Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Who is eligible to be a student with the Pre-College Research Institute?
Any rising high school junior or senior (Class of 2025 and 2026) who does not have prior substantial research experience. Students from lower-income families or underserved communities will be given strong preference in admissions. Most students that qualify for free or reduced lunch through their school district are eligible for our program.
Students who identify as Black, Latinx, or Indigenous are prioritized in our application process. To find out why, visit Why PCRi Matters?
Program Details
What types of courses are offered at PCRi?
We offer exciting courses in Biology and the Social Sciences. To see our current PCRi Education Team, please refer to our Our Team page.
How much does PCRi cost?
This program is completely free of charge! We believe that every student should have the opportunity to explore their passions through research.
How long can students enroll in PCRi?
Each student will participate for an entire PCRi Session. The Summer 2025 Session will include weekly, free classes taught from June to August.
Once a student is accepted into PCRi, they will join a community of student researchers and participate in PCRi Alumni events.
Can students enroll in more than one PCRi course?
Out of respect for our teachers' time and to provide as many opportunities for new students to participate in PCRi, we limit each student to only participating in one course per PCRi Session. Focusing on one course at a time ensures that PCRi Students’ growth as future researchers is as focused and effective as possible.
If you are interested in taking more than one course, however, you may reapply for that course in another PCRi Session.
If necessary, can students end their participation in the program early?
Because our Education Team is dedicating a significant amount of time and energy into working with each student, we ask that all students participate for the length of the entire PCRi course.
However, if it is essential for a student to terminate their participation early, the Parent / Guardian must send an email at least two weeks in advance to the student's Course PCRi Education Team and to operationsteam@pcriresearch.org prior to termination.
How does PCRi ensure safety in all activities?
Our safety guidelines during all PCRi activities include (but are not limited to): receiving written consent from students’ parent or legal guardian prior to the start of the program, inviting the Parent or Guardian to our PCRi Orientation, and providing for clear paths of communication between students, PCRi teachers, and parents/guardians. All PCRi teachers will receive and be assessed on information about expectations and appropriate safety guidelines prior to teaching their first lesson.
In addition, all PCRi teachers and invited guests are screened for criminal histories, run through the US National Sex Offender List, and carefully assessed for excellent personal character, maturity, and professionalism prior to being invited to interact with PCRi students. All PCRi Guest Speakers will be affiliated with or faculty at an accredited US university.