Scholar Success Story: Two Research Programs Lead to Ivy League Results
Student H’s success during his time with Scholar Launch proved that two research programs are better than one. This stellar alum struggled to find academic mentors within his network who could nurture his interdisciplinary interests in history, law, ethics, French, and social sciences. So, he looked to our research programs to help him further his studies in the humanities.
Student H explored law, ethics, and moral philosophy for his first research project with a practicing lawyer as his Faculty Advisor. Together, they analyzed multiple case studies and court rulings relevant to the moral dilemmas of involuntary manslaughter, which contextualized Student H’s research in a real-world framework and added depth to his final findings.
The FA also provided him with additional readings to further his knowledge of moral philosophy and coached him on how to achieve better time management while engaged in high-level research. Ultimately, Student H’s time spent navigating legal nuances under the mentorship of a practicing attorney and dedicated Teaching Assistant paid off. He eventually published his final paper, Evaluating Resultant Moral Luck in Involuntary Manslaughter, in the esteemed Scholarly Review Journal.
This first research project provided him with the foundation needed to confidently pursue his second project, which incorporated his interests in history, French, and social sciences. With a Professor of Afroamerican and African Studies, Comparative Literature, and Francophone Studies acting as his Faculty Advisor, Student H chose to study the French suburban riots and the country’s colonial past.
As he engaged in an academic literature review of this complex topic, he reflected on issues of integration, identity, violence, race, and class by incorporating movies and newspapers as source material. He also took the opportunity to communicate with his Faculty Advisor in French exclusively throughout the duration of the cohort in an effort to improve his proficiency in his third language.
Each mentor offered Student H a letter of recommendation for his exceptional work. And upon completing both research programs, he included his outstanding findings in his college application materials, highlighting his expertise in social science studies and his proficiency in multiple languages. Needless to say, colleges and universities were impressed with his aptitude, and his admission results reflect their approval. Student H ultimately earned acceptance letters from:
Harvard University
Columbia University
Williams College
Georgetown University
Boston College
and Amherst College
Participating in high school research has opened doors for all of our alumni, and we always work hard to ensure our students reach their academic goals. Are you or your student interested in signing up for a research program to improve your college admission results? Join us this spring as we launch our latest research cohorts. For more information, contact us.
