high school research mentorship program

The Most Flexible Research Program for High School Students

Passion propels you further.

Get ahead on the competitive road to college with passion-fueled research opportunities

“45% of incoming CalTech students included materials in their college applications documenting their own past research. ”

“Nearly 1/3 of the admitted students engaged in academic research during their time in high school.”

Stanford emphasizes the importance of ‘Intellectual Vitality’ in their admissions decisions.

“Substantial scholarship“ and “academic creativity“ are needed for Harvard's top academic rating - increasing chances by nearly 8x.

Acceptance rates 2-5x the national average.

Top schools have demonstrated the growing value of research for admissions ., what is polygence.

Polygence is an online research program for high schoolers where students get to research any topic of their choice, guided by an expert mentor in the field. Polygence students gain an admissions edge through their projects while exploring something they are genuinely passionate about.

Why choose Polygence?

A project that’s one of a kind - like you.

Polygence offers the most personalized mentored research experience - you choose the subject, research question and outcome of your project, so you can explore and create what you love.

The most flexible research program

High School Students are already busy with classes, extracurriculars and more - so we offer start dates throughout the year and allow students to set the pace that’s right for them and their project.

Tailored mentorship just for you

We ensure strong mentor-student fit by leveraging our extensive network of experts from top universities to match you with a mentor who shares your unique interests and passions.

A Project as Unique as You

Your program is tailored to your individual passion – you choose the field and the topic to research.

Find the right program for you

Core Program

For High School students who want to turn their passion into a tangible outcome with the guidance of an expert mentor. You’ll dive deep into a research topic of your choice over 10 one-on-one sessions.

For students who are unsure about what to study or weighing multiple options, this 3-session add-on to our Core program helps you find a topic that you’ll love.

Premium Showcasing Support

For students who are excited to publish, compete or otherwise spotlight their work, this 3-session add-on provides expert showcasing guidance.

Not ready for a full research project yet?

Check out our shorter programs to find your passion.

• Pods short-term group research program
• Personality Quiz to find your academic persona

Projects Beyond Research Papers

The most flexible mentored research program that lets YOU choose the output to work towards - from published research papers, to podcasts, to prototypes of inventions and anything in between.

"The idea that you can do anything, or you can have an effect on a really big problem…that’s something I developed through Polygence and with my mentor."

Your Ideal Match

Polygence has the most extensive network of PhD-level mentors from top universities. We will find your ideal match in any field or topic of interest.

PhD candidate at Carnegie Mellon University

”She was an absolute gem of a research mentor! Her guidance was like a compass in the world of academia. Kimi made the research journey feel less like a maze and more like a scenic route.”

Polygence student

Polygence by the numbers

Polygence projects are a meaningful addition to a student’s intellectual growth and college application

99% of Polygence alumni

feature their projects on their college applications

3 out of 4 admissions officers

say research experience weighs favorably in college applications

96%+ of Polygence students

say we meet or exceed their expectations of the program

Polygence was recently selected as one of the top 25 most promising startups in education technology

2000+ Expert mentors

from top universities with over 40 subjects represented

Interested to learn more?

Explore our full admissions outcomes.

Welcome to Indigo Research , formerly known as Crimson Research Institute (CRI)! You’ve been redirected here from our old website, but don’t worry, we’re still the same team committed to providing our students with the highest quality research experience.

Explore research innovate publish with indigo.

Indigo Research students supported since 2019

Indigo alumni acceptance rate to the Ivy Leagues, 2.91x higher than the global average

Academic journals that have published our students’ work

Mentors from the world's leading universities

Indigo Research is the premier provider of academic research mentorship for students in high school and college

Why research.

To get into a great college you have to build a 3 dimensional profile

How indigo research supports students, turn passion into publication, cultivate intellectual curiosity outside class, transform your university applications, forge connections with elite academics, earn college credit from ucsb, indigo alumni admission rates.

Why students and parents choose Indigo

First, research with us. Then, get admitted to top schools.

Want to add your top schools to our list.

Hear from our students

“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”

“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”

“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”

“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!”

“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”

“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

When to start

Develop extracurriculars and research skills to prepare young minds for college and beyond.

Strengthen college applications though a unique research project and develop professional skills along the way.

Lay the foundation for thesis work, publish your findings, and expand your CV through research and professional support.

Meet a few Indigo mentors

Our mentors.

Research interests: Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Catalysis, Carbon-Based Materials

Vladimir graduated from Moscow State University, Chemistry Department in 2017, during his Bachelor/Master. He has visited Utrecht University to study solid-state NMR and its application for protein research, Friedrich-Alexander University to work on synthesis of sp2-carbon-based materials, and Novartis to work on bioconjugates. In 2018, he moved to Friedrich-Alexander University to continue his studies on carbon materials as a PhD student. After his thesis defense in 2019, he began his Postdoc at Martin-Luther University to work on heterogeneous catalysis. In 2022, he joined Pentelute group at MIT, where he is currently working on peptide-protein interactions and drug development.

Research interests: Russian Language and Literature, Russian History, African Literature and History, Philosophy, Comparative Literature, European History

Professor Jeanne-Marie J. research spans Russian language and literature, Russian history, African literature and history, Philosophy, Comparative literature, and European history. Her first book, South African Literature's Russian Soul, is centrally concerned with how Russia's nineteenth-century "Golden Age" of literature and ideas provides a model for the study of South African realist forms and epistemologies, both during and after apartheid. Her second book, The African Novel of Ideas, tells a story of how the novel has negotiated between liberal selfhood and awareness of liberalism's failings across key African intellectual contexts.

Research interests: Machine Learning, Computer Systems, Bioinformatics

Dr. Eric S. has BS, MS, and PhD degrees from Cornell University. His research includes work in dynamical systems, machine learning, system theory, computer systems, communications systems and bioinformatics. He is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Morgan State University, a public research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Eric S. also has a breadth of industry experience in the fields of pattern recognition, machine learning, speech recognition, signal processing and power systems. He has been a participating member of the IEEE, Sigma Xi, and Sigma Pi Sigma. Dr. Eric S. is currently working on machine learning techniques for financial data analysis and blockchain applications and is currently a member of the Morgan State University Fintech Center for Blockchain Technology.