<p>While I find plenty of discussion around the first year program at PROMYS, the second year research details and experiences are not easy to find. My S attended the program last year and he can go there as returning student this year that can give him research opportunity. I will highly appreciate if people with first hand experience can share their viewpoints.</p>
<p>Thanks much in advance</p>
<p>This is a somewhat late response, but I hope it is still useful to you!</p>
<p>The second year research program is largely what your son makes of it. He is required to participate in a research lab (he’ll be able to choose from ~6 options) where he will research the topic with a team of two or three other returning students and a counselor to mentor. Most topics are new/obscure enough to still be “unsolved,” all the better if he’s interested in entering a research competition.</p>
<p>However, students are only required to spend four or five hours per week working on the project; the rest of the time is optional and entirely dependent on your son’s motivation and interest in the topic. Six weeks of five hours of research won’t produce enough material to construct a substantial entry into a research competition, but six weeks of ten, fifteen, twenty hours might, especially if he is with a group of insightful, motivated students.</p>
<p>Mathdork,</p>
<p>It does help - in fact, he has already applied for it. Just wonder what else they do if only 5-6 hours per week is devoted to the research topic? Do you have some experience that you can share?</p>