TestMagic

ZomgRogged · 06-23-2008, 07:24 PM

Hi all, I am new to the forums. First I would like to say I have found the advice here insightful and the links helpful as well.

This fall I will be entering my second year at the University of Illinois-UC. I spent my first year believing I wanted to be an accounting major but sometime second semester realized I wanted to give this PhD in Economics thing a go. Can anyone give me any advice on how to best earn a spot as a research assistant as an undergrad? Who should I talk to and how should I approach the situation?

jeeves0923 · 06-23-2008, 07:31 PM

Talk to a professor you enjoy during office hours. If he doesn't have an RA you are interested in, perhaps he or she can tell you about other faculty members.

ZomgRogged · 06-23-2008, 07:34 PM

Thanks for the reply Jeeves. Will experience in math or economics play a big role?

jeeves0923 · 06-23-2008, 07:39 PM

It will play a big role depending on what the prof is looking for. I had a prof give me an RA my sophomore year that required little knowledge, only the potential for learning. If you are working on a technical project, then, of course you will need some more courses in math and econ.

It's really all about making relationships with faculty. That is more important than the RA position in and of itself.

Bayern · 06-23-2008, 11:21 PM

If you are really thinking about a PhD in econ, then take a number courses in econ... courses which you will have to take anyways in order to apply for econ schools. This will help you to meet more professors, and as jeeves0923 said, help make relationships with the faculty which is important. With the help of a good relationship, you can then later apply for a RA position and maybe one of them will hire you.

Canuckonomist · 06-24-2008, 02:27 AM

It happens in strange ways. I asked a prof of mine if she needed an RA (I was in second year), and she said no, but it came up that she wanted to learn how to play guitar. I started teaching her guitar, and then she mentioned that her husband (also a prof) was looking for an RA, and asked if I was interested. And the rest is history (Two years later, I'm still his RA... in fact, I currently hold two RA positions. I am a recently graduated BA Hons.)

My advice? Talk to people.

asianeconomist · 06-24-2008, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canuckonomist

.... she wanted to learn how to play guitar. I started teaching her guitar,

Oh Damnation. If only I knew how to play the guitar myself. Or wait does it work the other way round too.

GooniesNeverSayDie · 06-24-2008, 07:19 PM

Like Jeeves mentioned, I think building relationships with professors will help you the most in the process of obtaining a RA position. I know from my own experience that is how it worked for me. I found a professor that was doing some interesting research and I went and talked to him during office hours and eventually the next semester I worked as an RA. Good Luck

Zmoney · 06-24-2008, 10:15 PM

There are two ways I have seen it done at my school. Office hours are the first. If the professor is pretty cool or super smart its always worth going to their office hours to chat. This is especially useful when you either have to do research or a paper in that class. Talk about ideas and develop a good relationship with the professor from there if summer is coming up or the semesters are about to change you can ask them if they know anyone in the department who is hiring or needs temporary help etc etc. In my experience once that was asked if they have something for you to do they'd hire your.
The alternative approach is to check out the CV's of either up and comers in the department or senior professors/ old department chairs. From there breeze through some of the papers that sound interesting and come up with some questions. example. This topic is really interesting how do you come up with it. I thought the concepts of this paper were neat but being an undergrad could i ask you about some of the economics behind it. etc etc
Whats very important to realize for graduate school is getting the right job to get the right letter. If you can get the big names or the soon to be big names from your department to vouch for you as either an employer or letter writer or both then that should help you out in the long run.

As a note of full disclosure I obtained my RA job from style 1 and had a 2nd lined up from a different professor but the same tatic untill I took a Fed intership for the summer

06-23-2008, 07:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
ZomgRogged Eager! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 47	Help becoming a research assitant as an undergrad Hi all, I am new to the forums. First I would like to say I have found the advice here insightful and the links helpful as well. This fall I will be entering my second year at the University of Illinois-UC. I spent my first year believing I wanted to be an accounting major but sometime second semester realized I wanted to give this PhD in Economics thing a go. Can anyone give me any advice on how to best earn a spot as a research assistant as an undergrad? Who should I talk to and how should I approach the situation?

06-24-2008, 02:27 AM	#6 (permalink)
Canuckonomist Loving the Ivory Tower Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kingston, Canada Posts: 357	It happens in strange ways. I asked a prof of mine if she needed an RA (I was in second year), and she said no, but it came up that she wanted to learn how to play guitar. I started teaching her guitar, and then she mentioned that her husband (also a prof) was looking for an RA, and asked if I was interested. And the rest is history (Two years later, I'm still his RA... in fact, I currently hold two RA positions. I am a recently graduated BA Hons.) My advice? Talk to people. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ Attending Queen's University Applying to: UChicago, NWU, Yale, NYU, Columbia, Michigan, Minnesota, Cornell, Rochester, BU, Toronto Ph.D comics by Jorge Cham... Now I can actually say they relate.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-23-2008, 07:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
jeeves0923 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 476	Talk to a professor you enjoy during office hours. If he doesn't have an RA you are interested in, perhaps he or she can tell you about other faculty members.

06-23-2008, 07:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
ZomgRogged Eager! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 47	Thanks for the reply Jeeves. Will experience in math or economics play a big role?

06-23-2008, 07:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
jeeves0923 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 476	It will play a big role depending on what the prof is looking for. I had a prof give me an RA my sophomore year that required little knowledge, only the potential for learning. If you are working on a technical project, then, of course you will need some more courses in math and econ. It's really all about making relationships with faculty. That is more important than the RA position in and of itself.

06-23-2008, 11:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bayern On the road... Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 433	If you are really thinking about a PhD in econ, then take a number courses in econ... courses which you will have to take anyways in order to apply for econ schools. This will help you to meet more professors, and as jeeves0923 said, help make relationships with the faculty which is important. With the help of a good relationship, you can then later apply for a RA position and maybe one of them will hire you.

06-24-2008, 07:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
GooniesNeverSayDie Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 21	Like Jeeves mentioned, I think building relationships with professors will help you the most in the process of obtaining a RA position. I know from my own experience that is how it worked for me. I found a professor that was doing some interesting research and I went and talked to him during office hours and eventually the next semester I worked as an RA. Good Luck

06-24-2008, 10:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zmoney Will regres for money Join Date: May 2008 Location: Titletown Posts: 44	There are two ways I have seen it done at my school. Office hours are the first. If the professor is pretty cool or super smart its always worth going to their office hours to chat. This is especially useful when you either have to do research or a paper in that class. Talk about ideas and develop a good relationship with the professor from there if summer is coming up or the semesters are about to change you can ask them if they know anyone in the department who is hiring or needs temporary help etc etc. In my experience once that was asked if they have something for you to do they'd hire your. The alternative approach is to check out the CV's of either up and comers in the department or senior professors/ old department chairs. From there breeze through some of the papers that sound interesting and come up with some questions. example. This topic is really interesting how do you come up with it. I thought the concepts of this paper were neat but being an undergrad could i ask you about some of the economics behind it. etc etc Whats very important to realize for graduate school is getting the right job to get the right letter. If you can get the big names or the soon to be big names from your department to vouch for you as either an employer or letter writer or both then that should help you out in the long run. As a note of full disclosure I obtained my RA job from style 1 and had a 2nd lined up from a different professor but the same tatic untill I took a Fed intership for the summer

TestMagic

Free GMAT, GRE, SAT Test, TOEFL practice tests