Our Honest Review of the Horizon Academic Research Program
Image source - BaIf you’re in high school and interested in doing research, chances are that you have come across a few options and are weighing the pros and cons of each. You may have stumbled upon the Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP), and if you are considering this program, you’ll want to read our review.
HARP is a virtual mentored research program that helps students explore advanced subjects, develop research and writing skills, and produce a full-length, independent research paper. True to its claim, it was founded in 2016 by Columbia researchers, and this does indeed make it the oldest 1-on-1 research program for high schoolers. But does it mean that it’s worth it? Let’s find out!
What is the Horizon Academic Research Program?
The Horizon Academic Research Program is supposed to be a selective online research program for high school students who want to undertake undergraduate-level research. The program claims that participants work closely with professors and PhD scholars from universities such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Dartmouth. Students write a research paper in their field of choice, and the program covers an array of fields, ranging from computer science, economics, biology, and history to philosophy.
Horizon offers two main program formats:
Horizon Seminars: A 10–12 week summer program led by a professor where students work in a small group of 4–6 peers across 20 sessions. These include 14 sessions with the professor, six hours of TA-led support, and four writing coaching sessions.
Horizon Labs: A more flexible 12–16 week year-round program featuring one-on-one mentorship from a PhD or post-doctoral mentor. Labs include 15 instructor sessions, four writing coaching sessions, and four publication support sessions, which help students prepare and submit their work to academic journals (for up to three rounds of submissions).
This chart compares Horizon’s two program formats:
How Is the Horizon Academic Research Program Structured?
Both Horizon Seminars and Horizon Labs are designed to guide you toward producing a 5,000-word college-level research paper. The main difference lies in format: Seminars emphasize small-group learning with 4–6 peers, while Labs offer a fully individualized, one-on-one mentorship experience.
If you apply, you’ll select 3–5 pre-approved subtopics within your chosen field, which you’ll later refine with your mentor. Research methods vary by subject but can include argumentative writing, meta-analysis, literature reviews, or empirical studies using publicly available datasets.
The expected workload is 8–10 hours per week, totaling more than 100 hours over the program. Seminars typically run as a 10-week summer course, while Labs are more flexible, spanning 12–16 weeks year-round. Because students and mentors may be in different time zones, class times are scheduled for convenience at the start of the program.
All sessions are conducted virtually on Zoom, and you’ll need a laptop with internet access, a camera, and a microphone. Some courses may require additional software, which mentors and TAs will help you set up. By the end of the program, you’ll have a graded research paper evaluated on a university rubric, a certificate of completion, and, if you choose the Horizon Labs publication track, the opportunity to submit your work for external publication.
What Subjects Does Horizon Offer?
Students can pursue research in a wide range of disciplines, from AI to sociology.
Seminar Courses (10–12 weeks, small-group learning):
AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science – Introduction to core AI concepts and real-world applications.
Behavioural Economics – Explore topics like labor economics, game theory, misinformation, risk aversion, and data privacy.
Environmental Health and Engineering – Study pollution, toxicology, epidemiology, climate change, and the built environment.
International Relations – Debate theories of governance, state failure, power competition, and global injustice.
Machine Learning and Social Media – Work with social media datasets (Twitter, Reddit) to build detection models.
Neurodegenerative Diseases – Investigate the biology, genetics, imaging, and treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related disorders.
Psychology and Emotion Regulation – Learn research methods while exploring emotion regulation and psychological disorders.
Theoretical Math and Knot Theory – Study knot theory as it relates to causality and event relationships in mathematics and physics.
Lab Courses (12–16 weeks, individualized mentorship):
Ancient History – Research Greek and Roman civilizations from the perspectives of elites and everyday people.
Applications of Machine Learning – Examine creative and social-good uses of AI across industries.
Bio-Industry – Explore bioprocessing revolutions, from synthetic foods to algae bioproduction and CAR-T therapies.
Fluid Dynamics and Physics – Investigate how fluid motion informs climate change, renewable energy, and cancer treatment.
Formulation Chemistry – Study emulsions, encapsulation, and stability in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
Games, Networks, and Politics – Analyze social and political interactions across multiple levels of society.
Medical Sociology – Explore psychotherapy and the rise of modern therapeutic culture.
Organisational Behaviour – Combine psychology, management, and business research to understand workplace behavior (great for students interested in entrepreneurship/startups).
Philosophy of the Mind – Examine cognition and consciousness at the intersection of philosophy and cognitive science.
Political Theory and Philosophy – Discuss questions of state authority, bias, historical injustice, and privilege.
Is the Horizon Academic Research Program Prestigious?
Horizon is regarded as one of the more selective and rigorous high school research programs. With an acceptance rate of about 26%, the program claims to only admit students who are prepared for the demands of undergraduate-level research. The program appears to be academically selective, with the average GPA of accepted students being 3.93 and the median SAT score, 1500, according to their website.
HARP has strong college admissions results, with 70% of Horizon alumni attending a Top 25 university in the United States. Additionally, the instructors listed on Horizon’s website include professors and PhD mentors from Ivy League institutions and leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. For all these reasons, we’d rate HARP as fairly prestigious.
You can see some of HARP’s instructors below:
How Much Does the Program Cost?
Tuition for both Horizon Labs and Horizon Seminars is $6,450. Financial aid is available for Seminar courses, with a tuition waiver of up to 90% for students from households with an annual income of under $75,000. Financial aid is awarded competitively, and applicants are encouraged to indicate their need for financial support during the application process.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Horizon is open to students in grades 9–12, though most accepted students are in grades 10 or 11. The program looks for a 3.67 GPA (unweighted) or higher, as well as evidence of curiosity and initiative in the chosen subject. While no prior research experience is required, students should have taken challenging coursework and show familiarity with their intended field through classes, extracurriculars, or independent study.
A few advanced courses have specific prerequisites:
Protein Biophysics: AP Chemistry or equivalent
Advanced Theoretical Math & Knot Theory: AP Calculus AB or BC
Fluid Dynamics: One year of high school Physics (Mechanics) and one year of Calculus
Let’s Take Stock of the Claims Up Until Now
✅Oldest research program - the story and the team profiles check out!
✅Selective - only 26% of applicants are accepted into the program. We also like that they have competent eligibility criteria, like a GPA cut-off.
✅Mentors from top universities - this checks out too, with lots of top institutions and well-known universities for their area of research.
💲The program is on the pricier side, but having said that, it’s not more expensive than some non-selective research programs. In that sense, pretty good value for money.
How Do I Apply to HARP?
Students first complete an online application. Applicants are asked to submit:
School transcripts (required)
Standardized test scores (optional)
A writing sample of at least 750 words, which doesn’t need to align with your chosen research subject
Three potential research topics, chosen from Horizon’s pre-approved list or crafted to show your personal interests
If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview within 3–5 days, with final decisions usually made within a week of that interview. The interview focuses on your academic background, subject interests, and readiness for research, but it doesn’t involve factual or technical questions.
HARP is a selective program, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t get in. Many students successfully reapply, and the Horizon team itself offers tips on how to prepare a stronger application the second time around.
What are the Program Dates and Deadlines?
Horizon runs four cohorts annually: Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring. The Summer sessions are usually the most competitive.
Summer Cohort I:
Application Deadlines: March 23 (Priority) | April 20 (Regular I) | May 18 (Regular II)
Start Date: June 16
Summer Cohort II
Application Deadline: June 22 (Priority)
Start Date: July 14
Horizon Labs, which operate on a one-on-one mentorship model, are offered year-round and do not follow a fixed cohort calendar, giving students more flexibility in scheduling.
Pros and Cons of Applying to the Horizon Academic Research Program
Pros
Mentorship from top-tier faculty
Horizon pairs students with professors, lecturers, and PhD/postdoctoral scholars from top global universities like Cambridge, Princeton, and Stanford. This means you’ll learn from experts engaged in their fields.
Enhancement of your academic profile
Completing a selective research program demonstrates intellectual curiosity, discipline, and advanced academic skills. This can enrich your high school experience and even strengthen your college applications.
Access to highly specialized subjects
With more than 300 topic areas available, Horizon allows students to explore fields that aren’t typically part of the high school curriculum. Tracks like Bio-Industry, Protein Biophysics, and Network Science can give you a head start if you’re considering a career in niche areas.
Networking opportunities
The program fosters connections with instructors, mentors, and peers from around the world. These relationships can evolve into long-term mentorships, recommendation letters, or collaborative opportunities.
Flexibility in scheduling
Because Horizon is fully online, you can participate from anywhere. Horizon Seminars run during the summer, while Horizon Labs operates year-round and offers one-on-one scheduling flexibility. This makes it easier to balance your research with school, extracurriculars, or other summer commitments.
Personalized support
Through frequent interactions with mentors and writing coaches, you’ll receive individualized guidance on your project and tailored advice for developing research and writing skills.
Cons
High program cost
At nearly $6,500 per course, Horizon is quite expensive. While financial aid (up to 90% tuition waivers) is available for Seminars, Labs do not currently have the same level of support. This can be a barrier to participation for some students.
No in-person component
The fully virtual format means you won’t get a campus experience or networking opportunities that come with in-person pre-college programs. If you’re conducting STEM research, you’ll have to work with open-source data since you won’t have access to a lab.
Time-intensive commitment
Students should expect to dedicate more than 100 hours over 10–16 weeks, which typically means 8–10 hours per week. While manageable, the workload requires strong time management and motivation.
Selective admissions
Horizon admits roughly 26% of applicants, making it competitive. The holistic admissions process considers academics, essays, motivation, and fit, so even strong students are not guaranteed admission.
No college credit
Unlike some summer pre-college programs, Horizon does not provide college credit, which may be a drawback for students hoping to fulfill introductory requirements before college.
Our Review - Should You Apply?
If you’re an ambitious high school student who wants to explore academic research, the Horizon Academic Research Program is one of the most comprehensive and rigorous options available. Its mentorship model, diverse subject offerings, and emphasis on producing a polished research paper make it a strong fit for students looking to showcase advanced academic engagement on college applications. The program has good reviews on TrustPilot, with students saying the program gave them a love for learning and confidence in their intellectual contributions.
We also checked out what people were saying about HARP on Reddit and found a few in-depth comments from students who’d completed the program. Overall, students said that the workload was heavy, but they felt the program improved their academic abilities:
Our evaluation is that Horizon is a serious commitment. The tuition can be a barrier, and the virtual format won’t appeal to everyone. Additionally, its selectivity means you’ll need to submit a thoughtful application and prepare well for the interview to maximize your chances of admission.
For motivated students who want to pursue niche or interdisciplinary research topics, Horizon offers a solid opportunity to gain undergraduate-level research experience in high school. While it won’t guarantee admission to your dream college, it can give you a valuable portfolio submission, develop your academic skills, and connect you with knowledgeable mentors.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!
Image source - Horizon Logo