how to do research for college application

Research on Your College Applications: How Should You Frame It?

By GP LeBourdais

Fulbright Scholar, and the Head of Strategic Initiatives at Polygence

7 minute read

At the University of Pennsylvania, 1 of every 3 students admitted last year did a research project in high school. That’s a lot! So it’s not surprising that we get lots of questions here at Polygence about how students should frame research projects on their college applications. Where should I mention my research project? How do I describe it? Are colleges looking for research project experience?

At our recent Symposium of Rising Scholars, we got the inside scoop from Purvi Mody, CEO and Head of College Counseling at Insight Education. In our conversation, she explains why research is important and how to feature research projects on college applications. You can watch the presentation here , and we’ve summarized her main points below.

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What are the Benefits of Doing Research as a High School Student?

1. feed your curiosity.

In its most basic form, research is a process of asking questions about the world and searching for answers to them. In that sense, it’s a very natural thing! Embrace your curiosity by asking the questions that matter to you. Doing research will then empower you to find the answers.

2. Get Hands-on Experience

Reading about how to do research is great, but there’s nothing better than getting hands-on experience in designing your own experience, collecting and cleaning data, and forming conclusions based on your findings. Each lesson you learn now will contribute to your expertise as you apply to colleges, internships and jobs down the road.

3. Gain Practical Knowledge

Often the lessons we learn in the classroom can seem abstract or esoteric. You might find yourself asking questions like, “When am I actually going to use this trigonometry formula?,” or “How will this episode from American political history ever help me in real life?” While not every tool or fact from your school work or independent research will serve you in the time to come, some may actually become very useful. So it’s in your best interest to learn widely to prepare.

4. Explore college majors and careers

Do you think you know what you want to do with your whole life? In high school we are exposed to a limited range of possibilities, so independent research is a powerful way of learning about the world of options. Having a better sense of what subjects you actually like will help you save valuable time and money at college. Plus, this generation is likely to have 10 different jobs over the course of their careers, so the more experience you have, the more options will be open to you.

5. Connect with a Mentor

There are so many people supporting you throughout your life, from parents to teachers to coaches. Mentors, especially those who have traveled a road you want to follow, can be another great source of guidance and inspiration. Connecting with an expert in a field that interests you is an exceptional opportunity; make sure you ask questions not just about how to do things, but also about how they made the decisions that led them to where they are now.

6. Develop Life-long Skills

Doing research on historical photographs or structuring a clear methodology for your experiments might feel like very specific skills, but many aspects of them will be hugely helpful in other parts of your life, from organizing your personal life to managing a project at work.

7. Unlock a Life of Adventure!

As you follow your curiosities, you may find yourself going down unexpected paths. To speak from my own experience, my love of photography and the outdoors growing up in Maine brought me to high alpine passes in Switzerland on a Fulbright Grant, to the islands of Alaska teaching Stanford students, to a tall ship in the Arctic Circle for my dissertation research. You never know where your research will take you!

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How Should You Feature Research Experience on Your Applications?

1. activities list.

Colleges love to see how you’re spending your time beyond formal clubs. Tip: make sure to explain why you chose the research you did, so admissions readers learn more about your personal motivations.

2. Additional Information

If there’s an opportunity to describe your research experience and why you love the topic here, do so! Publishing in a preprint archive like the Research Archive of Rising Scholars or in a peer-reviewed journal are also achievements to share in additional information or on your CV.

3. Personal Statement

A research project could play a small role in your personal statement or could be the main event. Many Polygence students, including those writing IB extended essays , use their research experience to tell a story about themselves: what their passion is, why they’re excited about it, how they approach questions, how they overcome obstacles, and the changes they want to bring about in the world. This is your chance to tell your story!

4. Supplemental College Essays

Many colleges now have unique supplemental essays with questions like “What do you want to study and why do you want to study it here?,” with prompts to explain what led you down this path. This can be a great place to note, “When I did research on this topic, it made me think of majoring in this topic. I know your school has a great program in this field, which is why I’m so excited to study there.”

5. College Admissions Interviews

Demonstrating your ability to talk about complex research—and to explain it clearly to non-specialists—can impress your admissions or alumni interviewers. Especially if your project is unique and memorable, this is a perfect opportunity to make an impression. No one else can talk about your project!

6. Recommendation Letters

As an expert in their own field, your mentor can be a powerful advocate for you in a recommendation letter. Students can also share their research with their teachers at school to demonstrate their independence and creativity, allowing the teacher to give a fuller impression of the work you do both in and out of class.

7. Course Selection

Diving into research can reveal new directions for what you want to study even while you’re still in high school. So, a research project could help you to steer your profile in a certain direction to help tell a story about your interests on your applications, too.

What are colleges looking for?

One increasingly common area that admissions professionals pay attention to is a student’s “non-cognitive factors.” These are also known as “transferable” or “soft skills” that are highly valued not only in the workplace but in collaborative areas of higher education. The following traits are not only what admissions officers are looking for in applications; they also happen to be qualities you develop naturally during a research project.

1. Communication 2. Leadership 3. Curiosity 4. Creativity 5. Organizational Skills 6. Analytical Skills 7. Problem Solving

As you fold your research into your applications, keep these traits in mind. Highlighting them can help you show how you will contribute to the community at the schools you want to attend.

Finally, remember that while research is a powerful tool to help you stand out in the admissions process, it’s not simply a means to an end. The lists above demonstrate how things you learn during the research process will benefit you not just in school but in life. The lessons of research will always be with you no matter where you end up studying. The sky’s the limit!

"At the University of Pennsylvania, 1 of every 3 students admitted last year did a research project in high school."

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6-Step Guide to Researching Colleges Effectively (with Template)

There is a lot to consider when conducting your college research. How does someone narrow down one college to attend? Make sure you have your application in line with transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essays. Look at the qualities of each college you are considering and see if they align with everything that you want to achieve during your college years. In this article, we break down a guide to researching colleges to help you determine which college is right for you.

What to Look for When Researching Colleges?

You may be asking yourself “What is College research?”. Well, it is something that is not only beneficial to you but colleges expect it from you as well. How will you know what college you want to go to without researching what they offer beforehand? Understand what each college that interests you offers and how that can benefit you and your goals.

The reason colleges are expecting you to do this research is that it’ll help you understand what that particular college values. You will be able to confidently complete admission essays with the knowledge of what your desired college values are.

Another thing to look at when you are researching colleges in the admissions process, what the campus life is like, and what extracurricular activities they offer are. Follow this guide to conduct a proper college search.

How to Research Colleges and Universities: 6-Step Guide to Researching Schools

The best way to research different colleges is to know what you’re looking for in higher education. What are your goals for the next 4 years? During your research, it is important to take notes on everything that pertains to you. Keep in mind the program you are looking to enter, how hard the classes can be, what you are able to afford, and what extracurricular activities they have available for you.

Program Selection

This is one of the most important topics to cover while you are researching colleges. Now, right out of high school you may not know what career or field you want to study, but it is important to have a direction. What if there is a dream college you want to go to, but they don’t offer the field that you want to get into? You’ll have to find a college that offers the program you are interested in.

When looking into the different programs that colleges provide, you should also consider the workload they require to achieve that education. All requirements vary, so choose what you will be able to handle.

Academic Rigor

Every college has a different expectation from its students. Looking at the school’s academic rigor will help you decide if you want to spend the money to be in a certain program. Based on how challenging the school is academically is how you will decide if it is the one for you. You can experience an easier transition from high school to college and choose a two-year community college, or you can choose a more competitive approach and apply to an ivy league that is generally known for its rigorous courses.

Student Support System

Whether you need a quiet place to study or a session with someone to talk about your mental health, most colleges will be there for you. There are a variety of systems put in place to help a student succeed at any campus. It is the student’s responsibility to research and utilize those opportunities offered to them. There are even programs that students can enter to help with networking while in college and can set up an early career path before they graduate. Internships are one of the most common things that a student can do while studying for higher education.

The Campus Life

Along with finding the right program for you, you need to make sure the campus life will also be beneficial for your mental health. There are always colleges participating in college fairs so you can get a better grasp of the dynamic. Not only that, but you should make it a point to make a campus visit out of your top 3 colleges.

Will you be living on campus in the dorms or commuting to your desired college every day? These are more of the questions that you need to keep in mind when picking the best college for you.

Affordability

Regardless of your financial standing, college can get expensive. Not only are you looking for the best program for your intended career, but you also have to ensure that it is in your price range. We suggest contacting the college admissions for your desired college to get all the right information.

We also recommend looking into alternative financial aid when applying to colleges. During the enrollment process, you’ll be able to ask for assisted aid from the college. Along with signing up for financial aid, you can apply for scholarships and grants that are applicable to you. This is something that can also cover the cost of books and college tuition.

Important Information for You

Ideally, you want to find the best college for you. Keep in mind what college will help you connect in a cultural and academic way. No two colleges are the same, so you need to find one that suits you. It is okay to be deterred from a college because of cultural indifference. Even if they have the right program for you. Find a college that you will be comfortable with both culturally and academically.

What Should You Look for in a College? 3 Factors to Take Into Consideration

What do you want out of going to college? That is one of the biggest questions you have to ask yourself. Based on your answer, is how you will find the right college for you. How is your GPA looking? Create a list of colleges and make sure that you have all of the right qualifications to attend the school. College websites are the best place to find all the right information that you are looking for. Let’s take a closer look at some factors to watch out for while you are doing college research.

Application Process

Every college is different, but something that you need to watch out for is college application deadlines. The application process can take a bit of time so you need to plan out how long it will take you to submit it. The admissions requirements generally involve your transcripts, assessments, essay (if applicable, what the topic is), and whether or not you need to include letters of recommendation. All of this information is something to consider when you are looking at the application process for each desired college.

Accreditation

You should also consider the college’s accreditation when looking at the right school for you. There are certain colleges that haven’t been accredited yet. Most colleges are either in the process of being accredited or didn’t pass and are working on making changes to gain accreditation. The reason that you want to get into an accredited school is so that you can earn a real degree. Browse the different programs that the college offers to make sure that yours is properly accredited.

Admission Rate

The admission is another thing to consider. The rate gives you an idea of the percentage of students that apply verse those who get into the college. A college that has a lower acceptance rate is harder to get into, so the higher the acceptance rate the more potential there is that you will be accepted too. There are a ton of factors that colleges consider when deciding which students to accept. Grades, SAT, ACT, and a diverse student body that come from various backgrounds, volunteer experience, and abilities are just some of the factors considered.

College Research Template

Find the perfect college for you with our college research template. They are organized by importance for when you are researching colleges.

Key Takeaways

Finding the best college for you is important. It will define how you grow through the next stage of your life. You are going to be continuing with higher education, learning to live on your own, and participating in extracurricular activities, make them count! Use this guide to help you navigate finding the perfect college for you.