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Worth volunteering labs through cold-email? Other suggestions?
Hi everyone! I'm wondering if volunteer labs through cold-emailing professors actually worth it and look good on college application? (Cause I know basically you help with routine and set up some stuff so does it really get a point doing so?) Also do you know any other activities (not too hard like national/international level or genius competition w/ research) that could make big impact? I know some of you would recommend top-tier activities but I'm not that smart :( so wanna ask if there are mid-level activities that still stand out??
Thank you!!
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Thirada’s Answer
Hi Sharon, I volunteered in psychology labs during undergrad and it was a great experience. Even though I was doing boring routine work, the lab members were really nice and gave us opportunities to interact with participants, get training for MRI scans, etc. You can express interest in anything that they do, and ask if you can shadow or attend an experiment session, go to a training workshop, etc. If you're in a supportive lab, they will help you learn what you want to learn. You just need to ask them for it.
During my masters degree, there was a high school student that volunteered in the biology lab I was working in. She volunteered once a week for one semester, and she did PCRs, cryostat sectioning, and H&E staining. That's three experimental lab skills that are not just doing chores! The reason she was able to do all this is because of the way the lab is run. The PI (professor who is in charge of the lab) likes to give everyone experimental work (not just chores), including undergrads and high school students. I see your location is listed as Chicago, so I'll tell you that this was in the Hojoon Lee lab at Northwestern University in Evanston. You might be able to reach out to him and ask for volunteering, shadowing, etc. Note that this situation is rare. In most labs, you will just be doing "chores". It's just that some (rare) labs prefer to give you other work that is more interesting.
Ok, now for the part about college applications. You can do a lot of activities, but they need to make sense in your story. Think about how you're presenting yourself to the colleges. For example, will you say your dream is to become a doctor and save lives? If so, then volunteering in a hospital lab makes the most sense. Or will you say you're interested in the intersection between different STEM fields? If so, you can (for example) say that you competed in a math competition, you did a coding project, and now you're applying those skills to research in a chemistry lab. Or, I'll tell you what I said in my applications. I said I enjoy exploring creative ideas and making discoveries. So I talked about exploring creative ideas and making discoveries through art (painting and drawing) and science projects I did. For evidence, I mentioned that I attended an art convention where my painting was on display, along with artworks from other high school students. I also mentioned that I did a group physics project, where we could experiment on pretty much whatever we wanted to. The findings of the experiment are posted as a report paper in a public website. Do you see how your activities work as "evidence" for the "story" you're trying to tell? Think about how you want to present yourself, because you're trying to be uniquely you and stand out from the sea of top students. You should do some serious self-reflecting before writing your college application essays!
If you're not sure what activities to do right now, try applying for some that seem interesting to you. These should be activities you will actually enjoy doing! Do the activities you can do, and then reflect on why you liked them so much, what you learned about yourself through these activities, and how they relate to your future goals. You can start thinking about how to write your college applications from there. Hope this is helpful! Note that I'm assuming you're applying for college in the US. Other countries may have different systems/preferences for applications.
During my masters degree, there was a high school student that volunteered in the biology lab I was working in. She volunteered once a week for one semester, and she did PCRs, cryostat sectioning, and H&E staining. That's three experimental lab skills that are not just doing chores! The reason she was able to do all this is because of the way the lab is run. The PI (professor who is in charge of the lab) likes to give everyone experimental work (not just chores), including undergrads and high school students. I see your location is listed as Chicago, so I'll tell you that this was in the Hojoon Lee lab at Northwestern University in Evanston. You might be able to reach out to him and ask for volunteering, shadowing, etc. Note that this situation is rare. In most labs, you will just be doing "chores". It's just that some (rare) labs prefer to give you other work that is more interesting.
Ok, now for the part about college applications. You can do a lot of activities, but they need to make sense in your story. Think about how you're presenting yourself to the colleges. For example, will you say your dream is to become a doctor and save lives? If so, then volunteering in a hospital lab makes the most sense. Or will you say you're interested in the intersection between different STEM fields? If so, you can (for example) say that you competed in a math competition, you did a coding project, and now you're applying those skills to research in a chemistry lab. Or, I'll tell you what I said in my applications. I said I enjoy exploring creative ideas and making discoveries. So I talked about exploring creative ideas and making discoveries through art (painting and drawing) and science projects I did. For evidence, I mentioned that I attended an art convention where my painting was on display, along with artworks from other high school students. I also mentioned that I did a group physics project, where we could experiment on pretty much whatever we wanted to. The findings of the experiment are posted as a report paper in a public website. Do you see how your activities work as "evidence" for the "story" you're trying to tell? Think about how you want to present yourself, because you're trying to be uniquely you and stand out from the sea of top students. You should do some serious self-reflecting before writing your college application essays!
If you're not sure what activities to do right now, try applying for some that seem interesting to you. These should be activities you will actually enjoy doing! Do the activities you can do, and then reflect on why you liked them so much, what you learned about yourself through these activities, and how they relate to your future goals. You can start thinking about how to write your college applications from there. Hope this is helpful! Note that I'm assuming you're applying for college in the US. Other countries may have different systems/preferences for applications.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful advice! I'll consider reaching out to the lab. You also gave me clearer vision of how should I connect these activities together to make my own story.
sharon
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t have to win an international competition or publish groundbreaking research to be a competitive applicant.
Cold-emailing professors is absolutely worth trying. Most students start by helping with routine tasks, but that’s how trust is built. If you’re dependable, curious, and willing to learn, those responsibilities often grow over time. A professor who can speak to your work ethic and growth in a recommendation letter is incredibly valuable.
Also remember that impact doesn’t have to come from a prestigious activity. Consistently volunteering, tutoring, working a part-time job, mentoring younger students, starting a small initiative at your school, or taking on leadership in a club can all stand out when you show genuine commitment and growth.
My advice is to stop comparing yourself to the “genius” applicants you see online. Colleges admit real people, not résumés. Find opportunities that excite you, give them your best effort, and let your consistency and character speak for themselves. That combination is often more compelling than chasing the most impressive-sounding activity.
Cold-emailing professors is absolutely worth trying. Most students start by helping with routine tasks, but that’s how trust is built. If you’re dependable, curious, and willing to learn, those responsibilities often grow over time. A professor who can speak to your work ethic and growth in a recommendation letter is incredibly valuable.
Also remember that impact doesn’t have to come from a prestigious activity. Consistently volunteering, tutoring, working a part-time job, mentoring younger students, starting a small initiative at your school, or taking on leadership in a club can all stand out when you show genuine commitment and growth.
My advice is to stop comparing yourself to the “genius” applicants you see online. Colleges admit real people, not résumés. Find opportunities that excite you, give them your best effort, and let your consistency and character speak for themselves. That combination is often more compelling than chasing the most impressive-sounding activity.
Updated
Ahmed’s Answer
Hi Sharon!
To answer your first question directly, yes, cold-emailing for a volunteer lab position is 100% worth it, and it can look great on your college applications.
A lot of high schoolers make the mistake of assuming they have to publish a groundbreaking paper or discover something brand new for lab work to matter. Admissions officers know you are in high school. They do not expect you to be running the lab!
Even if you start out just washing glassware, setting up equipment, or doing basic data entry, it still stands out for a few big reasons. First, it shows massive initiative. Cold-emailing professors and showing up to a real university lab takes real drive. Second, it proves you understand how actual science works. Science is mostly routine, patience, and attention to detail. Experiencing that firsthand shows a lot of maturity. Plus, if you show up on time and do those routine tasks reliably, postdocs and professors will often start giving you more interesting work over time, and you might get a great letter of recommendation out of it.
Also, please do not say you are not smart! College admissions officers are not just looking for child prodigies or international Olympiad winners. They really love students who are curious, consistent, and care about their local communities.
If you want some good mid-level activities that still look great, here are a few ideas.
You could look into local community science projects. Many environmental groups, river watchers, or forestry departments need volunteers to collect water samples, track local wildlife, or log plant growth. It is real field research that directly helps your local area, and it does not require a university lab.
You could also do tutoring or science outreach. Start a free weekend tutoring group at a local library, or run fun hands-on science demos for elementary school kids. Colleges love seeing leadership and teaching because it shows you can explain concepts clearly to others.
Another option is doing independent projects with real utility. Build something simple that solves a small, everyday problem, like coding a basic website for a local non-profit or building a simple garden monitor. The key here is not making something revolutionary, but just following a project through from start to finish.
You can also look at Citizen Science websites like Zooniverse. They let you participate in real academic research like classifying galaxies or tracking animal populations right from your computer. If you rack up high contributions, you can highlight that on your application.
The big secret to making mid-level activities look amazing is focusing on depth and consistency rather than prestige. Admissions officers would much rather see a student spend six months consistently volunteering at a local nature center or helping a lab manager with routine tasks than a student who paid thousands of dollars to attend a fancy two-week summer camp just for the resume line.
Keep reaching out to those professors! Keep your cold emails short, mention a specific project of theirs that you actually find interesting, and explain why you are eager to learn. Good luck!
To answer your first question directly, yes, cold-emailing for a volunteer lab position is 100% worth it, and it can look great on your college applications.
A lot of high schoolers make the mistake of assuming they have to publish a groundbreaking paper or discover something brand new for lab work to matter. Admissions officers know you are in high school. They do not expect you to be running the lab!
Even if you start out just washing glassware, setting up equipment, or doing basic data entry, it still stands out for a few big reasons. First, it shows massive initiative. Cold-emailing professors and showing up to a real university lab takes real drive. Second, it proves you understand how actual science works. Science is mostly routine, patience, and attention to detail. Experiencing that firsthand shows a lot of maturity. Plus, if you show up on time and do those routine tasks reliably, postdocs and professors will often start giving you more interesting work over time, and you might get a great letter of recommendation out of it.
Also, please do not say you are not smart! College admissions officers are not just looking for child prodigies or international Olympiad winners. They really love students who are curious, consistent, and care about their local communities.
If you want some good mid-level activities that still look great, here are a few ideas.
You could look into local community science projects. Many environmental groups, river watchers, or forestry departments need volunteers to collect water samples, track local wildlife, or log plant growth. It is real field research that directly helps your local area, and it does not require a university lab.
You could also do tutoring or science outreach. Start a free weekend tutoring group at a local library, or run fun hands-on science demos for elementary school kids. Colleges love seeing leadership and teaching because it shows you can explain concepts clearly to others.
Another option is doing independent projects with real utility. Build something simple that solves a small, everyday problem, like coding a basic website for a local non-profit or building a simple garden monitor. The key here is not making something revolutionary, but just following a project through from start to finish.
You can also look at Citizen Science websites like Zooniverse. They let you participate in real academic research like classifying galaxies or tracking animal populations right from your computer. If you rack up high contributions, you can highlight that on your application.
The big secret to making mid-level activities look amazing is focusing on depth and consistency rather than prestige. Admissions officers would much rather see a student spend six months consistently volunteering at a local nature center or helping a lab manager with routine tasks than a student who paid thousands of dollars to attend a fancy two-week summer camp just for the resume line.
Keep reaching out to those professors! Keep your cold emails short, mention a specific project of theirs that you actually find interesting, and explain why you are eager to learn. Good luck!
Thank you so much for sharing this and your encouragement! I'd look into these suggestions soon
sharon
Updated
Emily’s Answer
Yes, I think cold-emailing professors can absolutely be worth it, even if you start by doing routine tasks. Every research assistant begins somewhere, and showing up consistently, asking good questions, and being reliable often leads to more meaningful responsibilities over time. Colleges generally care less about whether you were running complex experiments and more about whether you demonstrated genuine curiosity, commitment, and growth. If research interests you, I wouldn’t let the fear of “only doing basic work” stop you from reaching out. Beyond research, there are plenty of mid-level activities that can still make a strong impact. You could start a passion project related to an interest you already have, volunteer consistently with a local organization, compete in regional science fairs or academic competitions, tutor younger students, build an app or website, earn relevant certifications, or take on leadership in a school club. The activities that stand out most aren’t always the most prestigious. They’re usually the ones where you’ve invested time, made a real impact, and can clearly explain why they mattered to you.