Plan Your Extracurricular Activities Like a Pro
Consider our latest webinar, “Spring Activity Planning: Research Programs and Student Success Story,” as a how-to guide for university-bound high school students looking to craft the most impactful college applications possible. To kick off this virtual event, we compared the pros, cons, and varying levels of competitiveness that define different research channels.
The various channels, including summer programs and research institutes, local university labs, independent research projects, and Scholar Launch research programs, each offer their own benefits and challenges. However, the common thread that runs throughout these separate research avenues remains clear: high school students who participate in advanced academic research often reap the rewards of their hard work.
Different Research Opportunities for High School Students
Most summer programs and research institutes concentrate heavily on STEM. They offer excellent opportunities for future computer programmers, chemists, and medical doctors to learn from the best and hone their craft. However, with spring just over a month away, it’s too late for students to apply to most of these competitive cohorts. The early application deadlines are often set for November or December, while regular applications are typically due the January or February before the program starts.
The time to start working on applications for these programs, which often require written essays, is in the early fall. So, we highly recommend current high school sophomores and juniors start researching reputable summer research programs as early as this spring.
Local labs at universities are also popular sites for research, but most of these institutions require students to be at least 18 years old to apply. They also operate on longer timelines that aren’t conducive with high school schedules, with some programs not reaching completion for 6 to 12 months or more. University research positions also often culminate in professional conferences for which students would need to miss school, so we recommend waiting until college to explore these options.
Many students engage in independent research, but this can be challenging. Most high school students are new to advanced research and may struggle with various aspects of higher academia. The nuances of academic writing, including professional formatting, citations, and revisions, as well as the process of publishing newly minted research aren’t necessarily intuitive endeavors. It’s best for young students to establish a relationship with trusted teachers as they navigate independent research, because going it completely alone may lead to more frustration than is necessary.
We won’t sugar coat it: participating in advanced academic research can be trying. That’s why Scholar Launch is designed to provide support and guidance to students every step of the way.
How to Overcome the Challenges of Academic Research
Our webinar wouldn’t be honest or helpful if we weren’t forthright about how difficult extracurricular research can be. So, after detailing the many avenues of research available to high schoolers, we addressed common challenges students face while participating in research projects and how Scholar Launch programs can help them overcome these difficulties.
In the beginning, it can be tough for scholars to get started on their projects. Identifying relevant ideas, aligning them with existing interests, and narrowing it all down to a unique research topic can be challenging. Students with limited knowledge of how to structure an advanced research paper may also struggle with a lack of resources, like access to academic journals and databases. And personalized mentorship, an invaluable addition to any research endeavor, is more of a privilege in this industry than an expectation.
In anticipation of these struggles, we’ve structured our research cohorts to cover every level of our scholars’ academic journeys. Our trusted Faculty Advisors offer Scholar Launch students step-by-step guidance on how to develop original research topics. They also work with them to roadmap customized research strategies with clear milestones and timelines to help with task and time management, a common obstacle for inexperienced students. Each of our research programs include courses on methodologymethodolgy, wherein Faculty Advisors provide students with exclusive access to the databases, journals, and other professional materials needed for in-depth research.
Meanwhile, the Teaching Assistants work closely with each student to show them the ins and outs of academic writing. This education on how to structure advanced research papers is priceless and a strong addition to any college application. TAs also help students navigate the complexities of submitting, revising, and eventually publishing their final papers. This level of personalized mentorship is possible due to our small cohort sizes, which never exceed six students per program.
And our support doesn’t end there. Our TAs also collaborate with the education team to assist any student who may be falling behind or otherwise struggling with the extra workload their extracurricular research presents. This is an essential aspect of our program, as it ensures that all students who want success can reach it.
Join Us for Our Next Webinar
Finally, we wrapped this latest webinar by detailing how students can demonstrate research experience in their Common App applications. We were also happy to welcome a guest speaker. This recent Scholar Launch alum and current high school senior spoke to how her dedicated hard work earned her an early decision acceptance letter from Carnegie Mellon University. She recounted how her interest in urban planning and design led to her enrollment in our program Architecture and the City: Sustainable Urban Design That Inspires, and we appreciated her emphasis on the importance of playing the long game with college admissions (she started building her resume in 8th grade).
This alum also spoke to attendees about the effectiveness of demonstrating the extent of her self-development throughout high school. The key, she says, is showing colleges and universities how you plan to use your individual skillset to make a positive impact on the world.
This webinar was a stellar opportunity for students to learn how to present themselves to admissions officers and ask thoughtful questions as they plan their spring and summer extracurricular activities. Be sure to watch a replay of this event when you have a half hour to dedicate to it. We also invite you to join us for our next free webinar, “Economics Unlocked: An Oxford Scholar's Advice to Aspiring Researchers.” This one is ideal for students considering a career in finance to learn from Dr. Valer, who’ll be exploring key insights into the intersection of finance, artificial intelligence, and sustainable investment.
Register for our next webinar today! We hope to see you there.