Oklahoma State University Application Essay

Before coming to Oklahoma State University and joining the Freshman Research Scholars Program, what research really entails was a complete mystery to me. As a high school student, I was always intrigued by science, but specifically innovation within science. That’s why I knew I needed to apply for the Freshman Research Scholars Program, as well as attend Oklahoma State University after I was accepted to the program. All in all, participating in this program broadened my understanding of what research is, enhanced my knowledge of science topics relevant to my major, and improved professional skills. Coming into this experience, I had very little understanding of what goes into a research project, what kind of research is going on at Oklahoma

From day one, my mentor was already pushing me academically and teaching me new things. We started off by discussing broad concepts of the project, like genetics and the central dogma of molecular biology. As a freshman just starting my major specific coursework, I did not yet understand some of the fundamental concepts of our research, but my mentor took the time to explain things to me, as well as provide resources for me to educate myself outside of the lab. Throughout the semester, we continued to pause on the project and look at the bigger picture in order to make sure that I was grasping the concepts we were applying to the project. As I continued through my course work this semester, I started to realize the real world applications to what I was learning in the classroom due to my experience in the lab. As I was sitting in a microbiology lecture one day, the topic of central dogma and genetic sequencing came up, and I felt excited that I not only had some previous knowledge, but had firsthand seen how those topics can be used in research. I feel that my experience in the lab is preparing me for the science heavy semesters that lay ahead, as well as showing me what science looks like outside of the

This is specifically through my experiences with my mentor, Dr. Winyoo Chowanadisai. Throughout the spring semester, we would speak about my academic and career goals, and my mentor provided great insight to my plans. As a researcher who has many siblings in the medical field, he was able to discuss the pre-med experience with me and provide clarity on how I could explore my career options and prepare for potential applications to graduate or medical school. Navigating my options for after graduation has been stressful for me this year, so a rewarding part of this experience was having a mentor to provide guidance and allow me to explore my options. Aside from the personal opinions that my mentor could provide, my experience in the lab also contributed to my thoughts on how I want to spend my