How to Get Involved with Research in High School

Research can be a daunting process to begin with and with many students attending research programs like COSMOS and Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR), students are often left wondering how they can get involved. It’s easier than you think! First let’s go over the basics.

What is research like in high school?

Research for high school students, like it is for all cases, can take multiple forms. Research is often believed to consist of scientists testing chemical combinations in a wet lab and while that may be true for some biology or chemistry labs, there are certainly various modalities. It can start off simply with a question and a hypothesis and then proceed from there into hands-on manipulatives, computational simulations, and so much more. Simply put, research for high school students is whatever they make it out to be.

What is the easiest way to do research in high school?

Research is as complicated as you want to make it but the “easiest” way to do research is to have a genuine interest in something and attempt to prove and experiment with your hypotheses. If you need guidance and want a step by step research process without the hassle of writing a lengthy application for prestigious summer programs for high schoolers, we recommend you check out our SK Education Research Program.

How can I get involved in research?

Once you have established your intended area of study, we recommend you go about your research journey in the following ways:

1. 1. Start with an academic course. There are tons of free online platforms like Coursera, edX, and your local community college. 
   2. Identify if you want an independently directed research project or a program-directed research project. 

• Independent Research:

1. 1. 1. 1. Personally Led: You can take your own ideas and actualize an experiment. In this way you have the most freedom to do whatever you would like, but this often comes at the expense of professional guidance that could potentially lead you to publishing your research.
         2. Professor Led: This is often the most-daunting research opportunity for students who have difficulty messaging professors at local colleges and universities, who they often have no connection to whatsoever. The best way to approach this is to identify a professor whose research peaks your interest. 

• Program-Directed Research: 

1. 1. 1. University Led: Northwestern Center for Talent Development, Research Science Institute, and Yale Young Global Scholars are a few university led research programs you may be interested in. 
      2. Online Led: There are multiple online research programs that will connect you with university professors and often earn you a letter of recommendation from your program mentor. They are programs like SK Education Research Program, Pioneer Academics, and Polygence.  
2. Begin your research!

How does research benefit your college application? 

The largest benefit is to show institutions your genuine interest in an area of study. Learning to study something in depth and designing your own project around your interests also helps you develop autonomy and the ability to analyze your own processes. You can read more in our past article on how research benefits your college application. 

Key Takeaways

• Engaging in research is a great way to develop your passion and show colleges your genuine interest in an area of study. 
• You can participate in research through multiple methods but it depends on what you are looking for. 
• There are established research programs, professor-led programs and more. If you are struggling to decide, we recommend you check out our SK Education Research Program.