Relevant comments concerning what you should be doing during this time of your career:
During your Freshman Year:
Focus strongly on your grades and getting established in a study intensive routine. Don't party too much!. Meet with your advisor. Make sure you start the Chemistry/Biology sequence and get the basic courses started. Everything builds from here so start right. If you have questions, email your advisor (Faculty) or contact Dr. Oakley (oakley.2@osu.edu).
During your Sophmore year:
Sometime in the Autumn quarter, make an appointment to meet with your advisor. Use Email to make the appointment or simply stop by his/her office. Begin to think about your future career plans. You advisor can help you here (email works well for setting up appointments; see Faculty for email addresses).
Winter quarter is the time to really focus on your course work....the weather is lousy anyway....do not let your grades slide! If you are interested, you might be able to start working in a lab part-time and receive 1-2 credit hours in MG693. Also, at this time you should prepare a professional resume that accurately describes relevant details about you and your career up to this point.
Your Junior year:
If you want to do a research project, you should be in a lab as early as possible in your third year. If you have not selected a lab at this time, contact faculty you might like to work with and get the process moving ahead. Most faculty would like for you to start your project by this time since it takes about 2-3 quarters of training to overcome the learning curve. While in the lab, you will be learning more about molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry that will go hand in glove with the research you have chosen. Be thinking about your plans after graduation.....taking the GRE or MCAT...make plans now!
During the summer between the junior and senior year, you might try working a lab full time. In some cases you (or your advisor) can arrange funding over the summer. Many students get their research done and completed for the project during this summer research experience. Note that applications for summer support are usually due in the Spring quarter (see Scholarships).
Your Senior year:
If you are doing a project, you should be working in the lab, taking more MG major courses and putting the finishing touches on your research project. At this time, you should be preparing for the GRE if you plan to apply to graduate schools....plan on taking the GRE this quarter. Your graduate school applications need to go out before end of fall quarter. You will also need letters of recommendation from faculty.
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