First-Year
Your first year on campus is a time of transition and can be an overwhelming experience. We encourage you to be patient with yourself as you adjust and invite you to consider engagement with the academic and creative life of the campus as you feel comfortable.
Participating in research can be an intimidating process and might even seem out of reach—especially if you're a first-generation student or your identity is underrepresented on campus. The challenges are real, but the benefits of engagement can be empowering and we're here to help. Though you might not participate in a project until later in your timeline, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with programs and take steps to position yourself for success.
- Reflect on your academic interests and career ambitions, considering graduate school and professional programs
- Explore options to engage in projects at CU Boulder and beyond.
- Inform yourself about the research ecosystem of CU Boulder and the broader landscape, considering options for undergraduates.
- Connect with programs of interest and start developing relationships with campus contacts.
- Build skills relevant to engagement in activities that interest you, such as coding, analytics, etc.
- Read publications, such as journal articles, on topics that inspire your curiosity.
CU Boulder has an expansive history engaging undergraduates in the research and creative life of the campus dating to the creation of UROP in 1986.