Reply to Rant: Tell Kids to Stop Bugging Professors for Internships

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm a professor and regularly get emails from high school students who ask for research internships.  They haven't finished high school, much less basic undergraduate courses in my field.  I don't know who encourages this, but obviously those kids didn't think up this idea independently.

[i]"Dear Professor X:

I am very interested in your work after reading [one of my obscure papers from a web search].  I would like to help you with research because I want to have a career [making a lot of money by doing something I know nothing about]."[/i]

This is insulting to their high school teachers, who have a lot to teach them.[/quote]

Your points are good. B[b]ut you could also show a little bit of empathy to these kid[/b]s, who are clearly being encouraged to do this and think they need it. [/quote]

+1.  This.  And the letter may have been an assignment and the kid is waiting breathlessly for a response.  They don't know any better.  Be kind. [/quote]

But why?  Why are HS doing this?  If the bringing to require an internship, they need to facilitate.  My company has HS interns from Christo Rey schools.  Internships are a huge part of their program.  They actually partner with companies to provide the experiences.  The kids apply and interview, but they are not set loose on unsuspecting employers who may have no idea how to work with a HS student.  We received training and had regular evaluations of the students and check ins with the school.  Honestly, we considered it a public service.  HS kids do not have enough skills to really contribute.  We gave them small administrative assignments but mostly had them attend meetings and events to learn.  Then we would have them do some research and a presentation to our group for the experience (not for us but for them).

I’m not in STEM (but my college kid is), but I don’t see how 99% of HS kids could truly contribute in a significant way.  I’m very skeptical of published academic articles with HA kids’ names on them.  It is kind of a farce.[/quote]

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