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300+ Mentors
from leading universities
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95%+ Students Admitted
to Top 50 colleges
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74% Students Admitted
to Top 30 colleges
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1,500+ Alumni
from 16 countries and regions
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450+ Research Topics
tailored to students’ academic interests
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100+ Student Organizations
thriving across the world
What is Scholar Launch?
We offer world-class virtual research programs to middle and high school students. The cohorts cover a range of topics throughout STEM, social sciences, humanities, business, art, and architecture. However, the benefits our scholars reap go far beyond participating in extracurricular research.
Here's how our education team helps our students achieve their dreams. For more information, learn more about Scholar Launch.
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Find a Research or Entrepreneurship Program
Junior Group Research Program
Junior Group Research Programs are designed for middle school students who are eager to explore entry-level research and learn advanced subject knowledge beyond the classroom.
Custom 1-on-1 Program
Customized programs are highly personalized based on students’ interests, academic levels, goals, and schedules. These are perfect opportunities for students who want to pursue niche research projects.
Research Interest Exploration Program
Developed by top college professors, students will explore various disciplines, develop skills, and create a tailored portfolio and research proposal with guidance from a Program Advisor.
Leadership & Entrepreneurship Exploration Program
These programs are designed to unlock students’ leadership potential by introducing them to the world of entrepreneurship. Students can learn essential skills and practical strategies to kickstart their journey, all under personalized professional guidance.
Advanced Group Research Program
Students will work with professors and scholars from top universities in a small-group setting, engage in lively discussions and get professional one-on-one guidance from Teaching Assistants.
Leadership & Innovation Lab
Join an entrepreneurship program to launch a business, organization, or platform with the support of a seasoned instructor and robust professional network.
Custom 1-on-1 Program
Our 1-on-1 research programs are highly personalized based on students’ interests, academic levels, goals, and schedules. These are perfect opportunities for students who want to pursue niche research projects.
Accelerated Research Program
Combining both recorded and live sessions with the Faculty Advisor, this program allows students to achieve tangible outcomes and potentially earn a letter of recommendation in a short period of time.
Custom 1-on-1 Program
Customized programs are highly personalized based on students’ interests, academic levels, goals, and schedules. They are perfect opportunities for students who want to pursue unique, even niche research projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Scholar Launch provides advanced, mentor-guided research programs that help motivated students explore academic interests, build standout portfolios, and prepare for college admissions.
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Students can apply to a research program, get paired with a expert mentor, and start developing a structured project.
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It means high school students engage in college-level inquiry by designing questions, analyzing data, reviewing literature, and producing a scholarly output aligned with real academic standards.
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Yes. Original research shows intellectual curiosity, initiative, and academic depth, all qualities Ivy League schools value highly.
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Research is a high-impact academic activity that demonstrates advanced skills. It complements sports, clubs, volunteering, and other after-school activities.
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Debate, robotics, coding, science Olympiads, writing clubs, Model UN, and community service often align well with research themes.
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No, our programs are designed for beginners and advanced students alike. Mentors teach students how to do research step by step.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Co-curricular activities academically support classroom learning. Research absolutely qualifies because it deepens subject mastery and problem-solving
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Students should choose activities that match their interests, demonstrate leadership, and show long-term commitment. Research is a strong option for academically driven students.
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Students gain publishable work, mentorship letters, academic depth, and a unique achievement that can be highlighted in essays and the activities section of the application.
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Yes! Scholar Launch offers age-appropriate programs for middle school students ready to explore big ideas and build foundational research skills.
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Students can include a project title, mentor, skills learned, and any publications or presentations under an “Academic Research” or “Scholarly Work” section.
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Students develop critical thinking, writing skills, confidence, and long-term academic direction, all of which enhance future college and career opportunities.
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We offer a variety of extracurricular academic programs that have been designed to prepare our scholars for the rigors of college life. Through our programs, we encourage students to ask critical, thought-provoking questions about the world around them and ultimately enrich their intellectual abilities outside the classroom.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Yes, we can offer additional TA sessions for a small additional fee.
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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.