Would I be out of place to ask?
Any tips on how to ask email, phone call, etc?
Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
1–10 of 16 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#2You can ask. The worse they say is no.
Not clear what you are looking for.
Any method of reaching out is good, but if class is in session profs usually have posted office hours (hours where you can visit them and talk about the class). In my experience (long ago) they tend not to get a lot of visitors, so if you can, doing it in person might not be a bad idea. Of course being in high-school limits the time available to do this..
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#3I know someone who has done this when they were in high-school. Your first option is to have someone you know in common to introduce you.
If that is not possible, just write an email and suggest you can talk further on the phone or in person. Just ask and if they say no, go to the next.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#4Just walk up to the person and ask. Be prepared to talk, even if it might not happen.
Good luck.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#5"Work with" how? You mean you want to learn from that professor in a non-classroom setting? Or you want to just get to know the professor before you start classes there? Or...?
Kind of hard to say unless you're more specific with what you want to be doing.
Generally, try to find someone to make an introduction on your behalf. That will go over a lot better, IMO.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#6"Work with" how? You mean you want to learn from that professor in a non-classroom setting? Or you want to just get to know the professor before you start classes there? Or...? Kind of hard to say unless you're more specific with what you want to be doing. Generally, try to find someone to make an introduction on your behalf. That will go over a lot better, IMO.
As in help out with their research as a learning experience.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#7How about you find an experimental OSS project being developed by a local university, contribute a bit online first and then try to meet up?
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#8"Work with" how? You mean you want to learn from that professor in a non-classroom setting? Or you want to just get to know the professor before you start classes there? Or...? Kind of hard to say unless you're more specific with what you want to be doing. Generally, try to find someone to make an introduction on your behalf. That will go over a lot better, IMO.
As in help out with their research as a learning experience.
Professors don't do much of the actual research work themselves. They are the ideas person, giving their grad students direction, and applying to grants to fund them.
So, what will probably happen is that they will direct you to one of their students, if they think you can give him a hand on his project.
Are you looking for a summer internship kind of thing?
Anyways, just wanted to give you a heads up. Do go ahead and ask! And if one prof isn't interested, ask another one. All profs are quite different. If you know someone in the department (grad or undergrad student), you could ask them for suggestions as to which prof would be open to having a HS level intern.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
As in help out with their research as a learning experience.
Professors don't do much of the actual research work themselves. They are the ideas person, giving their grad students direction, and applying to grants to fund them. So, what will probably happen is that they will direct you to one of their students, if they think you can give him a hand on his project. Are you looking for a summer internship kind of thing? Anyways, just wanted to give you a heads up. Do go ahead an…
Yeah a summer internship type thing. Thanks for the advice.
Re: Ask HN: How to ask to work with a prof at a local uni as a high school student?
#10Just start college early. Then you can work with profs all you want.