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College Admissions Officer Dialogues

Applications are now open for the 2021 Spring-through-Summer term

2,040 students from 49 countries and regions have participated in the program since 2012.

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Pioneer is known as selective and is respected by top universities.

From the former Associate Director of Admissions - University of Pennsylvania & Wharton

Here you can listen directly to a former veteran admissions officer of Penn & Wharton about his insight of Pioneer Scholars when he read their applications to Penn.

Pioneer Open Summer Study

As COVID still storms many parts of the world, students have been diving into Pioneer Open Summer Study (POSS) to investigate this ongoing challenge the world encounters. POSS participants are finalizing their independent studies.

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This Land is Their Land: How Indigenous Peoples are Crucial to Modern Species Conservation

Environmental Studies
About the Scholar: Max Podell grew up in the United States and attends Piedmont High School in Piedmont, California, USA. The Research: Max’s research notes that, despite indigenous people’s vast and deep knowledge of successful, localized conservation methods, governments often leave out indigenous people from these conversations, missing out on critical knowledge. He argues that, in order for government’s conservation programs to succeed, they must involve indigenous people in the decision and policy making process. Using case studies of different countries managing various species conservation policies, Max demonstrates that indigenous people’s knowledge is simply too essential to leave out, and that without their buy in, even the best-intended policies will surely fail. If indigenous people do not feel respected and heard, they are unlikely to follow orders from a government they see as disrespectful outsiders. However, by working with indigenous people, governments can utilize rich expertise and ensure mutual cooperation toward this important goal.
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Structures for Women’s Empowerment: A Metaethical Analysis of Institutional Sexism in Modern History

Philosophy
About the Scholar: Pioneer Scholar Lobna, originally from Africa and currently a student at Dartmouth College. The Research: Comparing philosophy as the head and religion as the heart, Lobna argues that modern philosophers, often liberal in their approach toward other topics, espouse a clear delineation between the sexes in a supposedly rational manner, and then religious leaders enact these beliefs, ensuring that successive generations continue to follows these same patterns. With men claiming their legitimate place as both the mind and heart, Lobna argues, women are left to tend to the body, and therefore shut out of the mind and heart of society. ⁣ Lobna concludes by offering a path forward: “In order for us to be nurtured and supported by the women in our lives, we as people who take seriously both our faith and reason – will instead enable women to reclaim their role in society by allowing them access to opportunities for personal and socio-economic empowerment.” ⁣
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Pioneer's Respected System

Pioneer is well respected because of its robust and rigorous academic system, which enables the collaboration with Oberlin College in academic procedure development and oversight.
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Reducing Oncogenic Behavior of MLL Fusion Proteins by Inhibiting Combinations of Genes Necessary for Leukemia Proliferation

Biology
About the Scholar: Shreya Kashap is from the United States, where she attends Monta Vista High School. The Research: Mixed lineage leukemia is an acute blood cancer that forms when two chromosome pieces combine to form a mutated gene. With its rapid effects and poor prognosis, MLL is difficult to treat using existing chemotherapy drugs. Shreya’s research paper examines why existing drug therapies for MLL have been ineffective at preventing the cancer from forming. The solution she proposes––inhibition of vulnerabilities in the MLL2 gene––has the potential to reduce the number of new MLL cases.
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A Study of Yoko Ono as a Fluxus and Woman Artist

Art History
About the Scholar: Yao Lin grew up in China and attends Culver Academies. The Research: Yoko Ono is perhaps most famous for her marriage to John Lennon and her oft-speculated role in The Beatles’ break-up in 1970. But Ono was also a significant figure in postwar American art: a co-founder of the Fluxus movement, Ono sought to make art more accessible, as well as to advance the position of female artists and to re-envision “feminine” art. Yao’s research sheds new light on Ono’s significance to the history of modern art, revealing the misogynistic and racist attacks that Ono had to overcome.
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Pioneer News and Updates

September 22, 2020

In the face of uncertainty caused by Covid-19, Pioneer’s POSS program provides academic empowerment to students around the world

September 16, 2020

Pioneer Scholar Spotlight: Nidhi

August 24, 2020

Pioneer initiative highlighted by Inside Higher Ed

August 20, 2020

EdSurge profiles Pioneer’s POSS program as an innovative program that helps students learn about Covid-19 in real time

August 15, 2020

Pioneer Scholar Spotlight: Christina

August 10, 2020

POSS update: providing team-based academic opportunities to students around the world

SEE MORE UPDATES

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Quotes directly from Matthew Pohl

Pioneer’s Respected Selectivity

“There are very few selective summer programs out there that emphasize research. Pioneer is one of very few selective summer undergraduate research opportunities, and that’s something that’s known among college admissions officers at top universities.”

Pioneer’s Leadership mindset

“I believe Pioneer’s system really prepared students for the leadership mindset.”

Credibility through academic system

“Oberlin College is considered one of the top liberal arts colleges in the U.S. If they are partnering with an organization that provides excellent programs to students, then there’s credibility there. Automatically.”

Watch the video

Matthew Pohl - the former associate director of admissions at University of Pennsylvania and Wharton

The Pioneer Research Program is the ONLY global college-credit-bearing program in which students conduct
research one-on-one with a professor online in Pioneer’s rigorous system.

  • Foundational Research Seminars

  • Pioneer Writing Center

  • Online Library

  • Academic Oversight

Foundational Research Seminars

Pioneer offers virtual seminars on research methodologies in addition to subject sessions.

Pioneer Writing Center

Pioneer’s writing center follows the highest ethical standards in providing academic writing support to
Pioneer scholars.

Online Library

  • About 400 research databases and journals.
  • Over 100,000 e-books.

Academic Oversight

Pioneer and Oberlin College jointly administer academic oversight.

  • Accomplishment Endorsed by Pioneer

  • College Credit

  • Tuition

Accomplishment Endorsed by Pioneer

It is well known that Pioneer holds the highest academic standards. Research accomplishments through Pioneer are trusted and respected.

College Credit

Pioneer scholars earn two college credits and the Pioneer Research Program is categorized as a college course, instead of just an extracurricular activity, on college applications.

Tuition

  • Pioneer’s tuition is 6,450 US dollars.
  • As part of its social mission, Pioneer Academics dedicates funds every year to need-based scholarships for students to participate in the Pioneer Research Program. These funds are very limited and their use is restricted to cases in which the need of the students’ family can be reliably accredited. Students are eligible for these scholarships in countries where need can be assessed or if they are part of a non-profit organization or an educational institution that can assess need.
  • 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.

Dear educator friend,

In the critical process of preparing students to transition to college, you are key. The
ramifications of your guidance are far-reaching.

The Pioneer Research Program believes that it, too, has a role to play in preparing students of special potential and passion for learning. This is a role we trust you will appreciate knowing about. Our mission is to offer a deep and otherwise unavailable opportunity to exceptionally motivated young scholars who want to learn and research at the college level and to explore their potential for innovation.

What makes Pioneer a unique deep-dive learning experience is not just the mentorship of distinguished professors. It is the rigorous quality controls developed conjointly by Pioneer and Oberlin College. Professors (must) adhere to rubrics for

1) setting learning goals;

2) syllabus development;

3) oversight, feedback and evaluation, and

4) grading standardization.

This rigorous academic system is supported by thorough admission process and a high-minded ethics code. The combination gives students an exceptional learning experience that is brought to fruition in a college-level research paper documenting their findings.

You can follow this link Pioneer’s concrete academic system to learn more about the academic system. Academic quality control and academic oversight assure Pioneer’s focus is on learning and learners, and therefore all of our practices were built upon the following principles:

No conflict of interests Pioneer’s academic ethical standards
Because of its high academic and ethical standards, the Pioneer program has earned the trust of college admissions departments and formed the basis for the ground-breaking collaboration with Oberlin College. Pioneer scholars get two college credits upon completing their Pioneer research.

Click to learn about Pioneer and Oberlin College's groundbreaking academic collaboration.

Pioneer has a rigorous admission process. Students who have genuine academic interests and are highly motivated are a good fit with Pioneer’s values. Pioneer’s founding board insisted that Pioneer commit to a professor-blind policy during the application process, ensuring that applicants have authentic field interest and correct priorities. Consequently, no information about professors is released before admission to the program. This policy is much appreciated and respected by universities. Professor-blind admission policy
On this page is the critical information needed to meet your needs.

If you have additional questions, feel free to let us know how we can help you by emailing info@pioneeracademics.com or calling 855-572-8863.

Best,

Matthew Jaskol

Founder & Program Director