Frequently Asked Questions
How can I learn more about the PNI faculty and their research, to help decide which labs most interest me?
In your application form, we ask you to specify 3 or 4 PNI labs in which you would most prefer to work. You can learn more about our faculty and their research by exploring the PNI website, starting at the faculty research page. A number of faculty in Psychology also accept summer interns, including Prof. Casey Lew-Williams in the Princeton Baby Lab. Please note that not all of the faculty listed on this page will be participating in the program this year; only those listed in the application form will be valid choices.
I intend to apply to PNI's summer program through the Leadership Alliance. Do I also need to apply via Princeton's application site?
We would like for you to do so. The Princeton application asks questions not covered by the Leadership Alliance's application, such as which lab you would like to be placed in for the summer. If you do apply via the Leadership Alliance, you only need to complete the Princeton application and PNI-SIP Questionnaire in our application system. We will get your personal statement, letters of recommendation, and transcripts from the Leadership Alliance.
How can I find out if my application is complete?
Please log in to the online application page to check the status of your application. If all required sections are checked off, your application is complete. Please note that those also applying through the Leadership Alliance need only submit the Application and PNI-SIP Questionnaire.
When will I be informed about the status of my application?
All visiting student applicants will be notified of the Selection Committee's decision by email by mid-March/April.
Why does the application ask about racial/ethnic identities, disabilities, or disadvantaged backgrounds?
We encourage applications from research-oriented undergraduates whose participation will add to the diversity of researchers in the sciences. The federal government, through the National Institutes of Health, provides standard-defined categories of groups of individuals who may be underrepresented in health-related sciences. For the official designations of these groups, please see the list of definitions below.
Federal Definitions
Underrepresented
Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at NCSES Publications and Data and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research:
1. American Indians or Alaska Natives
2. Blacks or African Americans
3. Hispanics or Latinos
4. Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders
Disabled
Individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Disadvantaged Background
Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
For individuals from low-income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such candidates (a) have qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance; or (b) have received any of the following student loans: Health Professional Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program; or (c) have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.
Individuals who come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.