Pioneer | Best Online Research Opportunities for High School Students
 
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Celebrating 10 Years Challenging Curious Young Scholars to Change the World

We’re committed to unparalleled online research opportunities for high school students:

Pioneer is fully-accredited | Pioneer is exclusively respected

Pioneer is honored to receive congratulations from the following organizations


 

Master video

Pioneer Academics in 3 Minutes

Pioneer Academics: The respected research institute.
Play and see why!

  • Master video
    Pioneer Academics in 3 Minutes

    Pioneer Academics: The respected research institute.
    Play and see why!

  • Mary h
    Assessing Research Experience

    A message from a former University of Chicago AO

  • Welcome Pioneer Scholars
    A gift from Pioneer alumni made especially for you

    A surprise gift from talented alumni led by Catherine & Reymajan

  • Oberlin review and cutting edge
    What programs make a difference

    Listen to a former University of Pennsylvania AO

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Applications Received since 2012
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Countries from which Pioneer Alumni Hail
$4.0 million
Need-Based Scholarship Dollars Granted over Past 5 Years
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Prestigious US Gifted Programs Officially Recommend Pioneer Academics
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E-Books, Journals, and Databases Available to Scholars
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Dedicated Seminars with Admissions Officers

Pioneer & Oberlin Academic Collaboration

Oberlin College introduces the philosophy and scope of the collaboration on its website

Pioneer & Oberlin Academic Collaboration

Oberlin College introduces the philosophy and scope of the collaboration on its website

Pioneer Headlines

Announcing the 2022 Pioneer Research Journal Nominees

What landmark research discoveries have our high school scholars accomplished this year? The 2022 Pioneer Research Journal nominees have been announced! Read on to learn more about their groundbreaking work.

2022 Pioneer research journal nomination

The First & Only Conference of Respected Research Programs

The First Annual Pioneer Co-Curricular Summit was held on Sept 30 and Oct 1, 2022, in celebration of Pioneer’s 10th anniversary.
Pioneer’s strong academic reputation attracted ten other widely respected academic programs as co-presenters.

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Pioneer on Campus: Stanford University

Pioneer alumni often connect with each other during online events, but also meet up in person! In this series, we share some examples of past “Pioneer on Campus” events, organized by Pioneer alumni.

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2021-2022 Pioneer Alumni Share their College Destinations

Pioneer Scholars who elected for early action or early decision share where they will be headed for college this fall.

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Seasoned expert on gifted education lead’s Pioneer’s new department - Academic Research and Development

Pioneer is pleased to welcome Brian Cooper to lead our new department- Academic Research and Development. Brian will lead this department to further drive Pioneer’s academic innovation.

Brian Cooper

Pioneer Alumni Share a Strategic Approach to Successful Reapplication

Resubmitting an application to Pioneer has become very common as admission to Pioneer has grown increasingly competitive. Read what the alumni who successfully reapplied to Pioneer shared for their insights and tips.

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Pioneer & Oberlin: Holistic and groundbreaking collaboration

Pioneer Academics is committed to the highest standards in academic advancement. It earned institutional backing for its academic system and standards which led to its collaboration with Oberlin College & Conservatory. This groundbreaking collaboration created an unprecedented online education model which has enabled outstanding high school students to conduct accredited research following concrete, holistic standards.

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2020 Pioneer Alumni College Acceptance Update

The Pioneer Scholars college and university admissions statistics are updated. We are so proud of all our scholars and are looking forward to supporting them as alumni wherever they go!

2020 Pioneer Alumni College Acceptance Update

Pioneer News and Updates

Pioneer Featured Research

Analysis of Testing Accuracy Threshold for COVID-19 through an SIR Computational Model

Computer Science

About the Scholar: Nabo Yu attended The Webb Schools in Claremont, California, in the United States.

The Research:

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the accuracy of tests was so variable that some countries chose not to use tests at all, but instead isolate symptomatic individuals. Pioneer scholar Nabo thought computer simulations could shed light on the effects of testing accuracy on the spread of the disease. His SIR model computational calculations confirm that higher testing accuracy can result in reduced disease spread, and show that even lower accuracy testing is useful in slowing the transmission rate. According to Nabo, the model “has possibly offered a basic method of determining acceptable levels of testing accuracy based on the level of social isolation.”

Nabo Journal image

Comparative Analysis of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Santa Maria Della Neve and Huang Gongwang’s The Remaining Mountain

About the Scholar: Shuyu Chen grew up in China and attended Wuhan Foreign Languages School in Wuhan, China

The Research:

Chinese artist Huang Gongwang and one of the world’s best known Renaissance artists, Leonardo da Vinci, lived and worked two hundred years apart and in entirely different cultures that were not interacting during their lifetimes. Nevertheless, Pioneer scholar Shuyu Chen noticed some clear similarities between Leonardo’s uncharacteristic early work Landscape Drawing for Santa Maria Della Neve, and Huang Gongwang’s The Remaining Mountain, originally part of a much larger scroll that was damaged by fire. Despite obvious differences in materials, size and other physical and artistic characteristics, Shuyu concludes that Leonardo’s work reflects “the Chinese philosophy of appreciating nature.”

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Pioneer research journal for high school students

Computational Fluid Dynamics Pilot Prediction Model of Vulnerable Plaque in the Femoral Artery

About the Scholar: Yixuan Zhao grew up in China and attended Shenzhen College of International Education in Shenzhen, China

The Research:

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a widespread disease that is commonly signaled by a buildup of plaque in the femoral artery. This plaque can cause ruptures that lead to strokes and even death. Although plaque in other arteries has been studied extensively, little attention has been paid to the femoral artery. Pioneer scholar Yixuan used the diagnostic possibilities of computational fluid dynamics to design a prototype of a non-invasive predictive system that would be easy for doctors and patients to understand, and could lead to the development of personalized treatments to address the disease in its early stages.

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Yixuan Pioneer research journal summary image

Human Intuition, Perception, and Execution of a Five-Beat Versus a Seven-Beat Rhythmic Cycle

About the Scholar: Sahana Prasanna grew up in the United States and attended Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California.

The Research:

Traditional Western music is mostly based on two-beat or three-beat patterns. Eastern music can be quite different in structure. Pioneer scholar Sahana, who has been studying South Indian Carnatic music, assumed that the five-beat and seven-beat patterns of much of this music must be ingrained in the intuition of people who grew up with it. She wondered how people whose experience is of Western music could develop the intuition, execution and perception necessary to understand and respond to this music. She found that, contrary to her expectations, seven-beat patterns were easier than five-beat patterns for Western listeners to perceive.

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Sahana Journal image

A Public Benefit Corporation

The final deadline to apply to the Pioneer Research Program Summer-Only term is April 9, at 11:59PM U.S. Eastern Time.
Click here to register for an info session. Click here to apply.
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  • Considering students have significantly fewer options for their summer enrichment, Pioneer adjusted the cohort size from maximum 5 to maximum 6 so that we can offer the opportunity to more students. Please be aware that Pioneer will only expand cohorts which we feel sure will not be compromised in any way by a slight increase in participation. Some areas, therefore, may stay at a maximum of 5 because the nature of the course requires heavier coaching.

 

  • Pioneer admissions still requires the same application materials, but we may adjust the timing in response to current realities. If you can work with your counselor to collect your official transcript and counselor evaluation and submit them soon after you submit your application, it will speed up the process. Pioneer admissions requires an official transcript and counselor evaluation to process applications for the final round. If these items won't be available during the process due to COVID-19, applicants must submit evidence that the school's counseling office is closed. Pioneer admissions will then decide what adjustment shall be granted.