The UC Santa Barbara Research Program offers the opportunity for high schoolers to engage in interdisciplinary university-level research.

In this post, we provide a comprehensive overview of the UCSB Research Mentorship Program, including its acceptance rate, application requirements, and how to get in.

What is the UCSB Research Mentorship Program?

Hosted by UC Santa Barbara, the UCSB Research Mentorship Program provides 7-week internship opportunities to high school sophomores and juniors every year.

Students work with a mentor (graduate student, postdoc, or faculty) and choose their research project from a list of disciplines, from chemistry to sociology.

Participants gain insight into research techniques and participate in a series of lectures that present ongoing research projects.

Students are expected to dedicate 35 to 50 hours of work each week to research, and will have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork, engage in data collection, and describe their end findings in a technical research paper.

The program offers a residential and commuting option, and occurs from mid-June to early August.

The UCSB Research Mentorship Program (RMP) offers college credits to students who have completed the program.

Our program is unique because it allows students to explore areas of interest from a wide variety of interdisciplinary research topics.

They will choose projects and be paired with a mentor (graduate student, postdoc, or faculty) who is a field expert to conduct hands-on, university-level research.

UCSB Summer Sessions Website However, the benefits of the program also come with its costs—the UCSB Research Mentorship Program has a hefty $4,975 (commuter option) to $11,874 (residential option) fee.

A limited number of scholarships are available and are awarded based on financial need, qualifications, and availability.

Priority is given to California residents. https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=32Uq1qNSDz4 Applying to summer programs in high school is a numbers game—the best strategy is to cast a wide net in order to maximize your chances of landing an offer.

See the above video for a curated list of the top summer high school programs in 202

4. UCSB Research Mentorship Program Eligibility Like any summer program, make sure you fit the eligibility requirements for the UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program to ensure your application is considered.

See the full list below for applicant requirements:  Be a current sophomore or junior in high school (outstanding freshmen are accepted on a case-by-case basis) Minimum

3. 80 weighted GPA Attend the entire program, including a virtual component and closing events Participants may not concurrently enroll in other courses, activities, or program UCSB Research Mentorship Program Acceptance Rate UCSB RMP is one of the most competitive high school programs in the country.

While it varies year to year, the RMP acceptance rate traditionally is around 4-6%.

With an increase in interest and more applicants applying annually, it's safe to assume that the program will become more selective.

UCSB Research Mentorship Program Application Requirements UCSB RMP admissions are extremely competitive.

Therefore, it is important to make sure your application includes all requirements to be considered.

See the list for all application components below: Unofficial transcript including the first trimester or semester grades of the current school year 500-word personal statement describing your goals, values, and reasons for applying 1 academic recommender to complete a recommendation form on your behalf; letters of recommendation are not accepted Writing sample that demonstrates your writing ability (up to 3 pages, can be from a science, history, or english discipline) 150-word short responses (prompts range from describing a setback you've faced to an idea that you're excited about learning) AP score report (can be downloaded from College Board) How to Get Into UC Santa Barbara Research Program  Now that we’ve established that this program is highly competitive, you need to have an exceptional application to distinguish yourself in the applicant pool.

If you’re a program hopeful, make sure you follow these steps to get in.

Start early.

Giving yourself ample time to prepare your application will reflect on the overall quality of your application.

In competitive programs like these, it’s best to start on your essays and short responses weeks before the deadline so you have enough time to reread and revise.

In addition, starting your application early ensures that your recommender has enough time to prepare their materials on your behalf.

Keep in mind that your recommender will receive an email to complete the form after your application is submitted, so make sure to plan accordingly.

The rule of thumb is to ask for letters of recommendation at least two weeks in advance.

See the UC Santa Barbara Research Program application timeline below for the most recent year.

December 15, 2023: Applications open.

March 18, 2024: Application deadline.

April 1, 2024: Recommender deadline.

Mid-Late April, 2024: Notification of admission decision on a rolling basis.

Highlight your personality and achievements.

Utilize your application to your advantage.

Make sure to personalize your essays as much as possible in order to hammer home who you are as a person and why you deserve a spot in the program over everyone else.

In addition, the extracurriculars you describe in your application are just as important as the character you showcase in your essays.

The UC Santa Barbara Research Program puts special emphasis on intellectual exploration and the pursuit of big questions in science and humanities.

Think about what you’ve done to delve into subjects of interest outside of the classroom and how your curiosity will serve you in the program.

In programs like RMP where admissions are extremely competitive, it's useful to have a unique theme that will serve as your differentiating factor, whether it be environmental awareness or policy research.

Center your activities and essays around this factor so you will remain memorable in the eyes of the admission committee and differentiate yourself in the applicant pool.

If you need additional guidance for how to build your personal theme, check out this article that shows you how to do just that—and craft a compelling college application in the process.

Last but definitely not least, be attention-grabbing in your essays (start with hooks or in medias res!) and use memorable, impactful words.

Highlight your humanity and be vulnerable when necessary.

Explain the whys as well as the whats that pertain to what you do.

Fulfill all application criteria.

Make sure that you’ve fulfilled all requirements prior to the deadline.

Do not risk a void application because of late or missing materials.

Concluding Remarks Attending the UC Santa Barbara Research Program is an excellent way to gain practical research experience and gain invaluable mentorship from renowned faculty.

These are such experiences looked favorably upon in college admissions, and will add a boost to your application.

However, don’t worry if summer programs don’t work out for you.

They’re just one way to spend your summer break.

Check out the below video for the tell-all on how to snag independent internships to enrich your summer that can be just as valuable. https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=zqqtdxsCBT0 Image Credit: UCSB Summer Sessions Website.