Online Research Opportunities For High School Students

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High school students can engage in independent research projects and collaborate with teachers and professors to learn about various topics. College counselors at Moon Prep help students find professors with whom they can conduct research. Recently, one student collaborated with a professor from a local university on a paper examining jet lag. The long-term goal for this student is to have the paper published in a high school research journal.

Unlike traditional university courses, high school students can apply to the online courses offered by Cornell University. These classes allow high school students to choose from dozens of regular university courses, collaborate with faculty and mentors, and improve their study skills for college. Pioneer Research Program is the only fully accredited Online Research Program for High School Students. Students can select from thirty different research areas, including the social sciences and humanities, and earn up to two college credits when they successfully complete a course. 

Some labs offer online internships for high school students. For example, the Stanford Compression Forum program connects high school students with internship opportunities at leading corporations and other institutions. However, these programs are unpaid, so the student is not expected to earn a salary. The Office of Science Outreach cannot provide guidance on which labs will host high school students, but can offer tips on how to approach them and find the right opportunity. 

Another example of an online research opportunity for high school students is the COSMOS program. Through this program, high school students can engage in university-level research projects. They are paired with a mentor, and selected from among a long list of disciplines each year. They will then complete a research project and present the results to a professor who will evaluate the project. The students will be able to present their findings at a national or state science fair, demonstrating their enthusiasm and interest for the project. 

Another opportunity for high school students is an internship program with a world-class research institution. They will receive hands-on training in STEM fields, including chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering. The internship program at Stanford, CA is an elective course for high school students and pre-med students. In the Stanford Cardiothoracic Surgery internship, students will learn basic cardiovascular surgery through knot tying, dissection, and even coronary bypass grafts. Check this page for additional reading to help you understand online research programs.

 In addition to these, there are also a number of summer programs available that offer hands-on research experience with mentors and scientists. For high school students, the Rockefeller University offers the Summer Science Research Program, which will be virtual in 2021. The Summer Science Research Program also features additional extracurricular activities. This summer research program offers high school students the opportunity to get real hands-on experience in a research laboratory. 

In addition to online programs, a high school student can participate in a summer science internship at MIT or other leading research university. These internships can help students advance their academic careers, gain letters of recommendation, and get published. These internships are highly selective and renowned by universities. The dates of the Research Science Institute and the Summer Science Research Program are open in June and May. If a high school student is interested in participating, he or she should contact the respective universities directly to discuss the details. Check out this post that has expounded on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_research.