For those who are put off by internships, undergraduate research may be a sufficient alternative. Photo courtesy of Thinkstock and Keith Brofsky.

Every year students fill out dozens of internship applications, often going on to work at major corporations throughout America. But for some students, the prospect of working for large companies isn’t appealing — and this is where undergraduate research can come in.

An alternative to these internships is finding a research opportunity in your field of interest. In many schools, professors are encouraged, if not required, to be doing some sort of research. This means that they will very often be in need of a student to work as their research assistant, running tests, collecting results and organizing data. This is your perfect opportunity, and one that more students should be taking advantage of because it is something that anyone can do and it is a great experience to have on your resume.

Research can be done in a few different ways. During the academic year, many schools allow students to do independent research for course credit. This means that instead of taking that random elective class, you can research something of particular interest to you in your field of study. Meanwhile, you will receive a unique hands-on experience.

Another way of getting research experience is by taking part in a summer research program, which allows you to do research as your summer job.

Don’t wait to be asked to do research. Go to your favorite professor and express your interest in doing research, even pitch your own research idea. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. If that professor cannot help you, he or she may be able to direct you to another professor who specializes more in your field of interest, or direct you to a summer program at another college or university. You would be surprised how many research opportunities are out there.

Research can lead to conference presentations, publication and a stronger grad school application. Not to mention, getting research experience can lead you to think about what you are interested in and what you want to be when you grow up.

My research experience made me realize that going to graduate school for economics is exactly what I want to do. No corporate America, no law school. I want to teach and do research because I have found something that captivates me and makes me happy.

Take a chance. Along with all of those internship applications, apply for a research program — it may reveal a whole new realm of possibilities.

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