Explore with Indigo
Get research mentorship from top faculty and PhD teaching fellows to transform your academic passion into publishable research!
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1100+
Indigo Research students supported since 2019
17.15 %
Indigo alumni acceptance rate to the Ivy Leagues, 2.91x higher than the global average
30+
Academic journals that have published our students’ work
330+
Mentors from the world's leading universities
Indigo Research is the premier provider of academic research mentorship for students in high school and college
With a curriculum designed by graduates of Harvard and Oxford, Indigo pairs you with a Professor or PhD teaching fellow at a top university to provide one-on-one guidance as you produce exceptional, publishable research.
Why Research?
Gabe, our founder, spent 8 years working in admissions, supporting hundreds of students in building profiles and submitting successful applications to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and more.
He found – consistently – that academic research is an enormous differentiator for students aiming for top 30 U.S. and top 10 U.K. universities.
Plus, he used academic research in his own successful application to Harvard.
To understand why research is so important, it helps to understand what top colleges look for in an applicant – and where research fits in.
71%
students who do research are 71% more likely to be accepted to a top 20 U.S. university.
64%
of students who do research are accepted into at least one top 20 U.S. school.
To get into a great college you have to build a 3 dimensional profile
The 1st dimension:
who you are on paper.
who you are on paper.
Your goal is to ‘check the boxes‘ that colleges look at first. Grades, SAT score, and AP/IB scores are essential.
The 2nd dimension: a long-term passion or commitment
This can be art, music, a sport, or even an academic subject. Once youʼve committed, find a niche within your chosen passion and build it out.
The 3rd dimension: an academic center of gravity.
This matters in both the U.K. and U.S.. In the U.K., the additional activities matter less.
Around the apex achievement of a research paper, youʼll add activities that boost your academic niche, illustrating youʼre a serious scholar.
Indigo Alumni Admission Rates
Produce exceptional, publishable research, and get admitted to top schools. The admission rates have been updated with data from the 2023-2024 cycle!
32%
at UC Berkeley
Standard Acceptance Rate: 11%
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18%
at Stanford
Standard Acceptance Rate: 4%
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27%
at Cambridge
Standard Acceptance Rate: 19%
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20%
at Oxford
Standard Acceptance Rate: 14%
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28%
at Columbia
Standard Acceptance Rate: 4%
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35%
at Penn
Standard Acceptance Rate: 11%
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39%
at NYU
Standard Acceptance Rate: 8%
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39%
at UCLA
Standard Acceptance Rate: 11%
Why students and parents choose Indigo
01
Start any time, choose any topic, work on your schedule.
02
All Indigo programs offer credit from the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). Present your research at our virtual Indigo Academic Conference, and earn two undergraduate credits!
03
We have partnered with the venerable New York Academy of Sciences to launch the first academic journal for high schoolers that has the support of a formal academic society!
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04
Our mentors are professors and postgrads from the best global universities! We only hire experienced educators (PhD and above) working at the top 15 research universities for their subjects.
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Hear from our students
David X.
Harrow School, UK
“Working with a professor gave me more freedom and independence in decision making and where I wanted to take the project. The expertise also meant that I could always have ideas reviewed and concepts clarified. My experience with Indigo Research has been truly unique and insightful and has allowed me to push my own interests beyond my original boundaries”
Illarion I.
Lyceum "Second School", Russia
“This program allowed me to acquire knowledge in the field of organizing research work, to understand how the task is formulated and the experiment is conducted. Doing research opens up a new vision of many subjects. For me this is the story of the development of my passion for Computer Science, as well as the discovery of a new interest in mathematics”
Lilit A.
Glendale High School, US
“This course has given me the opportunities to improve my skills,
to connect with experienced mentors,
and has taught me how to better manage my time. I'd recommend this program to future students because it gave me valuable experience for the future. I plan to go into neurosurgery, so taking this course gave me a detailed look at what I'd be dealing with”
Eden C.
Good Hope School, Hong Kong
“Research is a journey of learning and discovering, and you should definitely maximize the experience by picking an interesting and challenging topic. Don’t pick a topic that is too complicated though. Know your limits, and don’t make yourself feel pressured. Most importantly, be sure to enjoy the experience!”
Jeremy N.
Haileybury College, Australia
“Working with my mentor and with Indigo Research has deepened my understanding of the publishing process and of conducting research. I've gained invaluable insight into academic medicine”
Aryaman S.
British International School, Vietnam
“It’s been great working with my Indigo Research Mentor! I have been able to learn from his experience with research projects, learn about a new field of research, and incorporate some tips my mentor has figured out along the way in his PhD in my research project”
How Indigo works
01
First, choose your subject
You may choose a topic outside of these lists and we’ll do our best to find a mentor whose expertise is a match.
Humanities
Art History
Classics
Philosophy
English & Literature (including world literature)
Religious Studies
Media Studies
Show Related Majors
Engineering & Technology
Data Science
Computer Science
Machine Learning & AI
Engineering
Nanotechnology
Robotics
Show Related Majors
Hard Science
Biology (Molecular, Cellular, etc.)
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Genetics
Mathematics
Materials Science
Physics & Astrophysics
Clinical Medicine
Biochemistry
Zoology
Pharmacology
Show Related Majors
Social Science
Economics
Finance & Accounting
Ethnic & Gender Studies
History
International Relations
Political Science
Psychology & Psychiatry
Sociology
Public Health & Infectious Diseases
Business Management
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Law
Show Related Majors
Dr. Ceyhun E.
Columbia University
Economics at Columbia University, Lecturer
Economics at Bogazici University, Professor
Research interests: Applied Macroeconomics, Economic Growth, Political Economics
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Dr. Nora I.
Columbia University
Psychology at Columbia University. Professor
Psychology at Now York University, Professor
Research interests: Cognitive Psychology. Psychology of Language, Electroencephalography
Dr. Vladimir A.
MIT
Chemistry at MIT, Postdoctoral Researcher
Chemistry at Martin-Luther University, former postdocs
Research interests: Peptide-protein Interactions, Drug Development, Heterogeneous Catalysi
Dr. Kif L.
Stanford University
Genetics at Stanford University, Researcher, Instructor and DEl Leader
Awarded Fellow, European Molecular Biology Organization
Research interests: Epigenetics, Skin Biology, Microbiology
Dr. Timur I.
Northwestern University
Chemistry at Northwestern University, Assistant Professor
Lead Research Scientist, UL Research Institutes (Materials Discovery Research Institute)
Research interests: Chemistry, Water Purification, Metal-Organic Frameworks
Dr. Andrea G.
Imperial College London
Thermofluids — Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, Lecturer
Previously Rolls-Royce Rescarch Associate, Engincering Department at the University of Cambridge
Research interests: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism, Nanomaterial Science
Dr. Michellana J.
MIT
Global Economics and Management Group, MIT Sloan School of Business, Lecturer
Oversees Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab) and Hacking the Future (HIF) at MIT
Research interests: Entrepreneurship, Business, Innovation, Emerging Markets
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Adrian B.
Harvard University
PhD student, Chemical Biology, Harvard; BS with Honors in Molecular Bio from Yale
Completed advanced research at Northwestern University while still in high school
Research interests: Molecular, Cellular, Chemical, Developmental Biology, Genetics
02
Then, choose your mentor
Our mentors have been carefully selected for their outstanding academic backgrounds from leading UK & US universities, extensive teaching experience, and a rare ability to inspire and accelerate the growth of scholars!
03
We’ll take it from there
We’ll walk you through the steps from developing a research question to submitting for publication. Our curriculum is the most rigorous of any research program for high schoolers.
Note that timelines are fully customizable according to your schedule and your goals. The timeline included here is a model for our Researcher Program.
Profile Assessment
Research interests: Applied Macroeconomics, Economic Growth, Political Economics
01
Program Selection
You’ll choose which size program (Explorer, Researcher, or Innovator) you want, and whether you’d prefer the seasonal group intensive or bespoke one-on-one.
02
Mentor Allocation
After officially being admitted to the program, we’ll work with you to choose the best-fit Professor or PhD Teaching Fellow, based on your subject area and experience.
03
Week 1
Week 2
Preliminary Work
Using our MLA-featured curriculum, you’ll define project goals, decide your research question, and learn the basics of conducting research.
04
Reading & Analysis
With guidance from your mentor, you’ll find, read, annotate, and analyze a wide variety of scholarly sources, building your bibliography and preparing to begin writing.
05
Research Prospectus
As you read, you’ll refine your research question, begin outlining your paper, and develop a prospectus, which explains the research and shows how you’ll conduct it.
06
Week 3-5
Week 6-8
Literature Review
The first chapter or section of your paper will be a literature review, in which you survey the existing writings on your subject and identify trends and gaps in the literature.
07
Research & Write
With input and feedback from your mentor, you’ll conduct your research and assemble the heart of your paper, along with methods and discussion sections.
08
Revise & Prepare
As you near completion, your mentor will provide revisions and prepare you to submit to a journal, competition, or conference.
09
Week 9-12
Week 13-17
Week 18-20
Submit Paper
Submit your paper! Journals may return it to you for revisions— not a problem. Your mentor will assist you in finalizing it.
10
Week 21+
Show More
04
Next, present your research at our virtual Indigo Academic Conference
Hear from peers and professors about their innovations, and become part of an incredible network. Upon completing your presentation, you’ll earn 2 UCSB credits.
05
Then, meet with one of our Indigo executives
Our team went to Harvard, UChicago, and Stanford — in a Masterclass or one-on-one, you’ll learn how to leverage research on your college application. Strategies differ for every student, and we’ll analyze your application holistically to assess all the places — from your essays to your interviews to the additional information section and beyond — that we can feature research in your application.
Gabe Gladstein
Founder
Mo Bishnoi
General Manager
Laila Smith
Director of IRIS Program
Joani Etskovitz
Curriculum Lead
When to start
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High School
Strengthen college applications though
a unique research project and develop professional skills along the way.
Learn More
Learn More
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Graduate School
Lay the foundation for thesis work, publish your findings, and expand your CV through research and professional support.
Learn More
Learn More
Ready to explore biology?
Join a global community of intellectually curious and ambitious Indigo Research high school students.
