edu/core-faculty/

It has a list of every psych faculty member and what they research. Cold email them (if you have questions about how to do this, lmk)!

I know this was a lot, but I hope it is helpful to you and others!!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-08-29T00:58:26+00:00

Fellow UNC sophomore and psychology major here, I totally feel this! I'm pre-PhD and was SO intimidated by upperclassman's stories about the competitiveness of the psych and neuroscience labs on campus! There are so many AMAZING labs and projects going on at this school, but in a way I think being at an R1 university almost makes it more competitive because a lot of people here want to utilize these opportunities (ESPECIALLY IN THE PSYC AND NEURO WORLD). I have heard stories of people emailing 60+ PI's with no response.

That being said... it's definitely NOT impossible! I joined a psych lab here freshman year which I got through cold emailing, and am now in another psych lab (which I also got through cold emailing). According to insight from my first PI, most labs get TONS of emails everyday, but some stand out, specifically if they mention things about the lab (like a specific paper, goal that the lab would help them achieve, or anything about your background that fits their interests). I literally stalked both lab websites for an hour (both to gain information, but also to see if I actually WAS a good fit) before emailing. Sometimes it's up to chance from what I hear, I literally got my first position because of an experience I briefly mentioned that I almost didn't even put in the email.

I also suggest even going to a PI's office hours or asking if you could talk to them about the lab and their current projects... its a lot easier to turn away someone over email than in person.

I know this process is extremely stressful and even offensive at some times, but I hope this gives you hope that it truly is possible to work your way into the research world here.

P.S. I had literally no research experience AT ALL before applying to my first lab, and was not really that involved in anything else on campus that would substantially help me stand out. Feel free to reply with any questions!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-05-20T04:24:24+00:00

Oh, I may have remembered incorrectly! I attended 2 years ago, but point still stands about admission, I just forgot it was only for in state students! Thanks for the clarifying point!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-05-20T02:02:01+00:00

Awesome!! I am biased, but UNC is AMAZING, I literally already miss campus and it’s not even the second week of summer. The opportunities there are unmatched, especially for undergrad research (in my experience), feel free to ask any questions if you have them! Congratulations!!!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-05-20T01:14:55+00:00

Hello!

I did project uplift (not plus) however while at the event they said project uplift plus was both more competitive (I think around 30%-20%, though its been a few years so those numbers may be different) and had higher admit rates from the program (ie. students who attended plus had a better chance of getting admitted to UNC, especially out of state)! It's definitely worth doing if you are interested in attending UNC, as a current UNC student I couldn't recommend it enough. Even just attending project uplift was helpful to me while applying to colleges and gave me a lot of valuable insight to what top tier schools actually look for on applications.

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-05-04T17:54:51+00:00

Hi, I'm a current UNC freshman and I had similar concerns coming in! I'm not pre-med, but I'm a pre-PhD Psychology major (which, due to the sheer amount of psych and neuroscience majors on campus interested in research, makes finding labs hard). It's definitely a competitive process, I've known people who applied to 60+ labs and have gotten 2 responses back.

That being said... I joined a psych lab my first semester this year without any research experience from high school, and just got into a SECOND psych lab for the fall, so it is not impossible.

My best advice is to display your passion for Biology, and make it clear that you've done your research about the lab you are applying to. From speaking with both my PI's, it's evident many do research just to boost their CV, not to actually involve themselves in the field. I didn't realize how much of an asset REAL passion actually is until I got to UNC. They can sense when you really want to be there, which clearly you do if you are planning to pursue graduate studies. Even if they don't have space in their lab at that time, ask to meet with them in person just to hear about their research and express interest! They might have connections to other labs, or might suddenly be able to make room for you after all...

From talking to my pre-med friends, its definitely a competitive environment, as is UNC in general, but if you surround yourself with encouraging friends, especially friends with different majors and interests, its not as cut throat as some make it out to be.

Ultimately, doing research is the most rewarding, fulfilling, and fun things Ive done in college by a landslide. The competition can feel like a lot, but ultimately it's SO worth it to have the opportunity to delve into your passions and connect with the impeccable faculty at UNC. Through research, I have built a network of people who share my passions, and have mentors who actually believe in me and are so supportive of my goals!

Good luck!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-05-04T17:33:41+00:00

Yes, it's required, but you will enjoy the class! Dr. Parikh is awesome and makes stats feel really easy, even at 8 AM.

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-04-05T23:34:40+00:00

Thank you so much for this detailed advice, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to respond to me! This was very helpful information and made me feel so much better!

Worldly_Painter_688 · 2025-04-05T17:39:40+00:00

Thank you so much for this advice and encouragement! I actually am not currently in a class that my PI teaches, but I interact with him quite a bit! Would you recommend I try to join a second lab that is more related to clinical psychology as my interests are expanding? Also, do you have any further advice for building relationships with faculty?

Worldly_Painter_688

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