Group research programs usually have a pre-determined research topic and schedule. One-on-one research programs, however, are customizable and self-paced.

One-on-one research participants also have two extra sessions with the Faculty Advisor and a better chance to earn a letter of recommendation. Also, one-on-one research programs cost more.

We don’t guarantee letters of recommendation, primarily because it’s unethical. A “guaranteed” letter would mean that we have a template to use for all students, regardless of academic performance. This strongly violates academic integrity.

We encourage students to earn their letters of recommendation by actively participating during live sessions and completing high-quality work on time. Most professors would happily recommend a diligent and responsible student to selective colleges, but recommendations must be earned.

Students can use their Scholar Launch project as a starting point for competing in a future, long-term science fair, but this isn’t the primary purpose of our research programs.

While individual Faculty Advisors and Teaching Assistants may have such experience or even be involved in the competitions, the primary goal of our research programs is to help our students produce original work and learn advanced research methodology.

Our groups are very small, with a maximum of five students. When the cohort of admitted students is finalized, we send around a timesheet in which students indicate their availability so we can determine a time that works best for everyone.

Yes, absolutely. Some students take longer than others, but if you consistently commit 4 hours a week, you should have no problem completing a 6 to 10-page research paper with proper citations. However, it’s essential to follow the advice of your instructors and choose a suitably narrow research topic.

Junior research programs are entry-level cohorts for middle school students. They invite younger students to explore interests and gain a comprehensive understanding of advanced subjects.

Advanced research programs, however, are designed to help high school students conduct research at the collegiate level and produce high-quality academic research papers that enhance college applications.

Yes! Many of our students strive to publish their final work, and our Teaching Assistants are there to help them accomplish this goal. We advise students to research a range of publication outlets before submitting to one.

If a student gets rejected by a research journal, they’ll typically receive detailed feedback that they can apply before resubmitting for publication. For students with a tight admission timeline, some of our publication partners can offer “pre-print” services to help expedite the review process.

Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to complete their paper, and it is the student’s decision about how they wish to publish or otherwise disseminate their work. Our instructors and education team will provide them with tailored advice on the opportunities awaiting their paper or project.

Each student selects their own research topic and writes their own paper. It is important to us that every student achieves their own independent outcome from our research programs. Students also work one-on-one with the Teaching Assistant. The group format is only for the sessions with the professor, to maximize the seminar-style experience and collective learning opportunity.

Yes, we can offer additional TA sessions for a small additional fee.

You can contact our program coordinator with 24 hours’ notice. Where possible, the team will send you a recorded session with all the class materials and review your progress to ensure you are up to date.