Advanced Science Research Program
Now enrolling!
When you are about to graduate from high school and you think back to the past four years, what experiences will you remember the most? Which skills will you carry to college?
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The ASRP gives you the opportunity to use science for innovation through an impactful and memorable experience. It is also a rewarding accomplishment that stands out when applying to colleges.
Why don't more students engage in research as an extracurricular, as they do in sports, debate, or volunteering? Because most schools and learning centers don't offer a research program, and it's hard for students to start from scratch.
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What High School Doesn't Cover
One of the main goals of high school is to prepare you for college, that exciting stage in your life when you finally get some freedom! It is definitely all that, but college is also a whole different jungle and the transition can be challenging. Although high school is four whole years of waking up super early, going to hours of class, and getting home to study more every day, it doesn't teach you some of the important skills needed to thrive in college.
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That is why many students struggle when they get to college, especially if they attend a public university like the UCs. In high school, there were about 30 kids in my classes. When I got to UC Berkeley, suddenly there were 300 students in my organic chemistry class, all packed into a lecture hall. Plus, my professor had two sessions so he taught almost 600 students each semester. It was highly competitive with little access to the professor.
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As with heading off to college, your learning environment may change over time, but you will succeed no matter where you go when equipped with the right core skills. You will practice many of these in the ASRP:
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data analytics
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experimental design and execution
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writing a formal research paper
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various ways to communicate results using data and share your work with others
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Introducing the Advanced Science Research Program (ASRP)
In the ASRP, you will study a research topic that really interests you, maybe something from biology or chemistry class that you hope to learn more about and discover for yourself. You will be provided a detailed project plan and lots of 1 on 1 guidance along the way to ensure the success of your research.
What the ASRP includes:
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list of about 15 different project topic blueprints to choose from. Our team reviewed over 100 published research papers to curate the topics on this list, which are the most exciting and feasible projects. They range from growing green fluorescent bacteria through genetic uptake (transformation) to detecting ketosis in the body, which is the basis for the wildly popular keto diet. You will find some more sample topics with details down below.
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customized project plan and where to find the required materials. This detailed plan is provided once you select your topic
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program orientation session (1.5 hours), in which students learn about experimental design and measurement best practices, developing a formal research paper, and other key research tools
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8 hours of 1 on 1 mentorship calls. During these Zoom sessions, we will go over any questions the student has about their project, refine the hypothesis, review the experimental data collected, discuss next steps, etc.
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access to a curated list of published scientific articles to support hypothesis generation and experimental design. You can view and download these as PDFs
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customized project guide. This is a package that includes outlines for hypothesis generation, a poster board template, and an easy-to-follow guide to hosting your own website as a portfolio so you can easily share your hard work with others
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a formal science fair where all ASRP students will present their research findings and learn from others' projects
(This will be in person at a community/event center, pending
shelter-in-place regulations)
Project Topics
The three ASRP concentrations are shown above, each with a set of general topics. Click above to view some sample bioengineering topics with details. The full list of topics across all concentrations will be provided after enrollment. You are welcome to select your own that is not on the provided list, but it must be approved and follow the guidelines below.
Program Timeline
Your research project should take about 2 to 3 hours of work each week. The project will be about 3 months long, depending on the particular topic you select. The ASRP begins on August 23, which is when orientation will be held.
1 - 2 weeks
2 weeks
3 weeks
varies from a few days to several weeks
2 weeks
Each ASRP topic description will include:
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Project objective
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Applicable science subjects (e.g., physiology, microbiology)
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Duration of the experiment
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All materials needed, including links to purchase them
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Published science articles for background research and hypothesis generation. These papers are also a great reference for your experimental design and data analytics
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These topic details are just to get you started. Throughout the program, you will take your topic and make it your own by:
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Developing and refining a hypothesis. What do you want to test, and is it feasible to test that? What do you expect to find in the experiment?
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Designing and conducting the experiment. How will you set it up and determine if A is related to B? What methods will you use to measure and collect data? One of the advantages of the ASRP is that all the experiments can be done at home without expensive tools such as microscopes and PCR machines.
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Putting it all together. At this stage, you will write your formal research paper and set up your portfolio on your website. You will also design and develop your poster board. This can be done in the spring, closer to the science fair.
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I will be there to guide each student through these steps in our 1 on 1 mentorship calls. There is no set schedule for these meetings, so it is flexible and students can schedule one with me whenever they need guidance.
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Project Requirements
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​Complete all project milestones
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The final research hypothesis and experiment design must be approved
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The question at hand must be original and connect to improvements in medicine, the environment, or another benefit to society
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Data must be collected as part of the study
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Follow official science research fair guidelines
Enrollment is now open and will close on Aug 20!
​The ASRP is offered once a year, and up to 12 students are accepted. The enrollment limit ensures that each and every student receives careful guidance and mentorship throughout the course of the program to help them succeed. To accept a high-quality group of students, the program is only open to current/past Excel at Science students and direct referrals (please see below for our referrals program). It is first come, first served, as long as students satisfy the requirements below.
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Because the spots are limited, it is first come, first serve and a deposit of $300 is required to confirm your enrollment. The amount will be applied toward the program tuition. Please also submit the enrollment form linked below.
Enrollment Requirements
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Student must be in high school
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Commit 2 to 3 hours per week to the ASRP
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Purchase the materials on the provided list (specific purchase links are all included already)
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Participate in the science fair
Money-Back Guarantee
The goal is for students in this program to challenge themselves in a meaningful project, put their science knowledge to work, enjoy the research process, and ultimately conduct a successful experiment that supports or refutes their hypothesis.
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If you are not satisfied with the ASRP, you may get a full refund within the first 60 days of the program. By 60 days, most students will have conducted their experiment and will have a good idea of how their project is going.
Payment Options
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3 monthly installments or
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one-time full payment
The first installment is due on the first day of the program, August 23. Accepted forms of payment: Zelle, Paypal, Venmo
If you are new to Excel at Science, you will receive a call from us to discuss any questions you might have about the program and confirm your enrollment.
Referral Program
​Those who refer other students will receive a $150 discount per referral off the program tuition. The referred student will also get 2 hours of free 1 on 1 tutoring to be used any time this year. Please note that this program is for referring new Excel at Science students only. Thank you for sharing the program with your friends!
FAQ
If you have any questions about the program, please view our FAQ sheet. You can also email us at info@excelatscience.com or call (408) 981-3721.​