How to prepare to be a competitive MARC candidate:

Freshmen: 

• Select your courses carefully and make an effort through hard work to attain a 3.0 or better GPA.
• Go to URC/CARE workshops that help you understand all about research and research careers.
• Participate in programs such as PEERS or BISEP.

Sophomores:

• Take every opportunity to meet MARC trainees and make it a point to meet the MARC coordinator in the URC/CARE office.
• Attend URC/CARE workshops and poster presentations.
• Start research during the Winter Qtr.  For example, you might enroll for 2 to 4 units of  (OBEE/MCDB/MIMG/PhySci/URD) 99.
• Meet with your department's undergraduate counselor and tell her/him that you plan to apply to MARC.  It's important that you DON'T plan on taking summer courses while you are a MARC trainee so ask them to help you organize your curriculum with that in mind.
• Some majors have prerequisites for the upper division research courses (i.e. 199 or 190 series).  For example MCDB requires MCDB104, and PhySci requires PS111A and 111B before you can take 199 for credit in the major.

How to select a research placement:

Most departments prefer that you select professors in your major department, however most are flexible to a certain degree. You MUST inquire what you will need to do if you want credit for research taken outside of your major department. All departments require prior approval (i.e. BEFORE you enroll for credit) of labs and research topics when you are selecting outside your major department.

You may look for research mentors from among those listed  MARC preceptors already approved.  These investigators are familiar with the MARC program and have hosted MARC trainees in their laboratories.  If you have questions regarding a faculty researcher not on the list, please speak to the MARC Program Director, Dr. Simmons.

For more information and questions, please contact:

Frank Nevarez
URC/CARE Program Coordinator
2121 Life Science Building
310.206.2660
frankn@lifesci.ucla.edu