Should I write a research paper or internship to apply for a research university?
You don't need to do research to apply to a research university, but working on a project relevant to your intended major can certainly help! Just keep in mind that the research should be with a professor to "count" or impress admissions officers. Doing research on your own will not hold the same weight.
Hope this helps, and let me know if you need clarification!
Yes getting an internship before you apply to university looks very good on a college application. You don’t necessarily have to write a research paper but it isn’t good practice.
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