How can I tell whether impressive research equipment is actually used by undergraduates?
Do not rely only on photographs or equipment lists. Check which undergraduate classes, experiments, or research projects use the equipment, from which year, and whether students operate it themselves. Compare course descriptions, the curriculum, laboratory and facility information, and examples of student work; at an information session, ask about access hours, supervision, training, and reservations. Because actual arrangements vary by faculty, academic year, and student affiliation, confirm the details in official information.
Key points
- Check whether use of the equipment is incorporated into undergraduate classes or experiments.
- Find out whether access begins only after assignment to a laboratory or is available earlier.
- Distinguish equipment displayed for tours or mainly used by graduate students from equipment undergraduates actually operate.
- Ask specifically about frequency of use, reservations, training, and available supervision.
Things to check
- The presence of equipment in an undergraduate faculty does not necessarily mean that every student can use it freely.