Published October 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
Choose the research mentorship program that ends with a finished paper on a question your student owns, with a named mentor who gives real feedback along the way. Everything else, including format, number of sessions and tuition, is a way of getting there. Below is how to judge each part, the questions to ask before you pay tuition, and how EduAvenues Research Scholars answers them.
What your student should get out of it
Three things matter more than the brand on the certificate.
- A question the student owns. The best projects start from something the student actually wants to know. If the program hands every student the same topic, the student is doing an assignment, not research.
- A finished paper. A draft that dies in week eight teaches little. Look for a program built to take the work from question to complete written paper.
- Mentor feedback that changes the work. Feedback should push the student's thinking, not just fix commas. Ask what a typical round of feedback looks like.
A research project is not an admissions result. It shows a student can sustain curiosity and finish something hard, and it is worth doing for that reason.
One-on-one or small cohort
This is the first real decision. The two formats suit different students, and the tuition usually reflects the difference.
| Question | One-on-one mentorship | Small cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | The mentor's full session is about one student's project. | Attention is shared, but students see how others solve similar problems. |
| Schedule | Built around the student and mentor. | Set by the cohort, which gives natural deadlines. |
| Tuition | Usually higher, because one mentor serves one student. | Usually lower, because the mentor's time is shared. |
| Best for | A student with a specific topic who wants individual guidance. | A student who works well with peers and structure. |
For a cohort, ask how many students are in it. A cohort of a handful is a different experience from a large group.
How many sessions, over how long
Ask for three numbers: how many sessions, how long each one runs, and how many months the program spans. A year gives a student room for a real project, including the slow middle where research stalls. A compressed program asks the student to arrive with a clear question already in hand. Neither is wrong, but the structure should match where the student is starting.
Who the mentor is and how the match works
A mentor with vague credentials is the most common weak point. Ask who the mentor will be before you pay tuition, what field they work in, and what training they have in guiding a younger researcher. Then ask how the match is made: by the student's interest, by availability, or by assignment. A good answer names the process. A student should also know what happens if the match is not working.
What the writing support looks like
The paper is the deliverable, so ask how writing is supported. Do mentors read drafts? How many rounds of revision are there, if a number is stated at all? Is there guidance on structure and citations, or only on the research? If a program is quiet about writing, the student will be doing that part alone.
Questions to ask before you pay tuition
- What is the full tuition, and what does it include and exclude?
- How many sessions are there, how long is each, and over how many months?
- Is the format one-on-one or a cohort, and how large is the cohort?
- Who is the mentor, what is their background, and how is the match made?
- Who chooses the research question, the student or the program?
- What does writing support include, and how many rounds of feedback are stated?
- What does the student walk away with, in writing?
- What happens if the student needs to pause, or the match is not a fit?
If a program will not answer these in writing, that tells you something. Keep the answers so you can compare programs on the same terms.
Red flags
- A guaranteed publication. No program controls what a journal accepts.
- Vague mentor credentials. "Expert mentors" without a field, a background or a way to check is not an answer.
- Unclear tuition. If the tuition is hidden, or extras surface after you commit, treat that as a warning about the rest of the relationship.
- The same topic for everyone. The student should own the question.
- Pressure to enroll today. A good program survives a few days of thought.
How Research Scholars answers these questions
Research Scholars is EduAvenues' research track for high school students. It is built around original research for a publishable academic paper, in fields that include STEM, public health, computer science, economics, molecular biology and political science. Here is how it lines up with the checklist.
- Format. There are two. The 2026-27 Founding-Year Cohort runs in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 and is capped at 8 students. Premium Individual is one-on-one.
- Sessions and length. Premium Individual is 10 one-hour mentorship sessions over 12 months from purchase.
- Tuition. The Founding-Year Cohort lists tuition of $2,195, one time. Premium Individual lists tuition of $18,000, one time.
- Publication. The aim is a publishable academic paper. Publication itself is not promised, and no program should promise it.
- Revision rounds. A fixed number of revision rounds is not stated. Ask for current details on the Research Scholars page before you enroll.
Run the checklist above against any program you are considering, this one included. Start with the Research Scholars page for the current details.
Questions families ask
Is a one-on-one program better than a small cohort?
Neither is better in general. One-on-one gives a student the full attention of a mentor and a schedule built around one project. A small cohort gives a student peers, deadlines and a lower tuition. Pick the format that matches how the student works, then check the tuition and the structure.
How many sessions should a research mentorship program include?
There is no correct number. Ask how many sessions there are, how long each one runs, and over how many months. A program with few sessions can work for a student who already has a question and works independently. A student starting from nothing usually needs more time.
Should a program promise publication?
No. Journals and editors decide what gets published, and no program controls that. Treat a guaranteed outcome as a reason to ask harder questions, and look for programs that promise a finished paper and real feedback instead.
What tuition does Research Scholars list?
The 2026-27 Founding-Year Cohort lists tuition of $2,195 for the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 cohorts, capped at 8 students. Premium Individual lists tuition of $18,000 for 10 one-hour sessions over 12 months. Both are one-time tuition.
How many students are in a Research Scholars cohort?
Each cohort is capped at 8 students. The public founding-year cohorts run in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.
Does Research Scholars guarantee publication or a set number of revision rounds?
No guarantee of publication is made, and a fixed number of revision rounds is not stated. The program is built around original research aimed at a publishable academic paper. Ask for the current details on the Research Scholars page before you enroll.
Where to go next
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