Pioneer | Best Online Research Opportunities for High School Students

The 2024 application season is open.

Secure your spot in our information session to master the key aspects of the competitive application process.

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 the Associate Dean of Oberlin College & Conservatory

2nd annual Pioneer Academics Curricular Summit

Online | Sept 30

You are looking for the intellectual challenge you deserve.
Yet, finding these opportunities can be a challenge. Which ones are legit? Which ones will maximize your potential?

At this summit, you can freely explore the highest quality research programs for high school students & talk with colleges and universities!

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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
0 out of 4
Most Prestigious 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 Publication of the 2022 Pioneer Research Journal

Featuring outstanding work by Pioneer’s 2022 scholars, the latest edition of the Pioneer Research Journal is now available. Click on the link below to read original research by our community of global scholars.

2022 Pioneer Research Journal

2023 EA/ED College Admissions Update from Pioneer Alumni

Applauding Pioneer scholars’ continuing devotion to inquisitiveness, innovation, and high standards.

2023 EAED results 1

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.

Stanford admitted

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.

eaed2021

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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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

The Market Efficiency of “Smart Money” During the Tech Bubble

About the Scholar: Kevin Li grew up in the United States and attended Naperville North High School in Naperville, Illinois

The Research:

The “efficient market theory” hypothesizes that professional investors at major financial institutions are less prone to make trades influenced by emotion than individual “noise traders” and retail investors. Kevin observes that the collapse of the tech bubble showed that this theory “became null and void during the bubble.” His paper identifies two major factors that hampered professionals from doing their job: the consistent overvaluation of potential earnings, failing to value stocks fairly; and the failure to rein in the volatility of trading. The conclusion is that market professionals acted from emotion, despite guidelines meant to prevent such behavior.

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Kevin Journal image

Would Limiting Animal Product Consumption Be an Effective Public Health Strategy? The Role of Industrial Farming in the European Union as a Catalyst for Food-Borne Disease Resulting from Antimicrobial-resistant Bacteria

About the Scholar: Elis Sõõrd grew up in Estonia and attended Pearson College UWC in Victoria, Canada

The widespread use of antibiotics in farming and food animal production has led to a significant increase in antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB), accompanied by an increase in life-threatening diseases that can no longer be treated with the antibiotics now available. Pioneer scholar Elis realized that this general observation lacks precise details, and set out to determine how frequent such illnesses were, the most likely behavioral causes, and the most cost-efficient ways governments could address the issues. One small-sample study suggested that people who consume a vegan diet are much less likely to contract a food-borne zoonotic disease than omnivores or vegetarians.

Read More
Elis Journal image

A Blended Culture: Greater Houston Area’s Native American Children’s Contest Powwow

About the Scholar: Ruochen Jin grew up in Canada and attended The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas, USA.

The Research:

Most Native American communities value passing on their traditions to their children, who are mostly immersed in today’s technological American culture. Contest powwows are one way to do this. To examine how these events balance the two cultural influences, Pioneer scholar Ruochen not only consulted previous research on the topic, but also attended a Children’s Powwow in the Greater Houston area and later interviewed a representative sample of the participants. Her observations were that at least at this powwow, the balance is maintained by preserving the sacred aspects of the event, while permitting cultural fusion of other aspects.

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Discover Pioneer's Research Program: Join an Info Session!

Explore Pioneer's Research Program for committed high school students. Join our info session to learn more

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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.