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This week, someone in my department said that if an applicant to our program didn't do undergrad research, they're not getting in, & I just want to make sure people know how fundamentally this statement misunderstands what college is like for many students. 1/
First, there's an assumption here that undergrads have the *opportunity* to do research in the first place. This is likely less true at state schools, small schools, & cash-strapped schools than it is at Ivies, R1s, & small liberal arts colleges. 2/
Second, even if undergrads have the opportunity to do research, they may not have the means. Research is time-consuming—time that might need to be spent working, supporting family, etc. Or they might not be made aware of the opportunity or think it's for them. 3/
Research often requires a strong mentor, esp. as an undergrad. Have you mentored a student who doesn't look like you? Has a student from an underrepresented background asked you for mentorship? If not, why do you think that is? 4/
Third, admit committees may be treating undergrad research as a signal of competence or skills...but they may also be treating it as virtue signaling, à la "this students knows the ways of academia & we will have to spend less time teaching them norms". 5/
And if this is happening, think about who we're admitting: students from elite institutions w/ the support networks & socialization to devote time to research. These students are qualified, & I'm not saying we shouldn't admit them! That's not the point 6/
The point is that selecting on access to limited opportunities is selecting on privilege, not aptitude for academia, & this makes academia less in touch w/ diverse experiences & reproduces only a limited set of understandings of the world through who we admit. 7/
There are many ways to signal critical thinking skills. There are many ways to signal dedication and perseverance. Restricting "accepted" signals of aptitude for grad school to one pathway is just bad science. /fin
P.S. If a department expects PhD applicants to have research experience but doesn't pay its own undergrad RAs...well.
