Is there a list of summer programs that don't require teacher recommendations?

tdy123
Fri, 27 Dec 2019 01:59:46 +0000

Real science research is academically and intellectually challenging, so pretty much any science research opportunity worth doing is going to be selective.

Prior research experience is not required, even at the most selective program in the country.

Here is a quote from a handbook RSI prepares for the Research Mentors describing the characteristics of the students selected by RSI:

“Typically, the successful candidate has standardized test scores that place her or him in the top 1% of each country’s population. The students chosen for the Institute have demonstrated two additional qualities: they have already acquired a deep interest in a scientific field of inquiry, and they have found opportunities to acquire some form of field experience. The amount and quality of this experience will vary with the background and home location of the student, but you can expect that your intern will be eager to do and learn as much as he or she can under your guidance. Our students are long on ability and optimism, but short on experience. Most of them have taken a large number of college-level courses, and you can expect that they know as much about your field as a good college undergraduate. However, they may not have had the time or opportunity to learn specific laboratory techniques, and have not developed an intuition for what sorts of approaches to a problem might prove fruitful. They will therefore have to practice at specific experimental tasks, and may have a brute force approach to problem solving. To take advantage of their enthusiasm, as well as to enrich their background, you want to assign readings for them, including chapters from texts, selections from conference proceedings, or other materials that might be found in the MIT library or on the web.”

To summarize: very, very bright (top 1%), enthusiastic and passionate about science, and have gone beyond well beyond ordinary high school class work to engage in scientific pursuits.

RSI isn’t looking for students who were ISEF winners, they are looking to make ISEF winners out of their students.

The other programs are less selective, but you don’t need to limit yourself to formal, organized summer programs. Most research by HS kids is done by defining their interests and then contacting professors doing research that the student finds interesting and asking for the opportunity to work with the professor,