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Articles & Advice > Majors and Academics > Blog

Why and How You Can Get Into Research in High School

Conducting a research project in high school can give you a huge leg up on your college applications. Here's why it's important and how to find opportunities.

by Stephen Turban Director, Lumiere Education

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2023

Originally Posted: Mar 9, 2022

As standardized tests are becoming optional for many major colleges and universities, admission teams are looking for new ways to distinguish between strong candidates. Qualitative opportunities like research projects have grown in popularity for students applying to college. These projects showcase passion and help provide proof of depth of a student’s abilities. Many students may be interested in doing research but often face the problem of how to get started. Where do you find research opportunities in high school? What should you look for? Here’s why research experience is so important for students and college admission, plus different ways to get into it.

Why do research in high school?

Research is becoming increasingly common for high school students. It’s a great way to explore areas of interest more deeply and develop academic passions—and not just in STEM fields. As a director of the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , I’ve seen students gain a truly world-class level of knowledge in fields they’re interested in through independent research. Students have investigated the strongest machine learning algorithm to detect cell nuclei, novel ways to detect ocean health in the high seas, and comparisons of 14 th -century Japanese and 19 th -century Impressionist art. In each project, students leave with a unique, deep understanding of the area they explored.

Research experience also has benefits when students apply to colleges and universities. In a recent survey of students who did research in high school, 99% of them used their experience in some way in the application for early admission. In addition, students who had done research were 26% more likely to be accepted to an Ivy League school for Early Action or Early Decision admission than the average applicant. As researchers, we want to be careful not to draw a causal link between these two. But what is true is that students who get into top schools are more likely to do research.

Related: Easy Ways to Find Research Experience in High School

How to find research opportunities

If research is so valuable, how do you find opportunities to do it? Unlike in college, where research universities often provide opportunities for students to get involved, high schools rarely provide chances for research in the curriculum—AP Research or the IB extended essay being notable exceptions. With this in mind, there are two main ways to get research experience in high school.

Research programs

Your first option is to find a research program designed for high school students. This could range from highly competitive national programs like MIT’s Research Science Institute to programs that are only available for local populations. There’s also been an increase in online research programs that provide opportunities for students to work with researchers, like this list of 24 research programs that are available this upcoming summer that students could consider. 

Cold-emailing professors and networking

Another way to pursue research is to try contacting a college faculty member directly. This can be a great way to find a research mentor and get involved in a project. If you have any connections to faculty members through family or your school, this is probably the most effective first step. This usually means there will already be some level of trust between the faculty member and you as the student, making it more likely for the researcher to take you on. If you don’t have any personal connections, try cold-emailing faculty members. To do this, you need to create an example email that shows why you’re interested in working with the faculty member and what you would add to the project. Here’s an example email to a professor who has done research on open offices:

Subject: Helping your research—Rock Bridge High School junior

Hi Professor Smith,

This is Stephen—a rising junior at Rock Bridge High School. I recently read your research paper on open offices in the Harvard Business Review , was fascinated, and wanted to reach out. Would you have 15 minutes to discuss how I could help your research?  

For a bit of background, I’ve spent the past three years working on my skills in Python and data analysis. I know that your research involves a lot of quantitative work, so I wanted to see if I could help out with that—or anything else that needs some work!

Long-term, I’m hoping to become researcher like you. So, I’d love the opportunity to work with a researcher that I admire like yourself!  

Yours, Stephen

The key here is to cast a wide net—you should try reaching out to at least 25 faculty members or PhD researchers—and show the value you can add to their work. Note how in this email I talk about how I have skills with Python that I could use to help Professor Smith’s research. I also try to draw a connection between him and myself by talking about my long-term ambitions to be a researcher. The key to email is keeping it short and to the point as well as making sure to follow up. Researchers are busy people, so they might miss your first email. Don’t be afraid to send a follow-up message. They’ll appreciate the persistence that shows!

Related: How to Write a Strong Professional Email People Will Read

How to showcase research experience on college applications

So let’s say you’ve done research—now what? How do you show it to potential schools? There are numerous ways to showcase your research in your college applications , from including it on your activities list to writing about it in some of your supplemental essays. In our most recent survey of Early Decision admits, we found that students who were accepted Early Decision and Early Action were 33% more likely to ask their research advisor for a letter of recommendation. The key is to make your research one data point in a broader story about you and your interests. It should connect to what you want to study and the other activities you’ve done. For example, one student who did research with us completed a project related to astrophysics. In her essay, she wrote about working as a stocker at a local grocery store and how some of these same astrophysics concepts related to the movement of customers in the store. The key is to make the research a proof point connected to other proof points of the type of student you are.

Does research need to be published to showcase?

A question I often get is whether you need to publish your research for colleges to take notice. The short answer is no—very few college students, much less high school students, will ever get their research published. There are some selective high school research publications you could consider. If a student gets published, it does give an added level of legitimacy to their research, but it’s certainly not necessary. The key is that the research process itself is rigorous and that you’re able to write about it clearly on your applications.

Related: Unique Ways to Stand Out on Your College Applications  

Research is hard but worthwhile. If you’re excited by a subject and would like to explore it more deeply, then research could be a great opportunity for you. It won’t be easy, and some papers can take years to finish!  But if you’re interested in it, you can join the emerging number of students who are doing research in high school!

Looking for research powerhouses to add to your college search? Check out our list of Excellent Research Universities   that are members of the American Association of Universities!

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About Stephen Turban

Stephen Turban is one of the founders of Lumiere Education  and a Harvard University graduate. He founded the Lumiere Research Scholar Program as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-on-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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Intro to Science Research

Driven students in the math and science fields may want to pursue research opportunities as early as high school. Experience in a lab or in the field is a learning experience unlike what your child has with textbooks and teachers. These opportunities are excellent ways for students to further explore their academic interests and even develop a specialty in a certain field. A research position is also a great way for talented students to prove their passions and set themselves apart during college admissions. Securing a competitive position as a research assistant shows real dedication, ambition, and skill in a high schooler. 

While your child may have a chosen profession or have an area of study in mind, finding the right individual or institution to pair with can be difficult at that age. Who do they approach? How do students apply? What kind of experience is necessary? Where can they find openings?

Before applying

Consider whether your child has the time to allot to a new position. If it is during the school year, will the commitments (tryouts, practice, competitions) later in the school year or semester interfere with their ability to fulfill their commitment. Half-heartedly completing the job is not a positive experience for your student nor does it look good for them professionally. 

Be sure your student is aware of the commitment their making. This isn’t the same as trying out for the soccer team. They don’t want to burn out two weeks in or suffer a slip in grades because they’re overcommitted.

Know what to expect

Students should expect low-level and unpaid or minimally paid work. It will be more rigorous than their coursework, but it won't necessarily be glamorous. They should still take this work seriously and treat their position as a responsibility even if it’s just data entry. Some research positions may allow for high school workers to participate in experimentation or contribute in a more meaningful way, but not all of them do. 

Ask your child about the kinds of work they want to do. How hard do they want to work and what sacrifices are they willing to make? Be sure to inquire as to the nature of the work when researching where to apply. 

Researching existing programs

The highly competitive programs are often structured research positions that take place over the summer and have to be applied to in advance. This includes RSI at MIT and UCSC SIP . These programs skip the step of finding a mentor for students are often paired with an affiliated professor. This is a great way for high schoolers to have a top-tier, thorough experience and build a network of professors as well as peers.

Talk to other students that have participated in similar programs to get a better idea of what your child will experience. Include their teachers in this conversations. They may be able to provide insights in addition to just recommendation letters. 

Use your connections

Outside of these networks, students have to find a willing participant on their own. Often times networking is the best way to establish contact or get your foot in the door. It can help to see which organizations or institutions have worked with your child’s school before. Check if their school has a career office, an opportunities database, alumni database, or a record of where students have applied in the past.

Parents and other family members are also a good source of information. Sometimes it’s as simple as someone’s mother works as a researcher and is willing to mentor your child if not make the right introductions.

Think big, look local

If your student wants to pursue a position during the school year, they will obviously need to apply to the institutions nearby. This may restrict some students depending on their geographic area. Colleges and universities are good sources of opportunity for high schoolers. If you live near one, like Stanford , Princeton , or the University of Washington , with an established program, applying will be a little easier. However, not every researcher has a landing page advertising their availability. A good rule is to ask first, never assume.

See what else is headquartered near by. Research what laboratories, societies, foundations, organizations, or companies are near you and willing to hire high schoolers. Even national organizations, like the NIH , have opportunities for high schoolers. 

Draw up a list

Stemming from what’s in driving distance, identify a few researchers that your child would like to work with. Look specifically at what type of research or experiments they're doing and be sure that is what your child wants to engage with. 

Keep track of titles, recent accomplishments, publications, and other identifiers or news items. This information will make your student’s message more personal when it comes to contacting people on their list. 

Contact individuals, not departments

Email each researcher and inquire about a possible mentorship. A written message is better than a phone call for it gives the recipient an opportunity to answer in their own time. Speak formally and be specific. State what your student’s interests are, how those interests relate to the research being done, and what your child hopes to get out of the experience. 

Outline your availability, but remain flexible. It may be helpful for your child to provide an idea of structure or length for their position. It may help a researcher to know that your child is looking to commit to a 10 week window verses a 1 month one. Or that they hope to work part-time, after school, or during a long break.  

Introduce yourself

Be sure the recipient has a good idea of who your child is besides a potential hire. It’s important to be personable in addition to skilled. Have a resume prepared that outlines your any prior work experience, internships, or positions your child has held. Include their GPA and any school-related positions that speak to their ability as a research assistant. Repeat your contact information in your email as well as in your resume. 

A follow-up email is appropriate after an appropriate window, but it is possible that your child does not hear back. Finding the right mentor takes time and can be discouraging, but the process of contacting and applying is good practice.

Find the right fit

A willing superior or mentor is often the key to having a productive experience. Even if they don't let research assistants do the "fun stuff", the right person should be investing in teaching. They should encourage your child and create a positive learning environment for them. A renowned researcher that takes on a high schooler, but can’t be bothered to include them in their work isn’t a good fit even if it sounds prestigious. The wrong person or wrong program can also discourage your child from pursuing that field further. The right person may be helpful in finding your child’s next role or next mentor. Or they may offer your student the opportunity to continue working in the future. 

Talk to your student about what they envision themselves doing and what they want out of the experience. What will they need from a mentor in order to succeed in their position? Their answers and expectations should help shape your search. 

Whatever shape your child’s research position takes, ensure that they have a positive experience. Hours staring into a microscope or analyzing data may be the thing that makes or breaks their enthusiasm for a particular field. While bad experiences can be learned from, it’s equally important to make sure your student pursues opportunities that will not only look good, but also make them feel valued. 

If you are interested in speaking with one of our Advisors about finding a research position, you can schedule a free consultation here .

STEM Research Guide for High School Students

This is the Bible of STEM research for High School students. In one comprehensive document, we provide students with detailed guidance on why, when, and how to conduct research. Includes over 800 listings of Research, Internship, Pre-College, Summer, School Year, Enrichment, and Volunteer Programs. Designed for High School and Middle School students looking ahead, this guide includes top programs in every category including Biology & Health Science, Computer Science, Engineering & Robotics, Physics & Astronomy, Math and more.

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8 The Action Research Process from a High School ELA Teacher’s Perspective

Things to Think About

This chapter will provide a vignette of a one teachers use of action research in her (Jobe) classroom. Her vignette will also illustrate important aspects of the action research process and link back to those aspects in the chapters. We hope this will provide some coherence across the preceding chapters!

Many teachers think of research as a cumbersome and meticulous process involving piles of data and hours of analysis. Further, teachers’ attitudes toward research can be complicated:  while many teachers find value in research-supported systems and strategies, they often view researchers as being too far removed from classroom practice to really understand what teachers need. This is where teacher-driven Action Research comes in— teachers who act as researchers have the opportunity to be their own guide, potentially influencing teacher praxis in positive and practical ways.

If you find yourself feeling intimidated about conducting your own research, think of the process as very similar to what you already do every day as a teacher. When you consider the steps to Action Research (plan a change, take action, observe, reflect, repeat), it is easy to see correlations to the teaching cycle. First, teachers must consider their students and develop objectives for the growth they want to see over the course a unit ( plan a change ). Then, teachers must create a series of strategies to help students make progress ( take action ); during the learning process, teachers collect data on their students to understand what is working and what is not ( observe ). Finally, once a unit is over, teachers assess which students made progress and consider how they can help those students who are stuck ( reflect ). This cycle continues from one unit to the next with teachers modifying their actions to reflect their assessment of the students. Action Research follows in much the same way.

How Does Action Research Begin?

My first formal experience with Action Research emerged in the Teachers as Researchers course that I took during my master’s program. I used the weekly reflections on the required readings to identify issues to address in my classroom, either through pedagogical changes or adjustments to my curriculum, and I followed the outlined steps to action research to implement a plan, collect data, and develop a report. Yet, what this experience taught me was I was engaging in action research fairly regularly without realizing it.  Similar to my experience in graduate school, the action research process in my own classroom often began from reflection—action steps naturally emerged as part of my own teaching cycle, or from yearly evaluations with administration, during which I identified challenges I was experiencing and problem-solved—usually through research—ways to overcome.

In one particular year, after reflecting on my own practice, I realized (rather, admitted) that my junior-level English students did not enjoy our classroom novel studies, resulting in a lack of engagement and poor performance for many of them. The ‘start and stop’ method—where students read a chapter, then stop to either discuss the chapter or take a quiz—did not replicate how people read books, and it seemed to be destroying my students’ desire to engage with the novels they were assigned. This is where action research emerged, though if you had asked me at the time, I would not have identified this experience that way.

While the research I conducted in my classroom was not part of formalized project and did not emerge in a linear fashion, I will describe it to you using the outlined steps provided in subsequent chapters to make it clear how your own previous questioning and problem-solving experiences might fit into the action research model.

Topic Development

The first important step in any action plan is choosing a topic and understanding what you are hoping to accomplish. If I consider the questions posed in Chapter 2   related to the processes of an action research project, here is what I understood about my chosen topic:

• Does it address a practical problem? I wanted to address students’ lack of engagement with classroom novels (research topic). This was a practical problem in an ELA classroom because the curriculum is often built around novel studies, and if students were not engaged with these units, they risked poor performance in the class.
• Does it generate knowledge? The goal was to research different whole novel study strategies and implement changes in my own classroom to see which strategies improve engagement.
• Does it enact change in your pedagogy/classroom/school? Yes. By addressing this problem in my own classroom first, I could test strategies that worked and develop a plan to share those strategies with colleagues in my ELA department.
• Is it participatory? Yes. As the classroom teacher implementing the strategies, I would be actively involved in the research process.
• Could it be a cyclical process? Yes. The strategies I implemented could work to improve engagement, but they may not improve overall performance, which would raise new questions for me as I refined the process. Each outcome could generate a new and interesting question to address in the future. Further, the strategies I develop could have a significant impact on one group of students while showing little effect on a different group, which would also prompt further investigation.

This particular research topic fit in the ‘ Improving Classroom Practice ’  context because my focus was on changing pedagogical strategies to improve student outcomes. From this point, I had to develop a research question to guide my thinking, knowing this question may change as the research process evolved. For this topic, my research question had three parts: How can I adapt whole novel studies to more closely reflect the natural reading process, take into account each student’s reading level, and improve overall reading performance and engagement? This question was complex, and multi-faceted, which meant it would likely change as the project developed, but it gave me a good place to start because it focused on the three challenges within my chosen topic.

Understanding the Research

In a formalized project, the literature review  would be a compilation of several pieces of research from different sources that help you understand the research that already exists over your chosen topic. In this example, my next step in this process was to find research on whole novel studies in the classroom and use that information as a catalyst for my own research. I read several articles and one full-length book on alternative methods to whole novel studies, but most of what I could find was based on a middle school classroom. This was good news! It meant, on a large scale, my research would have a place in the broad educational context by filling an existing void in the information available to classroom teachers. On a small scale, this meant other teachers in my own department could benefit from what I design since a lack of resources existed in this area.

Researching Action

The action part of the research comes from the literature review and understanding your topic: what are you going to do in your classroom to address your question? In this example, after reading several examples of alternative methods, I settled on three new strategies I was interested in testing in my classroom:

• Allow students to read at their own pace –I held them accountable by asking them to do three things: read 25-30 pages per day, complete 4 sticky note annotations per chapter, and adhere to checkpoints throughout the unit. To support the goal pace, students were given in-class time dedicated to reading, and the only homework assigned during the unit was to read; however, students could read ahead if they wanted, and they were not necessarily punished if they got behind. This addressed part one of my research question: how can I adapt whole novel studies to more closely reflect the natural reading process?
• Sticky Note Annotations with the Three Levels of Thinking (literal, inferential, critical)– Students had to complete four sticky note annotations per chapter with an attempt to demonstrate thinking at all three levels, and I offered extension activities for students who decided to read ahead. This addressed part two of my research question: how can I adapt whole novel studies to take into account each student’s reading level?
• Personalized Writing Prompts — I allowed students to create their own writing prompts at the end of the unit to demonstrate their knowledge of the novel. This addressed the third part of my research question: how can I adapt whole novel studies to improve overall reading performance and engagement?

I implemented these strategies in two different courses, one of which was considered an ‘advanced’ course, with students at all different reading levels. The three strategies allowed for differentiation while also keeping the class on pace to finish the unit at the same time.

Data Collection and Analysis

The data I collected naturally aligned with the three new strategies I adopted for the unit. Since these strategies were all new to the classes, I could isolate my observations on those interventions and compare the outcomes to previous novel studies that did not incorporate these strategies.

Data Collection Methods

I collected data using four different sources throughout the unit: sticky note annotations, reading progress checks, student reflections, and final essays. First, to track progress toward part one of my research question, I monitored student reading engagement by observing their reading in class. Using a scale of 1-4, I recorded student progress toward the daily 30-page reading goal on a spreadsheet. Second, to track students’ understanding of the text, I read their sticky notes for each chapter, noting their level of thinking based on their commentary (literal, inferential, or critical). The goal would be to see students move toward more consistent critical thinking as the novel progressed. Finally, to gauge student engagement and performance, I used a formative assessment in the form of their final essays, and I used a reflection to understand their own feelings about the new method and their progress. These four data sources reflect a combination of qualitative and quantitative data.

Data Triangulation & Analysis

To better understand the efficacy of the new strategies I implemented, I looked at all four sources of data and I discovered that the qualitative data supported what I saw in the quantitative data. When I read student reflections, many mentioned feeling a greater sense of enjoyment throughout the novel study–some of these students admitted to getting behind on the reading at a few points, but concluded that having the final deadline as the only looming one eased their anxiety and allowed them to engage more completely with the novel as they worked to get caught up. Other students mentioned that they usually disliked annotating texts, but the sticky note process was less intrusive, and actually helpful as they went to plan their own essays. Finally, students enjoyed choosing their own writing prompts because it made them feel more ownership of the unit.

When I looked at my spreadsheets tracking student progress, I could see that students improved on the 1-4 scale over the course of the unit—the few students who were sometimes behind on meeting the daily reading goal had gotten back on track by the end of the unit, and the majority of students had stayed on pace the whole time. Annotations on sticky notes showed an increase in students at the critical thinking level, and their essays were largely more comprehensive and thoughtful than essays for previous novel studies.

Still, like with most things in teaching, not every student showed progress because of these strategies. While the vast majority did improve, there were still students in each class who showed no improvement in meeting the goals of the unit, despite the change in strategies. If I was going to continue this research, my next question in the cycle would begin here.

Action Implications

The final step in the process is to consider what the data implies about your research question. What I learned from implementing these new strategies is that adapting the whole novel study process to be more reflective of the natural reading process allowed me the room to take into account students’ different reading levels, which kept them on pace and engaged. By giving students more ownership in the unit, they performed better on assigned tasks, like reading on pace, taking notes regularly, and analyzing the novel at the critical level.

The successful first attempt at changing my practice was exciting because it meant I could (and should) continue to adapt these strategies each year, refining the process until it meets the needs of all students and generates positive outcomes in all classes. When I set out to change these classroom practices, I did so to benefit my own students, without any plans for taking the research and its outcomes beyond my two walls. However, I have always found the most meaningful professional development for me as a teacher is when I get the opportunity to learn from my peers. It was important to share what was happening in my classroom to give my colleagues that same opportunity.

Dissemination

To share my research, I developed a small presentation for my ELA department. I drafted an outline of the strategies, including examples of student work, to provide each teacher, and I spoke at a department meeting about the positive outcomes I had achieved from making these changes. I had several teachers request more information about this process following the presentation.

Dissemination plans do not have to be extensive to be effective. In Chapter 4, we discussed the need to understand your capabilities and realize that change often happens slowly. My research addressed an issue that many teachers in my department were dealing with but it focused just on my classroom, making data collection and analysis manageable. The opportunity for my research to impact more classrooms in my school came from my dissemination plan. I could continue to develop my reach by presenting at a school-wide or district-wide in-service, or I could even plan to present at a local, state, or national conference.

Conclusions

Action research is a powerful professional learning tool because it asks you, the teacher, to take a critical look at your own classroom and theorize about your pedagogy, with the understanding that this process is both reflective and fluid. Because action research is unique to your own educational context, it does not look the same for everyone, and each educator’s learning will be distinctive.

Though the example of action research provided here does not reflect a formalized project, it speaks to how teachers naturally engage in the process of questioning and problem-solving to create change for their students. It also demonstrates the value in what teachers discover in their own classrooms. By thinking of the action research process as similar to the teaching cycle, you can more easily step into the role of Teacher Researcher and begin developing a plan to positively impact your classroom.

To review, the steps to action research and the corresponding examples presented here are as follows:

• How can I adapt whole novel studies to more closely reflect the natural reading process, take into account each student’s reading level, and improve overall reading performance and engagement?
• Implement three new strategies: allow students to read at their own pace, utilize sticky note annotations, incorporate personalized writing prompts.
• Use spreadsheet data on reading goal and levels of thinking, student essays, and student reflections.
• Develop a presentation for a school department meeting.
• Revise the strategies to address students who did not show progress in the unit. Ask more questions.

Action Research Copyright © by J. Spencer Clark; Suzanne Porath; Julie Thiele; and Morgan Jobe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The Complete Guide to Independent Research Projects for High School Students

Indigo Research Team

If you want to get into top universities, an independent research project will give your application the competitive edge it needs.

Writing and publishing independent research during high school lets you demonstrate to top colleges and universities that you can deeply inquire into a topic, think critically, and produce original analysis. In fact, MIT features "Research" and "Maker" portfolio sections in its application, highlighting the value it places on self-driven projects.

Moreover, successfully executing high-quality research shows potential employers that you can rise to challenges, manage your time, contribute new ideas, and work independently. 

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to take on independent study ideas and succeed. You’ll learn how to develop a compelling topic, conduct rigorous research, and ultimately publish your findings.

What is an Independent Research Project?

An independent research project is a self-directed investigation into an academic question or topic that interests you. Unlike projects assigned by teachers in class, independent research will allow you to explore your curiosity and passions.

These types of projects can vary widely between academic disciplines and scientific fields, but what connects them is a step-by-step approach to answering a research question. Specifically, you will have to collect and analyze data and draw conclusions from your analysis.

For a high school student, carrying out quality research may still require some mentorship from a teacher or other qualified scholar. But the project research ideas should come from you, the student. The end goal is producing original research and analysis around a topic you care about.

Some key features that define an independent study project include:

● Formulating your own research question

● Designing the methodology

● Conducting a literature review of existing research

● Gathering and analyzing data, and

● Communicating your findings.

The topic and scope may be smaller than a professional college academic project, but the process and skills learned have similar benefits.

Why Should High School Students Do Independent Research?

High school students who engage in independent study projects gain valuable skills and experiences that benefit and serve them well in their college and career pursuits. Here's a breakdown of what you will typically acquire:

Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Research and critical thinking are among the top 10 soft skills in demand in 2024 . They help you solve new challenges quickly and come up with alternative solutions

An independent project will give you firsthand experience with essential research skills like forming hypotheses, designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results. These skills will serve you well in college and when employed in any industry.

Stand Out for College Applications

With many applicants having similar GPAs and test scores, an Independent research study offer a chance to stand out from the crowd. Completing a research study in high school signals colleges that you are self-motivated and capable of high-level work. Showcasing your research process, findings, and contributions in your application essays or interviews can boost your application's strengths in top-level colleges and universities.

Earn Scholarship Opportunities

Completing an independent research project makes you a more preferred candidate for merit-based scholarships, especially in STEM fields. Many scholarships reward students who show initiative by pursuing projects outside of class requirements. Your research project ideas will demonstrate your skills and motivation to impress scholarship committees. For example, the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology rewards students with original independent research projects in STEM fields. Others include the Garcia Summer Program and the BioGENEius challenge for life sciences.

Gain Subject Area Knowledge

Independent projects allow you to immerse yourself in a topic you genuinely care about beyond what is covered in the classroom. It's a chance to become an expert in something you're passionate about . You will build deep knowledge in the topic area you choose to research, which can complement what you're learning in related classes. This expertise can even help inform your career interests and goals.

Develop Time Management Skills

Time Management is the skill that lets you effectively plan and prioritize tasks and avoid procrastination. With no teacher guiding you step-by-step, independent study projects require strong time management, self-discipline, and personal responsibility – skills critical in college and adulthood.

Types of Independent Research Projects for High School Students

Understanding the different types and categories can spark inspiration if you need help finding an idea for an independent study. Topics for independent research generally fall into a few main buckets:

Science Experiments

For students interested in STEM fields, designing and carrying out science experiments is a great option. Test a hypothesis, collect data, and draw conclusions. Experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and psychology are common choices. Science experiment is best for self-motivated students with access to lab equipment.

Social Science Surveys and Studies  

Use research methods from sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, and psychology to craft a survey study or field observation around a high school research project idea that interests you. Collect data from peers, your community, and online sources, and compile findings. Strong fit for students interested in social studies.

Literary Analysis Paper

This research category involves analyzing existing research papers, books, and articles on a specific topic. Imagine exploring the history of robots, examining the impact of social media on mental health, or comparing different interpretations of a classic novel. If you are an English enthusiast, this is an easy chance to showcase your analytical writing skills.

Programming or Engineering Project

For aspiring programmers or engineers, you can take on practical student projects that develop software programs, apps, websites, robots, electronic gadgets, or other hands-on engineering projects. This type of project will easily highlight your technical skills and interest in computer science or engineering fields in your college applications

Historical Research

History research projects will allow you to travel back and uncover the past to inform the future. This research involves analyzing historical documents, artifacts, and records to shed light on a specific event or period. For example, you can conduct independent research on the impact of a local historical figure or the evolution of fashion throughout the decades. Check to explore even more history project ideas for high school students .

Artistic and Creative Works

If you are artistic and love creating art,  you can explore ideas for independent study to produce an original film, musical composition, sculpture, painting series, fashion line, or other creative work. Alongside the tangible output, document your creative process and inspirations.

Bonus Tip: Feel free to mix different ideas for your project. For example, you could conduct a literature review on a specific historical event and follow it up with field research that interviewed people who experienced the event firsthand.

How To Conduct an Independent Research Project

Now that you have ideas for project topics that match your interests and strengths, here are the critical steps you must follow to move from mere concept to completed study.

1. Get Expert Guidance and Mentorship

As a high school student just starting out in research, it is advised to collaborate with more experienced mentors who will help you learn the ropes of research projects easily. Mentors are usually professors, post-doctoral researchers, or graduate students with significant experience in conducting independent project research and can guide you through the process. 

Specifically, your mentor will advise you on formulating research questions, designing methodologies, analyzing data, and communicating findings effectively. To quickly find mentors in your research project area of interest, enroll in an online academic research mentorship program that targets high school students. You’d be exposed to one-on-one sessions with professors and graduate students that will help you develop your research and publish your findings.

The right mentor can also help transform your independent project ideas into a study suitable for publication in relevant research journals. With their experience, mentors will guide you to follow the proper research methods and best practices. This ensures your work meets the standards required, avoiding rejection from journals. 

2. Develop a Compelling Research Question

Once you are familiar with the type of independent research best suited to your strengths and interests, as explained in the previous section, the next step is to develop a question you want to answer in that field. This is called a research question and will serve as the foundation for your entire project.

The research question will drive your entire project, so it needs to be complex enough to merit investigation but clear enough to study. Here are some ts for crafting your research question:

●  Align your research question(s) with topics you are passionate about and have some background knowledge. You will spend a significant amount of time on this question.

●  Consult with your mentor teacher or professor to get feedback and guidance on developing a feasible, meaningful question

●  Avoid overly broad questions better suited for doctoral dissertations. Narrow your focus to something manageable, but that still intrigues you.

●  Pose your research question as an actual question, like "How does social media usage affect teen mental health?" The question should lay out the key variables you'll be investigating.

●  Ensure your question and desired approach are ethically sound. You may need permission to study human subjects.

●  Conduct preliminary research to ensure your question hasn't already been answered. You want to contribute something new to your field.

With a compelling research question as your compass, you're ready to start your independent study project. Remember to stay flexible; you may need to refine the question further as your research develops.

3. Set a Timeline and Write a Proposal

After defining your research question, the next step is to map out a timeline for completing your research project. This will keep you organized and help you develop strong time management skills.

Start by creating a schedule that outlines all major milestones from start to finish. In your schedule, allow plenty of time for research, experimentation, data analysis, and compiling your report. Always remember to build in some cushion for unexpected delays.

Moreover, you can use tools like Gantt charts to design a timeline for an independent research project . Gantt charts help you visualize your research project timeline at a glance. See the video below for a tutorial on designing a Gantt chart to plan your project schedule:

[YouTube Video on How to Make a Gantt Chart: https://youtu.be/un8j6QqpYa0?si=C2_I0C_ZBXS73kZy ]

Research Proposal

To have a clear direction of the step-by-step process for your independent study, write a 1-2 page research proposal to outline your question, goals, methodology, timeline, resources, and desired outcomes. Get feedback from your mentor to improve the proposal before starting your research. 

Sticking to your timeline requires self-discipline. But strive to meet your goals and deadlines; it will build invaluable real-world skills in time and project management. With a plan in place, it's time to move forward with your research.

4. Do Your Research

This is the active phase where a student is conducting a research project. The specific method you will follow varies enormously based on your project type and field. You should have your methodology outlined in your approved research proposal already. However, most independent research has a similar basic process:

• Review existing studies : Perform a literature review to understand current knowledge on your topic and inform your own hypothesis/framework. Read relevant studies, articles, and papers.
• Create methodology materials : Design your independent research methodology for gathering data. This may involve experiments, surveys, interviews, field observations, or analysis of existing artifacts like texts or datasets.
• Permissions and Equipment :  Secure any necessary equipment and permissions. For example, if doing interviews, you'll need a recording device and consent from participants.
• Collect your data : For science projects, perform experiments and record results. For surveys, recruit respondents and compile responses. Gather enough data to draw valid conclusions.
• Analyze the data using appropriate techniques : Quantitative data may involve statistical analysis, while qualitative data requires coding for themes. Consult your mentor for direction.
• Interpret the findings : Take care not to overstate conclusions. Look for patterns and relationships that shed light on your research question. Always maintain rigorous objectivity.

While a student's project methodology and its execution are unique, ensure you follow the standard practices in your field of interest to ensure high-quality acceptable results. You can always refer to the plan in your research proposal as you diligently carry out the steps required to execute your study. Ensure you have detailed records that document all your processes.  

5. Write Your Final Paper and Presentation

Once you've completed your research, it's time to summarize and share your findings with the world by writing the final paper and designing its presentation. This involves synthesizing your work into clear, compelling reporting.

Drafting the paper will likely involve extensive writing and editing. Be prepared to go through multiple revisions to get the paper polished. Follow the standard format used in academic papers in your field;  your mentor can provide you with examples of independent study related to yours. The final product should include: 

• Abstract : A short summary of your project and conclusions.
• Introduction : Background on your topic, goals, and research questions.
• Literature Review : Summary of relevant existing research in your field.
• Methods : Detailed explanation of the methodology and process of your study.
• Results : Presentation of the data and main findings from your research. Using visual representations like charts was helpful.
• Discussion : Objective interpretation and analysis of the results and their significance.
• Conclusion : Summary of your research contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future work.
• References/Bibliography : Full citations for all sources referenced.

Adhere to clear academic writing principles to keep your writing objective and straightforward. Generally, stick to a 10-15 page length limit appropriate for student work. However, you may need to write more depending on your project type.

6. Research Presentation

After writing your research project report, you should prepare a presentation to share your research orally. Moreover, a research presentation is a tangible opportunity to practice public speaking and visual communication skills. Your presentation will include slides, handouts, demonstrations, or other aids to engage your audience and highlight key points in your independent study project.

Once you have written your final paper, you will likely want to publish it in relevant journals and publications. For detailed tips see our guide on how to publish your student research paper . Some options you have to formally publish your high school-level independent research include:

• Submitting your paper to academic journals and competitions
• Presenting at symposiums and science fairs
• Sharing on online research databases
• Adding your work to college applications

Publishing your independent project allows you to share your findings with broader scholarly and student audiences. It also helps amplify the impact of all your hard work.

Independent Research Project Examples

To spark creative ideas for independent research projects, it can be helpful to read through and examine examples of successful projects completed by other high school students in recent years. Here are some inspiring examples:

●  Using machine learning to diagnose cancer based on blood markers (bioinformatics)

●  Applying feature engineering and natural language processing to analyze Twitter data (data science)

●  Investigating connections between stress levels and HIV/AIDS progression (health science)

●  The Relationship between Color and Human Experience

These published i ndependent research project examples demonstrate the impressive research high schoolers take on using the Indigo research service with mentors from different fields. Let these case studies motivate your creative investigation and analysis of the best ideas for your project.

Need Mentorship for Your Independent Research Project?

As outlined in this guide, conducting a rigorous independent research study can be challenging without proper guidance from experts, especially for high school students. This is why partnering with an experienced research mentor is so crucial if your goal is to produce publishable research work.

With Indigo's structured research programs and ongoing expert feedback, you can elevate your high school independent study to a professional level. To get matched with the perfect research mentor aligned with your academic interests and passions, apply to Indigo Research now.

Indigo Research connects high school students with PhD-level researchers and professors who provide one-on-one mentorship through the entire research process - from refining your initial topic idea all the way through analyzing data, writing up results, and finalizing your findings.

Research Science Institute

Note:  Applications for RSI 2024 are now closed.  Thank you to all who applied!

Participants experience the entire research cycle from start to finish. They read the most current literature in their field, execute a detailed research plan, and deliver conference-style oral and written reports on their findings.

RSI scholars first participate in a week of intensive STEM classes with accomplished professors. The heart of RSI is the five week research internship where students conduct individual projects under the tutelage of mentors who are experienced scientists and researchers. During the final week of RSI, students prepare written and oral presentations on their research projects.

For more detailed information about RSI:

Life at RSI

Apply to RSI

High school juniors are eligible.  High school seniors are not.

Stay informed about all CEE's STEM events and programs:

How to Write a Research Paper as a High School Student

By Carly Taylor

Senior at Stanford University

6 minute read

Read our guide to learn why you should write a research paper and how to do so, from choosing the right topic to outlining and structuring your argument.

What is a research paper?

A research paper poses an answer to a specific question and defends that answer using academic sources, data, and critical reasoning. Writing a research paper is an excellent way to hone your focus during a research project , synthesize what you’re learning, and explain why your work matters to a broader audience of scholars in your field.

The types of sources and evidence you’ll see used in a research paper can vary widely based on its field of study. A history research paper might examine primary sources like journals and newspaper articles to draw conclusions about the culture of a specific time and place, whereas a biology research paper might analyze data from different published experiments and use textbook explanations of cellular pathways to identify a potential marker for breast cancer.

However, researchers across disciplines must identify and analyze credible sources, formulate a specific research question, generate a clear thesis statement, and organize their ideas in a cohesive manner to support their argument. Read on to learn how this process works and how to get started writing your own research paper.

Choosing your topic

Tap into your passions.

A research paper is your chance to explore what genuinely interests you and combine ideas in novel ways. So don’t choose a subject that simply sounds impressive or blindly follow what someone else wants you to do – choose something you’re really passionate about! You should be able to enjoy reading for hours and hours about your topic and feel enthusiastic about synthesizing and sharing what you learn.

We've created these helpful resources to inspire you to think about your own passion project . Polygence also offers a passion exploration experience where you can dive deep into three potential areas of study with expert mentors from those fields.

Ask a difficult question

In the traditional classroom, top students are expected to always know the answers to the questions the teacher asks. But a research paper is YOUR chance to pose a big question that no one has answered yet, and figure out how to make a contribution to answering that question. So don’t be afraid if you have no idea how to answer your question at the start of the research process — this will help you maintain a motivational sense of discovery as you dive deeper into your research. If you need inspiration, explore our database of research project ideas .

Be as specific as possible

It’s essential to be reasonable about what you can accomplish in one paper and narrow your focus down to an issue you can thoroughly address. For example, if you’re interested in the effects of invasive species on ecosystems, it’s best to focus on one invasive species and one ecosystem, such as iguanas in South Florida , or one survival mechanism, such as supercolonies in invasive ant species . If you can, get hands on with your project.

You should approach your paper with the mindset of becoming an expert in this topic. Narrowing your focus will help you achieve this goal without getting lost in the weeds and overwhelming yourself.

Would you like to write your own research paper?

Polygence mentors can help you every step of the way in writing and showcasing your research paper

Preparing to write

Conduct preliminary research.

Before you dive into writing your research paper, conduct a literature review to see what’s already known about your topic. This can help you find your niche within the existing body of research and formulate your question. For example, Polygence student Jasmita found that researchers had studied the effects of background music on student test performance, but they had not taken into account the effect of a student’s familiarity with the music being played, so she decided to pose this new question in her research paper.

Pro tip: It’s a good idea to skim articles in order to decide whether they’re relevant enough to your research interest before committing to reading them in full. This can help you spend as much time as possible with the sources you’ll actually cite in your paper.

Skimming articles will help you gain a broad-strokes view of the different pockets of existing knowledge in your field and identify the most potentially useful sources. Reading articles in full will allow you to accumulate specific evidence related to your research question and begin to formulate an answer to it.

Draft a thesis statement

Your thesis statement is your succinctly-stated answer to the question you’re posing, which you’ll make your case for in the body of the paper. For example, if you’re studying the effect of K-pop on eating disorders and body image in teenagers of different races, your thesis may be that Asian teenagers who are exposed to K-pop videos experience more negative effects on their body image than Caucasian teenagers.

Pro Tip: It’s okay to refine your thesis as you continue to learn more throughout your research and writing process! A preliminary thesis will help you come up with a structure for presenting your argument, but you should absolutely change your thesis if new information you uncover changes your perspective or adds nuance to it.

Create an outline

An outline is a tool for sketching out the structure of your paper by organizing your points broadly into subheadings and more finely into individual paragraphs. Try putting your thesis at the top of your outline, then brainstorm all the points you need to convey in order to support your thesis.

Pro Tip : Your outline is just a jumping-off point – it will evolve as you gain greater clarity on your argument through your writing and continued research. Sometimes, it takes several iterations of outlining, then writing, then re-outlining, then rewriting in order to find the best structure for your paper.

Writing your paper

Introduction.

Your introduction should move the reader from your broad area of interest into your specific area of focus for the paper. It generally takes the form of one to two paragraphs that build to your thesis statement and give the reader an idea of the broad argumentative structure of your paper. After reading your introduction, your reader should know what claim you’re going to present and what kinds of evidence you’ll analyze to support it.

Topic sentences

Writing crystal clear topic sentences is a crucial aspect of a successful research paper. A topic sentence is like the thesis statement of a particular paragraph – it should clearly state the point that the paragraph will make. Writing focused topic sentences will help you remain focused while writing your paragraphs and will ensure that the reader can clearly grasp the function of each paragraph in the paper’s overall structure.

Transitions

Sophisticated research papers move beyond tacking on simple transitional phrases such as “Secondly” or “Moreover” to the start of each new paragraph. Instead, each paragraph flows naturally into the next one, with the connection between each idea made very clear. Try using specifically-crafted transitional phrases rather than stock phrases to move from one point to the next that will make your paper as cohesive as possible.

In her research paper on Pakistani youth in the U.S. , Polygence student Iba used the following specifically-crafted transition to move between two paragraphs: “Although the struggles of digital ethnography limited some data collection, there are also many advantages of digital data collection.” This sentence provides the logical link between the discussion of the limitations of digital ethnography from the prior paragraph and the upcoming discussion of this techniques’ advantages in this paragraph.

Your conclusion can have several functions:

To drive home your thesis and summarize your argument

To emphasize the broader significance of your findings and answer the “so what” question

To point out some questions raised by your thesis and/or opportunities for further research

Your conclusion can take on all three of these tasks or just one, depending on what you feel your paper is still lacking up to this point.

Citing sources

Last but not least, giving credit to your sources is extremely important. There are many different citation formats such as MLA, APA, and Chicago style. Make sure you know which one is standard in your field of interest by researching online or consulting an expert.

You have several options for keeping track of your bibliography:

Use a notebook to record the relevant information from each of your sources: title, author, date of publication, journal name, page numbers, etc.

Create a folder on your computer where you can store your electronic sources

Use an online bibliography creator such as Zotero, Easybib, or Noodletools to track sources and generate citations

You can read research papers by Polygence students under our Projects tab. You can also explore other opportunities for high school research .

If you’re interested in finding an expert mentor to guide you through the process of writing your own independent research paper, consider applying to be a Polygence scholar today!

Your research paper help even you to earn college credit , get published in an academic journal , contribute to your application for college , improve your college admissions chances !

Feeling Inspired?

Interested in doing an exciting research project? Click below to get matched with one of our expert mentors!

WHAT IS THE HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC RESEARCH COMPETITION?

Running through March and April, SARC is more than just a contest—it’s a guided immersion into the research process, designed for experts and newcomers alike!

You’ll enroll in immersive workshops that guide you through the research process from beginning to end and prepare you for your own research proposal.

Participants compete with the sharpest young minds around the world. 

THE HIGH SCHOOL

Academic research, competition.

SARC 2024 Research Proposal Submission

Due on April 30th 11:59 PM (GMT+0)

RESEARCH TOPIC

SARC is unique in that participants can research any topic they want! This competition is not limited to the sciences. Your research topic can range from political science, art, and economics to engineering, history, or any other field of interest.

Researchers can choose a topic they’re passionate about, something they wish to dive deeper into, or something they want to study in university.

registrations open

registrations close

Submission of

assessment form

Participant-

exclusive bootcamps

Qualification Round

Winners announced

Video Pitch

submission deadline

Global Winners

WHAT ARE LAST YEAR'S WINNERS SAYING?

Yike Zhang, Top 10 Finalist, SARC 2023

“Participating in the High School Academic Research Competition (SARC) was a truly incredible and transformative experience for me. What made this competition stand out was its inclusive approach, which allowed participants to conduct research on any topic of their choice. Moreover, the admin team hosted informative bootcamps, gave access to academic research resources, and created a community of like-minded peers.”

Krishnaaram Muthukumaran, Top 10 Finalist, SARC 2023

“SARC was an amazing experience. The workshops conducted were invaluable in guiding me through the research journey as a beginner, from formulating a research question to crafting a proposal. The resources & workshops provided a solid foundation for understanding the research process. Connecting with equally motivated individuals worldwide made it a truly invaluable learning opportunity.”

EXCLUSIVE BOOTCAMPS

At SARC, we host participant exclusive bootcamps with experts in the field to prepare you for your research proposal and give you insight into this field.

Indigo Research is an online program that lets high school and graduate students research the topics that fascinate them. At Indigo, students build expertise, deepen their intellectual curiosity, and stand out on their college applications through advanced research. Over 300 students have worked with Indigo since 2019, and over 170 have achieved acceptance to Oxbridge and top 10 universities in the United States.

Crimson Global Academy (CGA) is an internationally accredited, world-class online private school delivering live, real-time learning to students all over the world, enabling them to earn university recognised qualifications through accelerated courses.

Crimson Education is the world's leading US, UK, EU and Postgrad admissions counselors. In 2013, it was founded by three students, including CEO Jamie Beaton who had just been accepted to 25 of the world's best universities. Our mission is to help students all over the world reach their ultimate university admissions goals.

Upcoming Summer 2024 Application Deadline is May 12, 2024.  

Click here to apply.

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• 10 min read

25 Summer Research Programs for High School Students in 2024

Research is becoming one of the most important ways for high school students to spend their time during the summer. Often considered a tier 1 or tier 2 extracurricular, using College Vine’s ranking system , research experience is a distinctive advantage in the college admission process, and has become an important activity on college applications. A research project has an even higher impact for high school students if the program that they attend is selective, or the research they do is published or reaches a broader audience.

In this post, we outline 25 summer research programs that high school students can apply to this summer. Some of these are free and some of them charge tuition.

25 High School Summer Research Opportunities in 2023:

1.   Lumiere Research Scholar Program

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program stands as a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. Stemming from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, renowned for its extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students, the foundation provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost.

In our flagship program, we pair talented high-school students with world-class Ph.D.   mentors  to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project . At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can   apply  here!

Cost : Need-based scholarship available

2. Veritas AI   - AI Fellowship

Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship.  These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. 

The   AI Fellowship  program will have students pursue their own independent AI research project. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the field of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here . 

$1,790 for the 10-week AI Scholars program

$4,900 for the 12-15 week AI Fellowship 

$4,700 for both

Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here . 

3. Spark Summer Internship Program (Spark SIP)

A program for students interested in computer science and related fields, Spark SIP offers students the opportunity to learn from and connect with prominent industry professionals, while undertaking research in real-world settings through the internship program. The program requires a student to be able to work full-time (30-40 hours per work) for 8-12 weeks throughout the summer to be eligible to participate. The program offers a maximum stipend of $500.

4. Research Science Institute (RSI)

RSI is generally considered the most selective research program for high school students in STEM. This program, hosted jointly by MIT and CEE, accepts about 80 students each year. In the program, students work with a Boston-based researcher on an independent project. At the end of the program, students then present their research to the broader community in a conference style. In 2019, there were about 1600 applicants for 80 spots or around a 5% acceptance rate for the program.

5. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)

This program combines college-level workshops and lab research in subjects such as civil and urban engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, and robotics. It is open to high school sophomores and juniors. Students can get supervision from graduate or postdoctoral students at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering over the course of seven weeks. Students will also receive presentation and public speaking training from ARISE's partners at Irondale Ensemble Project, and will present their research findings to NYU faculty and graduate students, ARISE peers, other academic experts, family members, and friends at the program's concluding colloquium. A stipend of at least $750 is provided to each participant.

6. California Academy of Science Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program

This long-running program, which began in 1996, allows San Francisco students from underrepresented populations in STEM professions to learn about science and sustainability while also receiving mentorship, building professional skills, and more – all while being compensated for their efforts. Throughout the program, students also participate in seminars and conferences.

7. Simons Summer Research Program  

Conducted from June 27th to July 29th this year, the Simons Summer Research Program gives high school students the opportunity to undertake hands-on research in a variety of disciplines, ranging from science and math to engineering. Students can join research teams, collaborate with faculty members, learn about laboratory equipment and methodologies, and get to fully experience life at a research university. Students must be 16+ to be eligible for application, and obtain 2 letters of recommendation. The program has an acceptance rate of about 8%. Students receive a stipend for their participation.

 Cost: None

8. Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP) (University of Iowa)

Designed for advanced students in their sophomore and junior years, this program is highly selective, and offers students the chance to conduct research in a wide list of fields ranging from Biochemistry to Religious Studies. Participants are placed under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and get to work in the laboratories of the University of Iowa campus. The length of the program is 5 weeks. Applications for this program close on February 18th.

Cost: $6395

9. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program

The Clark Scholars Program is a 6 week long comprehensive research program, giving students the opportunity to conduct research in practically every field, from accounting to dance to philosophy and everything in between. One-on-one research with academics, as well as weekly seminars, discussions, and field visits, are all part of the curriculum. With just 12 students selected each year, the Clark Scholars Program is very competitive. Applicants must be 17+ by the program start date. The program offers a stipend of $750. The application for this year closes on February 16th.

10. Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS)

PROMYS offers a 6 week long program for mathematically gifted students. The curriculum emphasizes exploration and discovery. Students in this program, which is open to all high school students above the age of 14, attend lectures, advanced seminars, conduct mathematical research, and work on problem sets alone or in groups. Each year, about 80 applications are accepted. The application deadline for PROMYS this year is March 15th.

Cost: $5,150 (financial aid is available for families earning under $60,000 per year)

11. University of Illinois High School STEM Research Program

This program is for rising high school juniors and seniors. Students are offered research experience in areas of various STEM fields, such as cancer immunology, pharmacogenomics of anticancer agents, physics, biophysics, bioengineering, and electrical engineering. Those accepted into the program are matched with another student and a teacher from the field of their choice. The program is 6 weeks long, with a required time commitment of 30-35 hours per week.

12. The Summer Science Program (SSP)

SSP is a research-based, intensive program that has been running since 1959 and is administered and maintained by alumni. Students participate in classroom work, lab sessions, guest lectures, and field trips in one of three available programs: Astrophysics, Biochemistry, or Genomics. Admission to SSP, which is open to current sophomores and juniors, is competitive, with a 10% acceptance rate.

Cost: $7,450 (financial aid is available for families earning under $70,000 per year)

13. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

Students at SIMR collaborate with Stanford academics and researchers to conduct medical research. Students select one of eight study fields and are then allocated to a lab where they receive one-on-one mentorship. The program is open to current juniors and seniors, and is 8 weeks long. Each year, about 50 students are accepted. Students must be 16 years or older at the start of the program. Participants are given a minimum stipend of $500.

14. Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program

Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) offers a Summer Student Program for students to conduct independent research projects, while participating in extracurricular activities, training, and other possibilities. Students are guided by a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or research technician during the 8 week program. Once the program concludes, students present their projects at a poster symposium. Applications for the 2023 program are open till January 6, 2023.

15. Research in Materials Science Program (RIMS)

RIMS, which is hosted by the City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC), allows students to conduct research in ASRC facilities. They also attend professional development workshops during the 8-week program. Students earn a stipend for their participation, and admission is very competitive.

16. The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program

The Jackson Laboratory Student Summer Program is a 10 week genetics and genomics research program for undergraduates and high school students who are 18 years old and have finished grade 12 at the time of enrollment (current seniors can apply). Only around 40 students, or about 3% of those who apply, are accepted each year. Students spend the summer engaged in an independent research project under the guidance of a mentor, with the goal of presenting their findings at the conclusion of the program. The program offers a stipend of $6000.

17. Perimeter Institute International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP)

ISSYP is a summer program for current juniors and seniors who are interested in theoretical physics and want to pursue it in college. Students attend Perimeter Institute experts' talks on the newest theoretical physics issues, as well as short courses, keynote speeches, and mentorship sessions. ISSYP is a very competitive program that only accepts 30–40 students each year. While ISSYP used to be hosted at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario, it is now an entirely online program.

18. Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)

Offered by Carnegie Mellon University, SAMS is for current sophomores and juniors from underrepresented backgrounds who want to earn college credit while "developing mastery of fundamental ideas in higher-level collegiate math and science." Classroom training, hands-on research projects, and professional and academic development courses are all part of SAMS. The program is 6 weeks long. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum taught by Carnegie Mellon University faculty.

19. National Institute of Health High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)

HS-SIP provides high school students with the opportunity to do full-time biomedical research at NIH facilities, working alongside world-renowned professionals. Applicants must be juniors or seniors at the time of application and 17 years old at the commencement of the program to be considered. HS-SIP is extremely competitive, with only around 15% of candidates being accepted. The program length is 8 weeks, and offers a stipend of $2080 per month.

20. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program

The Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship is an 8 week-long, full-time internship for rising high school senior students. The program is specifically designed for students from underrepresented communities, who are interested in the field of biomedical science. Along with receiving hands-on training on laboratory safety techniques and skills in the Fred Hutch Training Labs, students also participate in research education seminars, attend professional development workshops, and receive mentorship from Fred Hutch research groups. Applications for 2023 will open on February 1st. Students receive a stipend for their participation.

21. Rockefeller Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)

This summer program takes place at the Rockefeller University and is a full-time in-person research program from June 27 - August 11 (tentatively). Students must be 16+ at time of application to be eligible and must be a current high school junior or senior. The program requires a letter of recommendation. Applications close early for this program (usually the fall of the summer before), so be sure to apply early!

22. Coriell Institute For Medical Research Summer Experience

The Coriell Institute is a leader in stem cell research and genetic discoveries. Select students are invited to participate in the four-week Summer Experience, which allows them to work with world-renowned scientists and researchers. Students attend staff lectures, conduct independent research, learn data analysis, attend a resume-building session, and present their findings in a final presentation. The program gives participants the opportunity to work in Coriell's Cytogenomics and Stem Cell labs while also receiving a $1,000 stipend. Before beginning the program, students must be 17 years old.

23. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Jump Start Program

This STEM program selects a group of 50 students to the University of Maryland campus for a week-long summer program focusing on biomedical science research. Seminars and professional development sessions are available to students. Junior and senior students who have completed AP Biology and Chemistry curriculum before enrolling are eligible to participate in the program. Transcripts and a letter of reference from a scientific instructor are required, as well as a personal statement describing an event or person that sparked the student’s interest in science.

24. City Of Hope Cancer Center Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy

This 10-week program selects 100 students each year from a field of over 2000 applicants. Selected students are compensated for their time with a $4,000 stipend. Alongside attending seminars and laboratory sessions with the staff, students can create their own research biomedical projects under the recognized mentoring of the City of Hope facilitators. The curriculum ends in the completion of a research paper, which is then presented at the end of the program. Students must be 16 years old before their first day on campus and have completed chemistry and biology classes in high school before applying.

Bonus options:

BioResearch Academy is a fully residential program that takes take place at Emmanuel College in Boston (July 5th - 18th). The program is designed for high school students who are interested in biological sciences. The program has been developed by Dr. Sam Kunes who has been on the faculty of Harvard University for 30 years where he teaches cell biology and neuroscience.

Cost: $5,500 (including housing, meals and other activities)

How to find research opportunities:

Consider applying to multiple research programs or reaching out to faculty members by cold-emailing/calling them for a research project. The key is to stay wide and open to a variety of areas.

Most research programs do not have a path to then publish your research. Publications can be a long and difficult process, but if it’s of interest, you can learn about the path to publication here.

25. UC San Diego Academic Connections Research Scholars

This summer program selects 25 students to work on research, individually with a UCSD faculty researcher, in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, or Nanotechnology. Students receive access to laboratories on campus. The program is available to rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. The program lasts 6 weeks.

Cost: $4200

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

It’s paid resources aren’t just available

These 24 summer research programs for high school students in 2023 offer fantastic opportunities for young minds to explore their academic interests. When I was a student, I also sought help with my writing, and services like https://writinguniverse.com/free-essay-examples/art/ can be invaluable for writing high-quality essays and research papers. It's great to see that resources like this are available to support students on their educational journey.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is ap research should you take it.

Advanced Placement (AP)

AP Research is a class introduced by the College Board as a part of its new AP Capstone program. But what does it really involve? How can you do well?

In this article, I'll provide an overview of AP Research and give you some more information about whether you should take it and how you can be successful in the class.

What Is AP Research?

AP Research is the second course that students take in the AP Capstone program . It comes after AP Seminar.

If you take AP Seminar and AP Research, you will earn an AP Research and Seminar Certificate, and if you take both classes in addition to four other AP courses and exams, you will earn an AP Capstone Diploma. This program is very new (the College Board rolled out the full version in the fall of 2014), but you will most likely benefit from it in the college application process when schools see the types of advanced assignments you've completed in these research-focused classes.

In AP Research, students are encouraged to explore a topic or problem that interests them and design, plan, and conduct a year-long research project centered around it. The class represents the culmination of skills that students learn in AP Seminar, which include effectively analyzing sources, formulating coherent arguments backed up by evidence, and examining issues from differing points of view. Smaller research projects in AP Seminar will prepare you for the large-scale research project you will undertake in AP Research.

What Exactly Will You Do in AP Research?

AP Research consists entirely of a year-long research project. The end product is a 4000-5000 word academic paper and a 15-20 minute presentation with an oral defense. You will also be expected to compile the materials you used in your research into a portfolio. This piece of work is similar to a thesis project, so it’s good preparation for college academics. Topics for the research project are usually relatively open, but arguments for and against solutions to major problems in society tend to be the main focus. For example, you might investigate whether the government should invest more resources in finding and supporting sustainable energy sources.

In your academic paper, you will be expected to:

Introduce and contextualize your research question and your initial thoughts and hypotheses about it. In the case of my example, the research question might be "Should the government devote more resources to sustainable energy projects?" You would reflect on the question briefly here and share your initial uninformed opinions before diving into any research.

Review previous ideas and works on the subject and their arguments and perspectives. This is where you would address arguments for and against the adoption of policies to promote the use of sustainable energy. This section lays the groundwork for your arguments in later sections of the paper.

Explain your research method and why you approached the question this way. Here, you would discuss how you went about compiling sources for your research and how you collected the information. This lends credibility to your argument in the next section.

Present your findings and interpret their significance in connection to your research question. In this section, you would lay out your argument based on the evidence you discovered through your research. In the example, your argument might be that we should devote more resources to sustainable energy projects because the long term consequences of continuing to use non-renewable energy sources will be extremely dire. You could support this argument with research that you touched on in previous sections.

Discuss the implications and limitations of your findings and reflect on the process. This is where you would talk about any qualifiers related to your argument in the previous section. If you can't be absolutely sure of a conclusion that you drew or there is some speculation involved, you would go over those potential limitations. You would also talk about what your findings mean in a larger context.

Talk about potential next steps on the issue in view of these findings. Basically, this is the "so what?" section. This is where you would present your ideas for what practical steps the world might take based on your research. In the example, this could be something like providing better tax incentives for businesses that use renewable energy sources or rearranging money in the government's budget in a specific way so that more of it goes towards clean energy projects.

Provide a complete bibliography. This is pretty self-explanatory. You'll need to cite all your sources correctly and make sure that they're trustworthy.

After you turn in your paper, you will also deliver a 15-20 minute presentation to a panel of teachers in whatever format works best for your research. You'll be asked to give a defense of your findings after your presentation. Your AP Research teacher and two panel members chosen by your teacher will ask you three or four questions about your work, and you'll have to answer them based on your research. 

Should You Take AP Research?

First of all, you can only take AP Research if you take AP Seminar beforehand. Make sure you plan out your classes carefully if you want to end up in this class!

If you are looking to earn the AP Research and Seminar Certificate or the AP Capstone Diploma, you will need to take this class. Keep in mind that for the Capstone Diploma you’ll also need to take four more AP classes and exams.

Some colleges will offer you credit for taking these classes or will allow you to place out of introductory courses that are required for other students. This can make things a little easier on you during your freshman year.

You’ll also be better prepared for college academics if you take AP Research. You will already be familiar with the process of collecting research and using it to formulate an opinion on a topic. When you're assigned your first research paper, you’ll know exactly where to start.

Aside from those benefits, AP Research can be a fun way to explore a topic that genuinely interests you. You'll have a ton of freedom when it comes to choosing your topic, so you can explore almost any idea that you find compelling. AP Research is a good choice for students who are looking for a way to enrich their high school experience with independent research and enroll in competitive college programs.

How Can You Do Well in AP Research?

In AP Research, the most important rule for doing well is to avoid falling behind! ;Since your entire grade rests on one long-term project, you will need to make sure that you are diligent about staying on task throughout the year. It’s tempting to procrastinate when it seems like you have such a long time to complete the project, but you won’t get the most out of your research if you don’t spread out your work. You want to avoid turning in a sub-par project that you don’t believe in because you ran out of time.

I would also suggest that you finish doing all of your research before you start writing any part of your paper. It's hard to write a cohesive argument when you're adding to it piece by piece as you go along. It's best to compile all the information you need first, figure out your argument based on the evidence, and then start structuring your paper around it. This might seem obvious, but sometimes with these types of projects it's tempting to start working on the part that you actually have to turn in before you've fully explored all the background information.

In a related point, you should be flexible and accept that you may need to reframe your research question. You never know what dead ends you might hit or how you might need to change your project as you learn more about your topic. The best way to plan for these scenarios is to start your research early. The highest-quality projects will be those that adapt to new findings over time. You will have to defend your work, so you should be sure that you believe in the point of view that you’re selling and that it's backed up by solid evidence.

Finally, you should choose a research question that fascinates you. Working on a research project for a whole year can get tedious, and you don't want to be completely sick of your topic after a couple of months. Talk to your teacher about your interests so that you can work together to find a viable research question that will hold your focus.

AP Research is the second class in the AP Capstone program after AP Seminar. It's similar to an independent study class and consists entirely of one year-long research project on a topic of your choice. You will write a research paper summarizing your findings and then give an oral presentation followed by a defense of your argument.

AP Research can be a useful class for students who want to be well-prepared for college-level assignments. It's a great way to hone your skills in effectively conducting research and formulating arguments based on evidence. It also might be a nice break from your other classes because of the level of freedom it provides to students. It's an opportunity to learn more about nearly any topic or question that intrigues you!

What's Next?

Not sure if you can take AP Research at your school? Consult this article for a list of all the high schools that offer the AP Capstone program.

You should also take at this article for a detailed guide to which AP classes you should take in general.

If you're on the fence about AP classes in general, check out this article for more information on how AP classes and exams might benefit you.

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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High School Student Researches Real-Life Marketing

Authentic exploratory research hones students’ business and analysis skills..

Posted May 1, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

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This is the second post in a series.

What if high school students could conduct methodical research on important questions like university students and researchers do? Well, as the students at Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) are demonstrating, they can.

In Part I of this series I interviewed Jun Shen, the passionate teacher and edtech coordinator who runs LBHS’s Authentic Exploratory Research (AER) Program . AER is an independent research course inspired by Palo Alto Unified School District’s Advanced Authentic Research program . The program pairs students with adult mentors (such as LBUSD staff, industry experts, and academics) who assist the teens in researching their own big questions in fields of their choice. Shen’s explanation of how the AER program works, combined with students’ input through the rest of this interview series, lets us glimpse some of the different ways students can use the program to pursue individual passions , as well as how other educators can implement such a program.

LBHS student Aryana Mohajerian was the first to give us an account of her experience in AER and the findings that her AER research produced. Mohajerian’s answers follow each question below.

Jenny Grant Rankin: In short, what was your research study about?

Aryana Mohajerian: In short, my research was about marketing a membership program to different target demographics in a small, high-end, health-conscious, confectionary business in Hawaii.

I analyzed how new marketing efforts will help increase overall revenue and cash flow in the business. The new strategies I implemented were creating a set target market using survey data. I also created a brand kit with all the customer values, color palettes for the website, and copy.

JGR: What were your most important findings?

AM: My most important findings were that it is critical to know the psychology of business and be able to put yourself in the customer’s shoes. I had to figure out what a target market’s values, goals , and mindset are like to better appeal to their logic and emotions when trying to make a sale.

I distributed a survey to better understand the company’s current customers, what their values are, and what draws them towards purchasing.

When proposing ideas for what draws customers to the company, my hypothesis proved correct. 100% of people selected that they value environmental sustainability and the farm-to-table process. 70% of people selected that they are health-conscious consumers and 85% love the Hawaii-island, beachy lifestyle. With these proven conclusions, I created three new membership plans for Lonohana, each targeting a specific audience, according to the survey results.

The first membership was family-oriented, catering to children and their parents. The customer values were inclusivity, appeals to a health-conscious family, and living an active lifestyle in the great outdoors. The second membership caters to young adults. For example, college students or recent graduates living a youthful, and spontaneous lifestyle. This membership was an affordable line of products, since young adults like to have fun on a budget. These young individuals love the island lifestyle of Hawaii and love trying Lonohana’s unique flavors. The third membership was targeted toward more professional and formal individuals. These high-end customers value luxury products and the education behind making them. This membership included informational cards on each bar, describing how it was made and where the ingredients come from.

JGR: What was the biggest thing you learned about conducting research?

AM: The biggest thing I learned about conducting research is that it requires thorough planning and first making a hypothesis of what the results will be. Understanding the psychology behind why people spend money on luxury items was essential because it guided me on how I worded my survey to get the most honest responses from customers. For example, a customer value I noted was a sense of family and community involvement. Therefore, I concluded that customers are likely to purchase membership boxes to have enough gifts on hand for family or community gatherings, which was proven true based on the survey.

JGR: What was the biggest thing you learned about communicating research?

AM: The biggest thing I learned about communicating research is that I need to create an eye-catching, yet simple poster to present at the AER Symposium. When I did my presentation, I mainly focused on the visuals of my project and some easy-to-read graphs. I brought the marketing materials I had made, such as brochures, business cards, and the printed-out brand kit to show my audience. I found that having a hands-on experience with cohesively colored materials helped me get my message across in a fun way that did not bore anyone. Having all these materials helped invoke questions from my audience as well.

JGR: What was your favorite part about AER?

AM: My favorite part about AER was the fact that I was able to work with a real-world company while in high school alongside a mentor who was working my dream job. AER was such a unique opportunity for me to learn about my interest in marketing and the psychology behind why we buy luxury items. Although this was a class, it did not feel like traditional learning because I went out into the real world to enhance a business’s marketing tactics. Learning by doing is the best way to gain experience. I learned a lot more about marketing through my AER project than I did taking “Intro to Marketing” in a dual enrollment community college class.

It’s exciting to find that the program advanced not only Mohajerian’s research skills but her career skills, as well. That is a common theme in students’ accounts of their AER experiences.

Jenny Grant Rankin, Ph.D., is a Fulbright Specialist for the U.S. Department of State.

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6 Ways Schools Are Managing Students’ Cellphone Use

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A flurry of school districts across the country are tightening cellphone restrictions, because they believe students’ misuse of the devices has negatively affected their behavior and ability to learn.

In 2015, 66 percent of schools in the United States prohibited non-academic use of cellphones during school hours, according to the National Center for Education Statistics . By 2020, that percentage had jumped to 77 percent.

Many educators blame students’ cellphone use for being the top distraction in schools and classrooms . The constant use of the devices has also been linked to students’ worsening mental health .

The issue has caught the attention of federal and state policymakers, too. Some states—such as California, Florida, Indiana, and Tennessee—have passed laws allowing schools to restrict cellphone use. A handful of other states are considering passing similar laws. Congressional lawmakers have also introduced legislation that would require a federal study on the effects of cellphone use on students’ mental health and academic performance.

Liz Kolb, a clinical professor of education technologies and teacher education at the University of Michigan, said it’s unlikely that all 50 states will pass laws restricting students’ cellphone use, “but we’re seeing a lot more [movement] at the individual school level, where they’re trying to figure out policies that make sense [for their communities].”

At the district level, these restrictions vary widely. Some districts restrict student cellphone use anywhere and any time during the school day. Some allow use of the devices during lunch and in the hallways. And others haven’t placed any restrictions at all, often because of parent and student pushback.

Even in districts where there’s a ban, “there’s a lot of nuance” in how schools are addressing it, Kolb said. “In order for a full school ban to be effective, you really have to have strong leadership supporting the staff in enforcing it.”

Some of those nuances include exceptions for students who have a documented need to have their digital devices for health reasons, such as checking blood glucose levels if a student has diabetes. Teachers also have the flexibility to allow students to use their cellphones in class if they are needed for instructional purposes.

Here are six different policy approaches districts are putting in place to address concerns about student cellphone use:

1. Cellphones are restricted for all students, regardless of grade level

In Florida’s Orange County district , all students are prohibited from using their cellphones and other wireless communication devices, such as smartwatches, during school hours—meaning from the first bell to the dismissal bell, these devices must be silenced and put away in their bags. If a student is caught using a phone during the school day, the device will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day. Depending on the circumstances of the violation, a student could also get detention or be suspended.

Flint schools in Michigan also prohibit all students, regardless of grade level, from using cellphones or other personal electronic devices. If a student is caught using a phone, it will be confiscated and returned to the student’s parent or caretaker.

Some districts provide technological solutions, such as pouches, to lock and store students’ phones during the school day. In other districts, educators have found creative ways to separate students from their phones, such as using over-the-door shoe holders where students place their phones during class.

2. Cellphones restricted only for elementary students, more flexible for middle and high school students

While restrictions on the use of cellphones and other two-way communication devices exist for all students in the Wauwatosa district in Wisconsin , there are more flexible rules for middle and high school students. Cellphones are prohibited all day for elementary students, but middle and high school students can use their phones before and after school, between class periods, during lunch, and in free periods. Teachers and principals have discretion for imposing consequences for misuse.

3. Cellphones are prohibited for elementary and middle school students, but more flexible for high school students

Elementary and middle school students in Virginia’s Rockingham district are prohibited from using personal electronic devices during the school day, while high school students may use their devices during lunch, study hall, advisory periods if permitted by a teacher and principal, and in between classes.

4. Cellphones are restricted only in classrooms, locker rooms, and bathrooms

Other districts, such as Richmond schools in Wisconsin, have restrictions on cellphone use only in certain areas of schools, such as classrooms, locker rooms, and bathrooms—to prevent bullying or sharing of inappropriate images, according to some district policies.

5. Cellphones restricted only in classrooms

Some restrictions are centered around classroom time only and allow students to use their phones outside of the classroom. In the Brush school district in Colorado , for instance, students aren’t allowed to have their phones out during instructional hours but can use them any other time. If a student is caught with a phone when they’re not allowed to have it, parents can either come to school to collect the phone or they can let the school keep the phone until the end of the day.

6. Cellphone restrictions are left up to each school

There are also districts, such as Meriden in Connecticut and Minnetonka in Minnesota, that don’t have districtwide restrictions, but instead have guidelines that schools can choose to follow.

For instance, in Meriden, the guidelines recommend elementary students keep their phones in their bags the whole school day; middle school students keep their phones in their lockers but can use them during lunch; and to let high school students have access to their phones all day but they must be turned off and out of sight during class time.

Other districts, such as Pawtucket in Rhode Island , allow principals or teachers to implement their own school or classroom rules around cellphones, as long as there’s a clear plan for allowing students to use them in case of emergencies.

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Media Center 5/1/2024 10:00:00 AM Corbin McGuire

How the NCAA is prioritizing mental health

New resources, initiatives and research driving actions focused on student-athletes.

The NCAA continued its commitment to advancing mental health for its more than 520,000 student-athletes in the 2023-24 academic year. Check out a few ways the NCAA has made progress in this area, including new resources, initiatives and research.  

Mental Health Best Practices

The second edition of  NCAA Mental Health Best Practices  was approved at the 2024 NCAA Convention in January and will go into effect Aug. 1. The document includes emerging information about the intersection of mental health and sports betting, social media, corruption in sport, suicide contagion, and name, image and likeness. The document also details specific considerations for student-athletes of color, LGBTQ student-athletes, international student-athletes and student-athletes with disabilities.

"The updated Mental Health Best Practices reflects the highest standards of excellence and evidence-based practice and of comprehensive and up-to-date guidance on supporting mental health in collegiate athletics," NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline, who announced his retirement in March, said after a  February meeting of the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports . "The NCAA recognizes the importance of promoting and protecting the mental wellness of student-athletes, who face unique challenges and pressures in their pursuit of excellence."

The document's four best practices  have been updated to recognize the importance of creating healthy environments as a first step in promoting mental health, as well as to provide membership increased flexibility in implementation. The best practices are: 

• The creation of healthy environments that support mental health and promote well-being. 
• Procedures, including mental health screening tools, for identifying student-athletes with mental health symptoms and disorders. 
• Action plans that outline referral pathways of student-athletes to qualified providers.
• Licensure of providers who oversee and manage student-athlete mental health care.

Additionally, as part of Division I's holistic student-athlete model, schools in the division will be required to attest to providing services and support consistent with the best practices, with the first attestation deadline in November 2025. Under the NCAA constitution adopted in January 2022, each member school — regardless of division — must facilitate an environment that reinforces physical and mental health within athletics by ensuring access to appropriate resources and open engagement with respect to physical and mental health.

To support NCAA members in implementing mental health best practices, the NCAA Sport Science Institute recently hosted a  series of webinars  featuring membership-based examples of ways to support and promote student-athlete mental health. 

Sports betting

Protecting student-athletes from the pitfalls of sports betting, ranging from addiction to harassment, quickly became a priority of NCAA President Charlie Baker after he started his role in March 2023. Since then, the NCAA's advocacy and efforts in this space have been impactful . 

The national office is continuing to aggressively pursue advocacy in states that have or are considering legalized sports betting to incorporate antiharassment measures. This includes calling for a ban on player-specific prop bets. As a result, several states have taken positive steps to protect student-athletes from sports betting harassment. Four states have implemented restrictions on prop betting, and another four states have introduced bills that protect student-athletes from harassment. 

The NCAA has expanded its educational efforts with EPIC Global Solutions, designing specific curriculum that discusses handling abusive content. Over 50,000 student-athletes have been educated through the program, the largest of its kind globally. The NCAA also has launched a sports betting e-learning module designed to educate current and prospective student-athletes on problem gambling harms and the risks sports betting poses to the integrity of sports.

The NCAA  is also working with Signify Group  to pilot an initiative targeting social media harassment for the 2023-24 championship season. The initiative focuses on select championships with a heightened risk for harassment and abuse directed at championship participants, particularly student-athletes. This initiative is intended to further promote the mental health and well-being of the college sports community through data collection and analytics.  

In March, the NCAA launched a campaign called " Draw the Line ," prioritizing student-athlete education on the effects of sports betting. Draw the Line is aimed at college students and will run across social media channels. It will include a membership toolkit for member schools and conferences to access resources that extend the campaign to their campuses.

"Sports betting is everywhere — especially on college campuses — so it's critical student-athletes get the real story about how it can impact them and their ability to play," Baker said. "We know some bettors are harassing student-athletes and officials, so that's why we are advocating for policy changes at the state level and launching monitoring tools around championships to refer serious threats to law enforcement. The NCAA is doing more than ever to protect the integrity of the game and arm student-athletes with the truth about sports betting." 

The NCAA has continued to get direct feedback from student-athletes on their experiences, especially on mental health concerns. 

In December, the NCAA  released results  from a nationally representative survey of more than 23,000 student-athletes. The findings, drawn from the  NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study , indicated student-athletes are reporting fewer mental health concerns than they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the improvements are smaller in some demographics.

Similar to findings from  online studies conducted in 2020 and 2021 , self-reported mental health struggles were more common among student-athletes of color, those identifying on the queer spectrum and those identifying as transgender or nonbinary — population subgroups that commonly display higher rates of mental distress. 

"Getting an accurate understanding of what student-athletes are experiencing — directly from them — is vitally important to help member schools better serve the students on their campuses," said Tom Paskus, NCAA managing director of research. "The NCAA and our research partners, including NCAA faculty athletics representatives, devote substantial time and energy to conducting student-athlete well-being surveys because they allow us to examine important issues such as mental health trends over time. Having tens of thousands of respondents allows us to really dig deep into concerns we see in particular sports or within particular demographic groups."

In addition to sharing findings from the Health and Wellness Study, the NCAA Wagering and Social Environments Study is currently in the field, and the NCAA research team anticipates sharing preliminary results early this fall. The study represents the first comprehensive national examination of how NCAA student-athletes are being impacted by the proliferation of legal sports wagering options in the U.S. after the Supreme Court's 2018 overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. Additionally, the survey examines how student-athletes interact with campus and community groups and deal with various issues that arise in their social environment. The study will expand the NCAA's understanding of the sports betting landscape and its direct impact on student-athletes, including whether rates of problem gambling behaviors in this population have changed as sports betting has become legal in many states, whether student-athletes are experiencing fan abuse related to sports betting, and how social media use is impacting student-athlete mental wellness. 

Post-eligibility insurance — mental health coverage 

In August 2023, the NCAA Board of Governors approved the creation of the  NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program  for all student-athletes, which will begin Aug. 1. For up to two years (104 weeks) after student-athletes separate from school or voluntarily withdraw from athletics, the program will cover excess medical expenses for athletically related injuries sustained on or after Aug. 1 during participation in an NCAA qualifying intercollegiate sport. The coverage will provide benefits in excess of any other valid and collectible insurance. The policy will have a $90,000 excess limit per injury, with no deductible.

The program includes coverage for mental health services stemming from an eligible, documented athletic injury sustained during participation in an NCAA qualifying intercollegiate sport. Of the $90,000 available, a sublimit of up to $25,000 will be available for mental health services related to an eligible, documented athletic injury.

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100 Interesting Research Paper Topics for High Schoolers

What’s covered:, how to pick the right research topic, elements of a strong research paper.

• Interesting Research Paper Topics

Composing a research paper can be a daunting task for first-time writers. In addition to making sure you’re using concise language and your thoughts are organized clearly, you need to find a topic that draws the reader in.

CollegeVine is here to help you brainstorm creative topics! Below are 100 interesting research paper topics that will help you engage with your project and keep you motivated until you’ve typed the final period. 

A research paper is similar to an academic essay but more lengthy and requires more research. This added length and depth is bittersweet: although a research paper is more work, you can create a more nuanced argument, and learn more about your topic. Research papers are a demonstration of your research ability and your ability to formulate a convincing argument. How well you’re able to engage with the sources and make original contributions will determine the strength of your paper. 

You can’t have a good research paper without a good research paper topic. “Good” is subjective, and different students will find different topics interesting. What’s important is that you find a topic that makes you want to find out more and make a convincing argument. Maybe you’ll be so interested that you’ll want to take it further and investigate some detail in even greater depth!

For example, last year over 4000 students applied for 500 spots in the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a rigorous research program founded by Harvard researchers. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project . The program actually does not require you to have a research topic in mind when you apply, but pro tip: the more specific you can be the more likely you are to get in!

Introduction

The introduction to a research paper serves two critical functions: it conveys the topic of the paper and illustrates how you will address it. A strong introduction will also pique the interest of the reader and make them excited to read more. Selecting a research paper topic that is meaningful, interesting, and fascinates you is an excellent first step toward creating an engaging paper that people will want to read.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is technically part of the introduction—generally the last sentence of it—but is so important that it merits a section of its own. The thesis statement is a declarative sentence that tells the reader what the paper is about. A strong thesis statement serves three purposes: present the topic of the paper, deliver a clear opinion on the topic, and summarize the points the paper will cover.

An example of a good thesis statement of diversity in the workforce is:

Diversity in the workplace is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage for businesses, as it fosters innovation, enhances creativity, improves decision-making, and enables companies to better understand and connect with a diverse customer base.

The body is the largest section of a research paper. It’s here where you support your thesis, present your facts and research, and persuade the reader.

Each paragraph in the body of a research paper should have its own idea. The idea is presented, generally in the first sentence of the paragraph, by a topic sentence. The topic sentence acts similarly to the thesis statement, only on a smaller scale, and every sentence in the paragraph with it supports the idea it conveys.

An example of a topic sentence on how diversity in the workplace fosters innovation is:

Diversity in the workplace fosters innovation by bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, which stimulates creativity, encourages new ideas, and leads to the development of innovative solutions to complex problems.

The body of an engaging research paper flows smoothly from one idea to the next. Create an outline before writing and order your ideas so that each idea logically leads to another.

The conclusion of a research paper should summarize your thesis and reinforce your argument. It’s common to restate the thesis in the conclusion of a research paper.

For example, a conclusion for a paper about diversity in the workforce is:

In conclusion, diversity in the workplace is vital to success in the modern business world. By embracing diversity, companies can tap into the full potential of their workforce, promote creativity and innovation, and better connect with a diverse customer base, ultimately leading to greater success and a more prosperous future for all.

Reference Page

The reference page is normally found at the end of a research paper. It provides proof that you did research using credible sources, properly credits the originators of information, and prevents plagiarism.

There are a number of different formats of reference pages, including APA, MLA, and Chicago. Make sure to format your reference page in your teacher’s preferred style.

• Analyze the benefits of diversity in education.
• Are charter schools useful for the national education system?
• How has modern technology changed teaching?
• Discuss the pros and cons of standardized testing.
• What are the benefits of a gap year between high school and college?
• What funding allocations give the most benefit to students?
• Does homeschooling set students up for success?
• Should universities/high schools require students to be vaccinated?
• What effect does rising college tuition have on high schoolers?
• Do students perform better in same-sex schools?
• Discuss and analyze the impacts of a famous musician on pop music.
• How has pop music evolved over the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of women in music changed in the media over the past decade?
• How does a synthesizer work?
• How has music evolved to feature different instruments/voices?
• How has sound effect technology changed the music industry?
• Analyze the benefits of music education in high schools.
• Are rehabilitation centers more effective than prisons?
• Are congestion taxes useful?
• Does affirmative action help minorities?
• Can a capitalist system effectively reduce inequality?
• Is a three-branch government system effective?
• What causes polarization in today’s politics?
• Is the U.S. government racially unbiased?
• Choose a historical invention and discuss its impact on society today.
• Choose a famous historical leader who lost power—what led to their eventual downfall?
• How has your country evolved over the past century?
• What historical event has had the largest effect on the U.S.?
• Has the government’s response to national disasters improved or declined throughout history?
• Discuss the history of the American occupation of Iraq.
• Explain the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
• Is literature relevant in modern society?
• Discuss how fiction can be used for propaganda.
• How does literature teach and inform about society?
• Explain the influence of children’s literature on adulthood.
• How has literature addressed homosexuality?
• Does the media portray minorities realistically?
• Does the media reinforce stereotypes?
• Why have podcasts become so popular?
• Will streaming end traditional television?
• What is a patriot?
• What are the pros and cons of global citizenship?
• What are the causes and effects of bullying?
• Why has the divorce rate in the U.S. been declining in recent years?
• Is it more important to follow social norms or religion?
• What are the responsible limits on abortion, if any?
• How does an MRI machine work?
• Would the U.S. benefit from socialized healthcare?
• Elderly populations
• The education system
• State tax bases
• How do anti-vaxxers affect the health of the country?
• Analyze the costs and benefits of diet culture.
• Should companies allow employees to exercise on company time?
• What is an adequate amount of exercise for an adult per week/per month/per day?
• Discuss the effects of the obesity epidemic on American society.
• Are students smarter since the advent of the internet?
• What departures has the internet made from its original design?
• Has digital downloading helped the music industry?
• Discuss the benefits and costs of stricter internet censorship.
• Analyze the effects of the internet on the paper news industry.
• What would happen if the internet went out?
• How will artificial intelligence (AI) change our lives?
• What are the pros and cons of cryptocurrency?
• How has social media affected the way people relate with each other?
• Should social media have an age restriction?
• Discuss the importance of source software.
• What is more relevant in today’s world: mobile apps or websites?
• How will fully autonomous vehicles change our lives?
• How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?

Mental Health

• What are the benefits of daily exercise?
• How has social media affected people’s mental health?
• What things contribute to poor mental and physical health?
• Analyze how mental health is talked about in pop culture.
• Discuss the pros and cons of more counselors in high schools.
• How does stress affect the body?
• How do emotional support animals help people?
• What are black holes?
• Discuss the biggest successes and failures of the EPA.
• How has the Flint water crisis affected life in Michigan?
• Can science help save endangered species?
• Is the development of an anti-cancer vaccine possible?

Environment

• What are the effects of deforestation on climate change?
• Is climate change reversible?
• How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect global warming and climate change?
• Are carbon credits effective for offsetting emissions or just marketing?
• Is nuclear power a safe alternative to fossil fuels?
• Are hybrid vehicles helping to control pollution in the atmosphere?
• How is plastic waste harming the environment?
• Is entrepreneurism a trait people are born with or something they learn?
• How much more should CEOs make than their average employee?
• Can you start a business without money?
• Should the U.S. raise the minimum wage?
• Discuss how happy employees benefit businesses.
• How important is branding for a business?
• Discuss the ease, or difficulty, of landing a job today.
• What is the economic impact of sporting events?
• Are professional athletes overpaid?
• Should male and female athletes receive equal pay?
• What is a fair and equitable way for transgender athletes to compete in high school sports?
• What are the benefits of playing team sports?
• What is the most corrupt professional sport?

Where to Get More Research Paper Topic Ideas

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original research topic ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Disclaimer: This post includes content sponsored by Lumiere Education.

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Biden officials will have a minimal presence at college graduations as campuses erupt in protests

WASHINGTON — Amid growing protests on college campuses by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, the White House is planning for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to have a minimal presence for a traditional rite of spring: delivering commencement addresses.

Biden is scheduled to speak at Morehouse College and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in May, while Harris is only slated to give a graduation speech at the Air Force Academy. First lady Jill Biden, who teaches at a community college, is expected to deliver a commencement address, though no school has been named.

Two White House officials noted that the number of speeches for Biden and Harris is similar to the two previous years. By comparison, when then-President Barack Obama was seeking re-election in 2012, he delivered addresses at the Air Force Academy, Barnard College and Joplin High School. That same year, then-Vice President Biden spoke at West Point and high schools in the battleground states of Virginia and Florida.

Another White House official declined to preview how Biden might address the campus unrest. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters this week that Biden always views these addresses “as a special time to deliver a message — an encouraging message, a message that’s hopefully uplifting to the graduates and their families.”

“He is going to do his best to meet that moment as it relates to what’s going on, the pain that communities are feeling,” she said.

Biden campaign officials say that despite the media focus on campus protests, public polling and their own research show that young voters are more concerned with other issues. A new Harvard University poll found that inflation and health care topped the list of issues most important to voters ages 18-29. Gun violence, protecting democracy, climate change and women’s reproductive rights also were higher than the war in Gaza.

But John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, said polls and other research he’s conducted underscore the challenges Biden faces in this environment, as well as potential opportunity for him to shore up support by addressing concerns about Gaza head-on in a setting like a commencement ceremony, where students but also their parents, faculty and administrators are gathered together.

“That’s an important opportunity to try to bridge these divides, perhaps like only Biden can do. Because there are divides on this issue,” he said.

While the situation in Gaza may not be high on the list of topics identified by young voters as priorities, Della Volpe compared it to an issue like climate change where if a candidate doesn’t share their view, voters won’t engage with them on other issues.

“One of the first things that a young person tells me is that they don’t feel understood,” Della Volpe said. “There needs to be a recognition that we’re working seriously toward a permanent cease-fire. There needs to be recognition that we’re moving toward a two-state solution. There needs to be recognition that we do everything humanly possible to free the hostages and give people dignity.”

For months, the Biden campaign has been “obsessed” with finding new and innovative ways to motivate younger voters, according to a senior official. The campaign notes that it launched a young voter program earlier than past presidential campaigns and has already begun deploying staff to start organizing a presence at colleges in targeted states.

Eve Levenson, the Biden campaign’s national youth engagement coordinator, said the physical outreach on campuses is just one part of the strategy for reaching young voters. The campaign is putting a heavy emphasis on targeting college students online through its digital program and paid advertising on major social media apps. She also said there is a major emphasis on reaching young voters who aren’t enrolled in college, both through an organizing program and by having a presence at major public gatherings like music festivals and sporting events.

The campaign next week will launch a major effort targeting young voters on abortion rights timed to the end of the school year, Levenson said.

“We know from the conversations we have that young voters are planning to vote, and voters are planning to vote for us,” she said. “I think that there are always going to be things that not all people agree with us on. And it’s our job to make it clear what the contrast is, what the stakes of this election are. And to remind people of that.”

Last fall, Harris conducted what the White House called a “Fight for Our Freedoms” tour of colleges, where she visited nine different campuses and spoke to a combined 15,000 students. Biden has held some recent events at smaller colleges, with small and carefully vetted audiences. Large-scale campaign-style rallies on or near campuses have been a staple of general election campaigns, especially for Democratic candidates, but the Biden campaign has been focusing on more intimate gatherings that can be filmed and distributed by its digital team.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., visited multiple Wisconsin college campuses this week as a member of the Biden campaign’s national advisory board. He said he found, as the Harvard poll showed, that inflation and health care were top concerns among students, but that the situation in Gaza was often a subject of respectful debate.

“Gaza is a challenging issue. And we can’t just wish it away,” he said in an interview. “It would be wrong to think that’s not impacting organizers and activists who are engaged in helping get support for the president.”

He also said Biden should not be reluctant to address the issue directly with young voters.

“It’s not the only issue by any means. It’s not even the No. 1 issue. But it’s in the conversation,” he said. “That kind of engagement shows students that they matter, that their voices are being heard.”

Mike Memoli is an NBC News correspondent. 

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Congratulations to This Year’s Undergraduate Research Award Winners

Eleven students have won 2023-2024 University Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards

This year’s submissions emphasized two important aspects of academic library research: the use of peer reviewed and primary sources.

• Students used the limits in Find It@USC and specialized databases to filter results to peer reviewed.
• Primary sources included articles reporting original research on moth pheromones, popular newspaper and magazine articles from the time, sermons, and personal correspondence.
• Beyond sources available online through University Libraries, students used physical materials from the Irvin Department of Rare Books & Special Collections, the South Caroliniana Library and Thomas Cooper Library. They also traveled to archives and borrowed books using PASCAL Delivers and Interlibrary Loan.

The record number of recipients were selected by a six-member review panel made up of Libraries faculty and teaching faculty from across campus. The winners received a monetary award and a personalized award certificate. Their achievements will be recognized with a placard displayed in Scholars Corner in Thomas Cooper Library until next academic year’s winners are announced.

Garnet Track (juniors and seniors)

First Place ($500), Ava Gartman , a graduating senior majoring in History and English, for “Dressing the Future He Creates: Women’s Fashion in the Space Age,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Carol Harrison, History, is the supporting faculty member.

  Second Place ($400), Allison Fletcher , a rising senior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Environmental Studies, for “The Ecological Implications of Sex Pheromone Biochemistry in Moths,” a term paper for Biology 599 (Insect Ecology). Eric LoPresti, Biological Sciences, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Scottie Greene , a graduating senior majoring in History and Political Science, for “She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain: Dr. Hilla Sheriff's Public Health Work in the South Carolina Piedmont,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Lauren Sklaroff, History, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Fatima Jatoi , a graduating senior majoring in Psychology, for “Coping with Racial Trauma: Exploring Moderators and Health Outcomes,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Daniel Cooper, Psychology, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Reilly Kocian , a graduating senior majoring in Public Health with a minor in Neuroscience, for “The Intertwined Effects of Exercise and Sleep on Cognition in an Older Adult Population,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Jean Neils-Strunjas, Public Health, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($75), Gracie Vess , a graduating senior majoring in History, for “A Covenant People: Providentialism in Seventeenth-Century New England and its Impact on the Development of the Salem Village Witch Trials,” a South Carolina Honors College senior research thesis. Andrew Berns, History, is the supporting faculty member.

Black Track (freshman and sophomores)

First Place ($150), Amelia Gay , a rising junior majoring in History and Journalism, for “Catherine Leroy and the Gendered Use of the Leica M2 Camera During the Vietnam War,” a History 300 course research paper. Allison Marsh, History, is the supporting faculty member.

Co-Second Place ($75), Anna Kate Dyson , a rising sophomore majoring in Business Management, for “Disney Was Truly ‘Almost There’: The Controversy of Racial Representation in The Princess and the Frog,” a South Carolina Honors College English 102 course. Erica Fischer, English, is the supporting faculty member.

Co-Second Place ($75), Josh Prioleau , a rising sophomore majoring in Physics, for “Healing the Cost Crisis: Advancing Universal Healthcare,” an English 102 research paper. Leanna Herbert, English, is the supporting faculty.

Honorable Mention ($50), Megan Furey , a rising sophomore majoring in Marketing on the Pre-Business track, for “Transformation of Spaces for Equality,” a South Carolina Honors College English 102 research paper. Erica Fischer, English, is the supporting faculty member.

Honorable Mention ($50), Adrianna Staniszewski , a rising sophomore majoring in Nursing, for “Comparing and Contrasting Nursing in World War I and World War II” a South Carolina Honors College class research paper. Rebecca Stern, English, is the supporting faculty member.

The University Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards reward excellence in undergraduate use of library resources and services and demonstrate the contribution of the Libraries to student learning. They highlight the value of information literacy by requiring students to describe their research process as part of the application procedure and encourage faculty to create assignments that engage students in the use of library resources. Since the start of the awards 17 years ago, 74 students have been recognized with more than $22,000 in monetary prizes.

The winners contribute their projects to Scholar Commons, the institutional repository to preserve, collect and disseminate the research and scholarship of the University of South Carolina.

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Does arming teachers make Tennessee schools safer? Experts aren't so sure

More questions than answers remain after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed off on a controversial new law allowing public school teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns in K-12 schools if they meet several requirements.

How many districts will allow staff to carry? What risks are involved? What are armed teachers and staff supposed to do in the event of an active shooter? Are the training and background checks required by the law enough? How will it actually work if schools choose to implement a carry policy?

The consensus was clear among three experts The Tennessean spoke with: Arming teachers is a high-risk, complicated idea, and if schools choose to adopt a policy allowing it, they should be extremely cautious in how they proceed.

Their concerns echo those of parents, teachers, students, education leaders, lawmakers and a bipartisan group of gun reform advocates who opposed the bill as it worked its way through the state legislature. It was first introduced just a few months before a shooter left three 9-year-old students and three adult staff members dead at The Covenant School in Nashville last March. Covenant School parents joined the pushback as debate over the bill intensified after the shooting.

The measure was ultimately deferred, picked back up during this year's session by GOP lawmakers and swiftly passed along party lines, despite vocal protests.

Here's a look at what experts think about the new law and what it could mean if schools implement it.

From August: Tennessee's special session reignited the school safety debate. But what's actually best?

Experts urge caution, ask big questions over arming teachers

Both a school safety expert and a national school resource officer leader said the same thing when it comes to implementing policy that allows armed teachers and staff in schools: "The devil's in the details."

Mo Canady, the executive director for the National Association of School Resource Officers, was a police officer for 25 years before taking on his current role in 2011. Nearly half his time on the force was spent overseeing local SRO programs in Hoover, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham.

Supporters of the new law in Tennessee often cited a critical shortage of school resource officers or limited police forces that can slow response times, especially in rural communities. That's part of an ongoing police shortage.

"Law enforcement is in a recruiting crisis," Canady said. "There are no easy answers here."

Arming teachers: Where Middle Tennessee districts stand on allowing teachers to carry guns

Still, the idea of arming teachers makes him uncomfortable. When asked if he thinks the 40 hours of basic training required under the law is enough for teachers and staff to carry guns in schools, his answer was simple: “Absolutely not.”

For one, he said, it's limited in how it addresses things like active shooters. The basic training his organization offers includes things like adolescent brain development and mental health issues, special needs, human trafficking and behavioral threat assessment, among others.

"It's so much more than just carrying a weapon," Canady said.

National School Safety and Security Services President Ken Trump has long served the public education space. In the past, he oversaw school safety for Cleveland Public Schools. Now a consultant and speaker, Trump voiced concerns similar to Canady's.

"Any proposition to arm teachers and school staff, it's a high-risk, high-liability proposition. Period," Trump said.

He said there is wide agreement in the school safety and law enforcement community that even officers with hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of experience in policing must undergo even more training to become SROs.

He agreed that 40 hours of training is not enough to place armed, non-law enforcement personnel into schools.

"You also wouldn't want to take a police officer off the street, give them 40 hours of training and have them teach second grade," Trump said.

If and when a school staff member is approved to carry a weapon, Canady said several more questions arise for him.

Where will the gun be throughout the day? How will teachers or staff members conceal it if they have it on their person, especially while interacting with students? Will teachers with guns leave their classrooms if an active shooter enters the building, or stay and protect only their classes? How will law enforcement responding to a school know who is an approved staff member with a gun versus a threat?

Canady also pointed to another grim reality for teachers and staff who carry.

"Many of our school shooters have been students," he said. "Are they mentally prepared to deal with that, to have to take the life of a student?"

Canady urges caution for those who develop policies for armed staff in schools.

"Think very deeply about how you're going to implement this," Canady said. "You don't want to … unintentionally allow this to become kind of a Wild West situation."

A growing number of Tennessee school districts , including its larger urban districts and some smaller and rural districts, have said they won't allow teachers or staff to carry guns, despite the new law. Others have said they're still discussing the matter with local law enforcement and school leadership.

Columbia professor: 'There's been no real research on this'

Charles Branas, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, has spent years studying the effects of gun violence in America, especially when it comes to schools. He's currently part of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health analyzing roughly a decade's worth of mass shootings in schools.

He and his team are speaking with nearly 700 schools across dozens of states that have experienced mass shootings. Roughly half of those schools have experienced shootings themselves. The study will comb through what safety measures the schools had in place before the shootings, including things like metal detectors, school resource officers, anti-violence programs and allowing armed teachers. It also takes state and local gun laws into account.

When it comes to arming teachers, Branas said the vast majority of schools he's spoken to don’t support the idea.

"The ones that have expressed … that they would consider it were very hesitant about it," he said.

Branas said he and his team are at least a year away from having results from the study. Like Canady and Trump, he also expressed alarm over how many states are pressing forward with laws that would allow armed teachers. Most recently, Iowa adopted an arming teachers law, just days before Tennessee did the same .

"There's been no real research on this and whether it could be effective," he said. "People are proceeding here in the absence of analytic guidance."

Branas has also been part of a study that observes people in immersive shooting simulations. He said civilians who are untrained or minimally trained do very poorly in simulations of crowded situations. While police officers fare better, they still struggle. He said officers with special weapons training do best in the simulations.

All that leaves him uneasy about schools arming teachers and staff. While specific research on arming teachers is still lacking, Branas said he's open to what he and others will find as they forge ahead.

"It may show that there's benefit," he said. "But right now, we don't know that."

A glance at Tennessee's law on arming teachers

The newly-passed law in Tennessee maps out several requirements. It requires teachers and staff who wish to carry concealed handguns on campus to maintain a valid handgun carry permit, undergo background checks, get a psychiatric or psychological certification and complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing. They must also get sign-off from their district director, school principal and the leader of their local law enforcement agency. Additionally, they must complete at least 40 hours of training on school policing annually.

Districts and local law enforcement must work together to develop and implement a carry policy. The law also says districts and law enforcement will not disclose who is carrying and cannot be sued for how those staff members do — or do not — use the gun they carry. The law bars teachers and staff from carrying guns into auditoriums and stadiums during school events, certain events like disciplinary or tenure meetings, clinics and hospitals, and areas that are posted as prohibiting firearms.