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Ranked #1 in Education on USA Today

UC Davis Young Scholars Program

Zenith Prep Academy Independent Recommendation Review

Program Overview

UC Davis Young Scholars Program (YSP) is a 6-week residential research immersion where 40 high school students conduct individual research projects alongside UC Davis faculty, producing journal-quality papers and earning 5 units of university credit while experiencing authentic college life in biological, agricultural, environmental, and natural sciences.

UC Davis Research Excellence & Credit

  • One of the few programs offering actual UC credit (5 units of Group Study) that appears on official transcripts
  • Direct access to UC Davis’s world-class research facilities including specialized agriculture and veterinary labs
  • UC Davis ranked #1 globally in veterinary science, #2 in agriculture, top 5 in ecology and environmental sciences
  • Students matched with faculty mentors from over 100 research labs across biological sciences
  • Research projects align with active NSF, NIH, and USDA funded investigations

Third-Party Validation

  • Program operates continuously since establishment with UC Davis School of Education oversight
  • Alumni regularly accepted to top universities including UC Berkeley, Stanford, MIT, and Ivy League schools
  • Research presentations delivered at professional symposiums with journal-quality paper requirements
  • UC Davis faculty provide college recommendation letters based on 6-week research mentorship
  • Participants frequently cite program in successful medical school and PhD program applications

Individualized Research Mentorship

  • 1:1 pairing with UC Davis professors and graduate students for personalized guidance
  • Individual research projects rather than group work ensuring ownership of outcomes
  • Morning lecture series featuring diverse STEM faculty beyond assigned mentors
  • Research exposure experiences across multiple UC Davis departments and facilities
  • Final symposium presentations evaluated by faculty panel with formal feedback

Program Statistics (The Below May Change)

  • 10-15% acceptance rate (approximately 40 students from 300-400 applicants)
  • 6-week duration exceeds most summer programs for deeper research immersion
  • 5 units of UC credit valued at approximately $1,500 if taken separately
  • Up to $25,000 in total financial aid distributed annually
  • Students aged 16-17 from across US and internationally (with proper visas)
  • Saturday field trips to Monterey Bay Aquarium, Lake Tahoe Research Center, Donner Summit

Administrative Details (The Below May Change)

  • Age: Rising juniors and seniors (must be 16 by program start, not 18 by end)
  • Duration: 6 weeks (June 22 – August 2, 2025)
  • Location: UC Davis campus, Davis, California (near Sacramento)
  • Cost: $7,500 + $200 refundable security deposit + $25 application fee
  • Acceptance Rate: 10-15%
  • Refund Policy: Fee reductions must be requested at application; no refunds after acceptance
  • Financial Aid: Up to 90% reduction based on need (sliding scale)
  • Application Deadline: March 1 (opens January 1), teacher recs accepted until March 19

Zenith Experience (Ratings)

Overall: 3.4/5 Solid research experience but lacks prestige of Stanford/MIT programs

  • College Application Value: 3/5 (UC credit helpful but UC Davis name doesn’t impress top colleges like SIMR)
  • Program Prestige & Recognition: 3/5 (Mid-tier UC location, limited national recognition outside California)
  • Research Quality: 4.5/5 (Genuine individual research with faculty mentorship, journal-quality output)
  • Accessibility: 3.5/5 (Good financial aid but $7,500 base cost high, strict age requirements)
  • Administrative Experience: 3.5/5 (Well-organized but less polished than elite programs)
  • Value for Investment: 3/5 (Expensive for a non-elite program, UC credit doesn’t justify cost vs free alternatives)

Which Families Is This Program For?

This program represents the gold standard in pre-college research depth – providing twice the duration of typical 3-week programs with individual project ownership that most programs reserve for graduate students. Unlike programs offering general STEM exposure or group projects, YSP participants emerge with a complete research cycle experience: hypothesis formation, methodology design, data collection, analysis, and formal presentation worthy of journal submission.

The 5 units of UC credit distinguish YSP from enrichment programs, providing tangible academic value that transfers to most universities. Combined with the journal-quality paper requirement, students develop college-level writing skills while building a portfolio piece that demonstrates research capability far beyond typical high school work. The individual nature of projects ensures each student can claim full ownership of their research outcomes in college applications.

UC Davis’s unique strengths in agricultural, environmental, and biological sciences provide research opportunities unavailable elsewhere. Students interested in veterinary medicine, sustainable agriculture, climate science, or One Health approaches find unparalleled resources. The program’s connection to the School of Education adds pedagogical sophistication, with staff modeling first-year college experiences to ease the eventual transition.

  • Recommended for: Students with genuine research interest who want individual project ownership and publication-worthy outcomes. Perfect for those targeting research universities or BS/MD programs where demonstrated research capability is essential. Ideal for students considering UC Davis or other UCs where the credit and faculty connections provide lasting value. Excellent for those needing extensive financial aid given up to 90% reductions available.
  • Not recommended for: Students seeking shorter commitments – 6 weeks is substantial and non-negotiable. Not suitable for those wanting broader STEM exploration as research focus is narrow and intensive. Students under 16 or over 17 are strictly excluded regardless of academic readiness. Those unable to produce college-level written work will struggle with journal paper requirements.

Pros & Cons

  • Pros
  • 5 Units UC Credit (transferable units worth $1,500+ at most universities)
  • Individual Research Projects (complete ownership for college applications)
  • Exceptional Financial Aid (up to 90% reduction makes it accessible)
  • Journal-Quality Output (publication-worthy paper provides portfolio evidence)
  • Cons
  • Lengthy Commitment (6 weeks exceeds most programs, limiting other summer activities)
  • Narrow Research Scope (biological/agricultural sciences only, no engineering/CS)
  • Limited Capacity (only 40 spots creates extreme competition)
  • Age Restrictions (strict 16-17 requirement excludes many qualified students)

Alternatives to Consider

When evaluating intensive research programs, we typically recommend several alternatives:

Simons Summer Research Program

  • Advantages: Stony Brook location, stipend provided, similar research depth, mathematics/physics options
  • Comparison to YSP: More prestigious brand, paid rather than fee-based, but more competitive and East Coast only

Research Science Institute (RSI)

  • Advantages: Free program, MIT/CEI backing, ultimate prestige, international recognition
  • Comparison to YSP: Far more competitive (<5% acceptance), shorter duration, no college credit offered

NIH Summer Internship Program

  • Advantages: Paid internship, NIH prestige, biomedical focus, potential for publication
  • Comparison to YSP: More competitive, limited to biomedical sciences, no structured college prep component

Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)

  • Advantages: Stanford brand, free program, strong medical school pipeline, Silicon Valley location
  • Comparison to YSP: No college credit, shorter duration (8 weeks), limited to biomedical fields

Local University Research Programs

  • Advantages: Often free or paid, flexible timing, potential for longer engagement
  • Comparison to YSP: Less structured mentorship, no credit guarantee, weaker application impact

Program Overview

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project from literature review to data collection/analysis, culminating in a final presentation (and often a written report/slide deck). Instruction blends college-style lectures, labs, simulations, and data analysis, with emphasis on experimental design, statistics, and scientific communication. Many sections include guest talks and demonstrations; some offer local site activities depending on the topic and campus.

Program Statistics

  • Class size: typically ~16–24 students per section (small-group lab environment).
  • Selectivity: selective but not ultra-competitive (application review + rolling fills; popular topics/campuses fill early).
  • Key deliverables: capstone research project with final presentation (plus lab notebook; many courses produce a brief white paper or slide deck).
  • Subject areas: 20+ specialized offerings (biomed and engineering focus).

Administrative Details

  • Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders (most participants are 10th–11th). Strong interest in the topic recommended; prior coursework helpful but not always required.
  • Duration & schedule: 3 weeks, Monday–Friday, full-day lab/seminar schedule (typ. ~9:00–15:30/16:00), with independent/group work outside lab time as needed.
  • Locations: Multiple Boston-area campuses (day programs) with a residential add-on option (supervised housing & evening activities).
  • Cost (reference): Tuition ≈ $2.4k–$3.2k for the 3-week day program; residential add-on (housing/meals/evening supervision) typically adds ≈ $2.5k–$3.0k. Travel/personal expenses extra.
  • Financial aid: Limited need-based assistance; most families are full-pay.
  • Deadlines: Rolling admissions; sections often fill months in advance. Deposit due at enrollment; standard private-program refund terms apply.

Zenith Experience (Ratings)

Overall: 3.7/5 — strong, hands-on subject depth with tangible outputs; solid enrichment signal, moderate admissions lift.

  • College Application Value: 3.5/5 — meaningful subject-specific evidence (project + presentation) and essay material; still a pay-to-attend program common among strong applicants.
  • Program Prestige & Recognition: 3.5/5 — respected in STEM-enrichment circles for rigor and labs; not a merit-only national honor.
  • Instructor Quality: 4/5 — PhD/MD instructors and experienced practitioners; good lab mentorship and feedback.
  • Accessibility: 3/5 — broad eligibility and many sections; cost and Boston location limit access; aid limited.
  • Administrative Experience: 4/5 — seasoned operator; clear logistics and supervision; rolling fills require early action.
  • Value for Investment: 3.5/5 — comparatively cost-efficient per week for lab time and deliverables; value rises if the capstone is leveraged in apps/portfolio.

Which Families Is This Program For?

Ideal for students who want hands-on biomedical/engineering depth and a finished project to discuss in applications and interviews. Best for families prioritizing skill-building + tangible outputs over brand-name signaling.

  • Recommended for: STEM-motivated teens who prefer doing (wet labs, simulations, data) to lecture-only programs; students curating a portfolio (slides/report) for apps or competitions.
    × Not recommended for: Families seeking a selectivity-driven prestige badge or those needing substantial aid; students who prefer broad survey camps over focused lab work.

PROS

  • Capstone deliverable: project + final presentation (often a written report/slides).
  • Small cohorts & lab time: strong hands-on learning, instructor feedback, teamwork.
  • Wide topic menu: lets students specialize (neuro, pharma, surgical, genetics, etc.).
  • Practical skills: experimental design, statistics, scientific writing, presenting.

CONS

  • Pay-to-attend → moderate admissions signal (not a merit award).
  • Cost & travel for non-local families; aid limited.
  • Variable depth by topic/instructor; outcomes aren’t publications.
  • Rolling fills—late applicants often miss preferred sections.

Alternatives to Consider

  • BU RISE (6-week research):
    • Advantage: Deeper lab immersion; poster symposium; higher selectivity.
    • Limitation: Expensive; US-only; very competitive; longer time commitment.
  • Stanford SIMR / SSP / university research intensives:
    • Advantage: Renowned rigor; strong research signaling (some funded).
    • Limitation: Very selective; field-specific; may require relocation.
  • Mentored independent research + competitions (Regeneron STS/ISEF):
    • Advantage: Custom topic; can produce standout achievements at lower cost.
    • Limitation: Requires initiative/network; variable mentorship/validation.

Program Overview

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project from literature review to data collection/analysis, culminating in a final presentation (and often a written report/slide deck). Instruction blends college-style lectures, labs, simulations, and data analysis, with emphasis on experimental design, statistics, and scientific communication. Many sections include guest talks and demonstrations; some offer local site activities depending on the topic and campus.

Program Statistics

  • Class size: typically ~16–24 students per section (small-group lab environment).
  • Selectivity: selective but not ultra-competitive (application review + rolling fills; popular topics/campuses fill early).
  • Key deliverables: capstone research project with final presentation (plus lab notebook; many courses produce a brief white paper or slide deck).
  • Subject areas: 20+ specialized offerings (biomed and engineering focus).

Administrative Details

  • Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders (most participants are 10th–11th). Strong interest in the topic recommended; prior coursework helpful but not always required.
  • Duration & schedule: 3 weeks, Monday–Friday, full-day lab/seminar schedule (typ. ~9:00–15:30/16:00), with independent/group work outside lab time as needed.
  • Locations: Multiple Boston-area campuses (day programs) with a residential add-on option (supervised housing & evening activities).
  • Cost (reference): Tuition ≈ $2.4k–$3.2k for the 3-week day program; residential add-on (housing/meals/evening supervision) typically adds ≈ $2.5k–$3.0k. Travel/personal expenses extra.
  • Financial aid: Limited need-based assistance; most families are full-pay.
  • Deadlines: Rolling admissions; sections often fill months in advance. Deposit due at enrollment; standard private-program refund terms apply.

Zenith Experience (Ratings)

Overall: 3.7/5 — strong, hands-on subject depth with tangible outputs; solid enrichment signal, moderate admissions lift.

  • College Application Value: 3.5/5 — meaningful subject-specific evidence (project + presentation) and essay material; still a pay-to-attend program common among strong applicants.
  • Program Prestige & Recognition: 3.5/5 — respected in STEM-enrichment circles for rigor and labs; not a merit-only national honor.
  • Instructor Quality: 4/5 — PhD/MD instructors and experienced practitioners; good lab mentorship and feedback.
  • Accessibility: 3/5 — broad eligibility and many sections; cost and Boston location limit access; aid limited.
  • Administrative Experience: 4/5 — seasoned operator; clear logistics and supervision; rolling fills require early action.
  • Value for Investment: 3.5/5 — comparatively cost-efficient per week for lab time and deliverables; value rises if the capstone is leveraged in apps/portfolio.

Which Families Is This Program For?

Ideal for students who want hands-on biomedical/engineering depth and a finished project to discuss in applications and interviews. Best for families prioritizing skill-building + tangible outputs over brand-name signaling.

  • Recommended for: STEM-motivated teens who prefer doing (wet labs, simulations, data) to lecture-only programs; students curating a portfolio (slides/report) for apps or competitions.
    × Not recommended for: Families seeking a selectivity-driven prestige badge or those needing substantial aid; students who prefer broad survey camps over focused lab work.

PROS

  • Capstone deliverable: project + final presentation (often a written report/slides).
  • Small cohorts & lab time: strong hands-on learning, instructor feedback, teamwork.
  • Wide topic menu: lets students specialize (neuro, pharma, surgical, genetics, etc.).
  • Practical skills: experimental design, statistics, scientific writing, presenting.

CONS

  • Pay-to-attend → moderate admissions signal (not a merit award).
  • Cost & travel for non-local families; aid limited.
  • Variable depth by topic/instructor; outcomes aren’t publications.
  • Rolling fills—late applicants often miss preferred sections.

Alternatives to Consider

  • BU RISE (6-week research):
    • Advantage: Deeper lab immersion; poster symposium; higher selectivity.
    • Limitation: Expensive; US-only; very competitive; longer time commitment.
  • Stanford SIMR / SSP / university research intensives:
    • Advantage: Renowned rigor; strong research signaling (some funded).
    • Limitation: Very selective; field-specific; may require relocation.
  • Mentored independent research + competitions (Regeneron STS/ISEF):
    • Advantage: Custom topic; can produce standout achievements at lower cost.
    • Limitation: Requires initiative/network; variable mentorship/validation.

Boston Leadership Institute Reviews

Mihai N.

parent of a college-age student

August 20, 2025

“Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.”

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project

Mihai N.

parent of a college-age student

August 20, 2025

“Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.”

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project

Mihai N.

parent of a college-age student

August 20, 2025

“Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.”

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project

Mihai N.

parent of a college-age student

August 20, 2025

“Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.”

Focused, lab-based STEM immersion: Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs three-week, non-credit research programs across biomedical and engineering fields (e.g., Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Surgical Research, Forensics, Pharmacology, Oncology, Genetics). Students work in small cohorts led by PhD/MD-level instructors and industry researchers to complete a guided research project

Hear what other parents just like you think of us. Here are just a few of the thousands of parents we’ve worked with all across the United States and internationally!

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Alex

Alex has been so happy with his relationship with Zenith that he’s looking forward to signing up his younger kids when they’re old enough.

Alex’s daughter was in the 7th grade when she began her college prep guidance with Zenith Prep Academy. Although Alex attended a Top 30 university in the US himself, he realized how challenging the admissions process had become, and was unsure of what classes, activities, and competitions would help his daughter best explore her passions and find her area of interest. He was looking for a highly customized strategy for his daughter to build the right extracurricular profile so she’d be able to stand out from the tens of thousands of other students with similar academics. Alex has been so happy with his relationship with Zenith that he’s looking forward to signing up his younger kids when they’re old enough.

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Lana

Lana’s son joined our program in the 7th grade.

Lana had quickly realized her son’s school wasn’t challenging or engaging enough for him. He was a very bright, driven, and articulate student who had specific fields that he was interested in. He and Lana wanted to know how he could further his interests in these fields through more advanced classes and different competitions, projects, activities,
and more.

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Robert

Robert’s son joined our program during his 10th grade.

Although Robert attended high school and college in the US, given that his son went to a hyper–competitive high school (ranked top 100 in the United States), he wanted a highly customized strategy and plan for their son to further his academic interests and build the right extracurricular profile to stand out from his peers in their high school and in the college applications.

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Rajesh

Rajesh’s son joined our college consulting program in 8th grade.

Given that his son was doing well academically, Rajesh wanted guidance on resources, programs, and classes that could provide his son with exposure to different fields and majors – in turn helping him identify his interests and turn his passions into activities, helping him attract the attention of his choice universities.

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Manisha

Manisha’s daughter gained acceptance into her dream university.

Manisha’s daughter was an 11th grader when they started working with our college counseling team. A first–generation parent, she turned to Zenith to guide her daughter toward how to best use the one year they had left before college applications, highlighting her daughter’s strengths and interests to ultimately help her shine on college applications. With Zenith’s help, Manisha’s daughter gained acceptance into her dream university.

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Victoria

Victoria’s daughter joined our college counseling program in the 9th grade.

Victoria's daughter was a 9th grader who, apart from her involvement in sports, hadn't engaged in any academic or extracurricular activities. Although Victoria went to a top 15 university herself, she realized how much college admissions had changed over the years and turned to us for guidance and our expertise in helping her daughter discover her true passions, nurture her interests, and develop a competitive profile for the top universities she was looking to attend.