Research Experience
I've done research over the summer for the last three years. Although there is lots of funding available for summer research in the sciences, most grants and programs (including basically all of those administered by Yale) pay just enough for housing and food. They are not designed to leave students with money left over at the end of the summer. Research experience is really important if you want to go to grad school in the sciences, so I've always opted for it instead of selling out to a cushy tech job that would pay more. As a result, I've had to work 15-20 hours during some semesters to pay for both my summer income and term-time contributions.
I've been fortunate enough to be paid for term-time research so that I can work toward my SIC while still doing relevant work in my field. But Yale makes students doing term-time research choose between getting paid for their work (if they can find a faculty member with funding) and getting course credit. Students who don't have to work to pay their SIC nearly all opt for credit, since it reduces their required course load and puts some evidence of research experience on their transcript. On the other hand, students who have to make money don't get credit and have to take more courses in addition to their work.
I've been fortunate enough to be paid for term-time research so that I can work toward my SIC while still doing relevant work in my field. But Yale makes students doing term-time research choose between getting paid for their work (if they can find a faculty member with funding) and getting course credit. Students who don't have to work to pay their SIC nearly all opt for credit, since it reduces their required course load and puts some evidence of research experience on their transcript. On the other hand, students who have to make money don't get credit and have to take more courses in addition to their work.
