A warm welcome to students from Academic Pathways

Research mentorship and support for high school students

Success is built on passions

Discover, explore, and showcase your passions through a personalized project with an expert mentor to gain valuable pre-college experience and help you stand out.

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Why choose Polygence?

Polygence is dedicated to democratizing access to research opportunities for high school students. Our team of academics and educators is united in this passion. Together, we have expertise across STEM, the arts, and the humanities that we are excited to share with interested students.

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A passion that fuels your success

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A tangible outcome that makes you stand out

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A proven edge in college admissions

Find the Polygence Program that's right for you

Student and mentor learning together

Core Program

If you’re ready to dive deep into a research topic of your choice

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The Core Program

Pathfinders

If you're unsure about what your passions are

You will meet with three world class mentors in the fields of your choice to get concrete on what those career paths could look like in the "real world." You'll gain more clarity and direction on what you resonate with and what to explore further.

Program Length: up to one month

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Pods

Pods

If you prefer a smaller, more structured project

You will work with an expert mentor and small group of peers, building something unique in a condensed time frame to showcase your distinct interests and passions.

Program Length: 6 weeks

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Our students say it best

Thousands of students have completed life-changing projects with Polygence. Don’t just take our word for it!

"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."

Chloe, Polygence Student

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Projects that help you get into your dream college

92%

of Polygence students accepted at R1 research universities

88%

of students said things they learned in their Polygence projects will help or have already helped them succeed in college

80%

of students said Polygence had influenced what they’d like to study in college or do for their career
Polygence Scholar Molly

Molly

Now at Stanford

"My mentor was super supportive and actually helped me in my college applications...She also gave me some great insight on the engineering industry and what my 4 years in college might look like. Overall, it was a great experience!"

Website and paper on wind power generation

Polygence Scholar Youssef

Youssef

Now at Northwestern University

"My mentor made sure to create a safe environment for me to ask questions and make mistakes. He would always direct me to the right resources. It was probably the most productive learning experience that I've been through in my life."

Research paper on mechanical walker for Mars rovers

Polygence Scholar Yardena

Yardena

Now at Columbia University

"My Polygence project set me up for a great College application process. My project definitely influenced my intended major choice, as it allowed me to explore my interests deeply."

Research paper on environmental and economic impacts of an invasive species

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Polygence and the Gifted and Talented Institute (GATI) transferable credit program

We are proud to partner with the pre-collegiate Gifted and Talented Institute (GATI) at a top US research university to allow students the opportunity to apply to a research writing program for the chance to earn 3 academic credits.

Learn more about earning transferable credits

UCI campus with Polygence and GATI logos

Mentor Spotlight

You'll get matched with three mentors from our network of over 2000 mentors specializing in every field you can imagine:

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No mentors found for this subject, yet.

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Expert mentors from top universities and industries

Polygence mentors are selected based on their exceptional academic background, teaching experience, and unique ability to inspire the next generation of innovative thinkers.

Our expert mentors come from the top universities in the world. Once you embark on your Polygence project, we take into account your background and passion to match you with the best mentor for you. Polygence has a pool of 2000+ mentors with over 40 subjects represented, so we can find the right expert to guide you throughout your research. Your mentor will coach you through your project and expose you to academic research beyond the high school level.

Universities and Industries

Our Innovation Partners

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Stanford University and Polygence research partnership

Polygence has partnered with Stanford University to provide state-of-the-art pedagogical feedback for our mentors.

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MIT and Polygence partner through the Sandbox Innovation Program

Polygence was incubated at MIT as part of its Sandbox Innovation Program.

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Polygence Knowledge Hub

Your go-to place for finding your Why - Resources for discovering your passion, exploring career paths, and getting accepted in to the college of your dreams.

Polygence co-founder Jin Yun Chow featured on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for Education

Forbes recently recognized Jin’s far-reaching impact on education with a place on its 30 Under 30 List for 2023

Polygence co-founder Jin Yun Chow