Is your child interested in math, science or engineering? Pursing scientific work outside the classroom not only enriches their learning process, it can set them up for success in college admissions.
Vahe learned this firsthand.
When Vahe came to work with us early in his sophomore year, he had already been dabbling in scientific research on his own. Vahe was born with alopecia, a medical condition that caused him to lose all of his hair at a very young age. Remarkably, Vahe not only accepted his condition and educated his peers about alopecia, he vigorously pursued Vitamin D research in his spare time as a way to understand his condition better and generate hair growth.
We worked with Vahe to develop his scientific curiosities more fully, he presented his Vitamin D research at the Los Angeles County Science Fair, and he won first place! As a sophomore!
As a result, Vahe, now a senior, was asked to work alongside a UCLA professor on meaningful scientific research. Vahe has developed a close relationship with an exceptional mentor, and has an advocate for his future in the sciences.
And just one month ago when Vahe came in to meet with us, we all noticed he now has a huge tuft of hair growing on his head…and even some eyebrows!
In a recent public radio program I produced on KPFK 90.7 fm “The ‘Science’ of Admissions” I got the inside scoop from admitted Caltech students about research and scientific activities that helped them gain admission. I also spoke with Caltech professor Paul Asimow about his view on pursing scientific research as a high school student.
As Asimow said, “Mostly I look for somebody who’s interested enough to contact me or who’s done enough research to know that I’m out there and the kind of work I do might be interesting to them. At the high school level, I don’t need that much specific background in math or any particular science, but I think the impact of the experience of working in our lab is going to be helpful for somebody who’s at least thinking about going into physical sciences or mathematics or engineering.”
If you would like to learn more about how your budding young scientist can make the most of his or her high school years, listen to the recording by clicking HERE.
When students start working with us early in high school like Vahe, whether they are science-minded students, artsy students, or general interest students, we maximize their potential by helping them identify potential majors, career options, and college programs to consider early on.
To learn more about our special services for science students, schedule a free consultation by clicking HERE.
