How to Write About Research in College Applications
Knowing how to write about research in college applications matters more each year. In May 2026, researchers at Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University released a study of tens of thousands of essays submitted to one selective college over four years. They found that the language in admissions essays became noticeably more alike after AI writing tools launched, and that rejected applicants were more likely to have used AI. [1] When so many essays start to sound the same, specific, personal detail carries more weight, and a research project is full of it.
In a recent Scholar Launch webinar, Mary Chobanian, a Harvard Law School Former Admissions Reader and Dickinson College Former Assistant Director of Admissions, walked families through how admissions offices read applications and how students can present their research in every part of the file. This post shares her advice, along with an example from a Scholar Launch student who was admitted to MIT in the early round.
Short answer: Present your research in several places, with each one doing a different job. Quantify the work in your activities list, add a citation and short abstract in the Additional Information section, use essays to show curiosity and purpose with humility, and give your research mentor what they need to write a detailed recommendation. Write so that any admissions reader, in any field, can follow it.
Why research matters in selective admissions
Every applicant has a transcript, and grades are highly competitive at selective colleges. Mary's point was that research answers a different question: can this student do academic work beyond the classroom?
According to Mary, research helps an application in several ways:
It shows academic readiness. Research demonstrates that a student is prepared for the rigor of an elite institution and has the curiosity and initiative to pursue questions independently.
It sets students apart in any major. Research helps students in highly competitive fields like computer science and engineering, and it also adds distinction for students headed toward fields like education or history, where research and writing skills stand out.
It shows commitment and maturity. Working with a faculty mentor or PhD-level researcher over months, through intensive reading, analysis and writing, and possibly toward a journal submission or a competition, takes real dedication.
It improves the rest of the application. Mentors can often write recommendations, and the writing practice students get during research carries into their personal statement and supplemental essays.
How admissions offices read your application
Mary began with a look at what happens after a student hits submit, because it shapes how research should be written.
First, an operations team collects every part of the application and confirms it is complete. Students can track this in each college's applicant portal, and Mary recommends checking it regularly.
Next, the file goes to an admissions officer, usually the one responsible for the region where the student attends school. Region is based on the school, not home address, so a student from mainland China at a U.S. boarding school is read in the context of that boarding school. International students are also reviewed by the international admissions officer.
From there, the application moves through committees, often three or four officers and sometimes the full committee. It is read cover to cover many times, with notes taken at every step, and the dean or director verifies each final decision.
The takeaway: your research will be read by several people with different academic backgrounds. Only some of them will share your field, so the writing has to work for all of them.
Where to write about research in your application
The activities list
Common App gives you ten activity slots, with 50 characters for your position, 100 for the organization, and 150 for the description. [2] Mary's main advice for this section is to quantify. Useful numbers include:
The length of your final manuscript
The number of sources you reviewed for your literature review
Data points, participants, or trials, especially for a STEM project
Her second piece of advice is to translate technical language. Students who go deep into a subject naturally pick up specialized vocabulary, and the admissions officer reading the entry may not share it. Mary described working with an engineering student whose entries she had to ask about. The goal, she said, is writing that is "accessible, but still impressive, still impactful."
Here is an example entry:
Position: Student Researcher, Behavioral Economics
Organization: Independent research with university faculty mentor
Description: Designed survey of 240 peers on time pressure and decisions; ran regression analysis in R; wrote 15-page paper; presented at regional fair.
The Additional Information section
The Additional Information section gives you room to add detail. Mary suggests including the full citation for your paper, plus a brief, abbreviated abstract. If the paper has been published, list the journal. If it has been submitted, say where.
This section can make a real impression on the right reader. As Mary put it, an admissions officer who shares your background, or who simply loves to learn, can see your commitment and curiosity directly.
College portals and writing samples
Some colleges let students upload research or a writing sample through their applicant portal. Mary recommends starting with a graded paper from school when a college asks for a writing sample, and considering a research manuscript where the college's rules allow it.
Princeton, for example, asks every applicant for a graded written paper from an English, social studies or history course, and it is most interested in expository, thesis-driven analytical writing. [3] A humanities or social science research paper written for a course can be a natural fit there. Policies vary from school to school, so check each college's instructions before uploading anything.
Your essays
Research can appear in a personal statement, but Mary sees supplemental essays as an especially good place for it, particularly "Why this major" prompts. Your project gives you specific knowledge and language to show expertise in your field of interest.
Her advice for essays:
Choose the right prompt. Read each prompt closely. Mary noted that "the prompt is actually a critical component to writing the essay." A "Why Yale" essay and a "Why Michigan" essay may look alike, but each asks for something a little different.
Lead with humility. Admissions officers read essays to learn who you are, not only how well you write. "When you're talking about your research, you want to approach it from a level of humility," Mary said.
Point toward impact. Use your research as a springboard. Explain how it prepares you to use specific resources at that college and what you hope to accomplish. Mary described a student interested in neuro-oncology who framed her research around the impact she wants to have on brain cancer research. Colleges look for that sense of purpose and service.
Get creative where the prompt allows. One Scholar Launch student answered a thank-you note prompt by writing to her research mentor, turning the research experience into a personal story of gratitude.
Recommendation letters
A research mentor knows you outside the classroom, which makes their letter valuable. Mary's tips for asking:
Ask directly whether they can write a positive letter of recommendation for you.
Share your resume, the colleges you are applying to, and why.
Thank them for their support and name what you learned from them.
Give them context about your interests and goals, so they can place your research within the rest of your story.
A student example: math, music, and MIT
Mary closed her talk with the story of a Scholar Launch student from a private school in New Jersey. Her main academic interest was mathematics, and she was also an accomplished musician who wanted to bring the two together.
Working with an advisor from the University of Cambridge, she wrote a paper on the topological analysis of musical transformation in Debussy's "Clair de Lune." Along the way, she learned topological data analysis, a tool that was new to her, with her mentor and teaching assistant guiding her through the technical challenges. Writing sessions with her TA helped her bring two very different fields together in academic language.
Her paper was published in a peer-reviewed journal. Her mentor rated her performance excellent across the board, including work ethic, initiative and creativity. She highlighted the project in her activities list and was admitted to MIT in the early action round.
Mary pointed to what made the project distinctive: bridging math and music is often graduate-level work, and seeing it from a high school student set her apart in one of the most competitive early pools in the country.
A note on applying early
Mary also shared why early applications deserve a place in a student's plan. At several highly selective colleges, including Harvard, Columbia and Yale, the early acceptance rate is higher than the overall acceptance rate. Applying early also shows a college that you are organized and that it is a priority for you.
Early programs differ, though. Early decision, restricted early action, early action and early decision II each carry different rules, so confirm what "early" means at every college on your list. Each college also publishes admissions data through its institutional research office, which is worth reviewing as you plan.
How Scholar Launch supports student researchers
Scholar Launch pairs high school students with faculty mentors from top universities, in one-on-one or small group formats, across more than 600 research topics. Students choose their own topics, including interdisciplinary ones like the math and music project above, and receive writing and publication guidance as they complete their papers. More than 2,600 alumni from 16 countries and regions have taken part.
For students aiming at competitions, the Science Fair Elite Research Program guides students through the full science fair process, from topic selection and fair registration to the research paper, abstract, poster, and mock judging. Students in humanities and social sciences can also prepare research papers and competition essays for contests like the John Locke Institute Essay Competition and the Harvard International Review writing contest. Across programs, faculty advisors may write letters of recommendation for their students.
Ready to start?
If you want research of your own to write about, explore our Custom 1-on-1 Research Program or our Science Fair Elite Research Program. When you are ready, apply now to get started. The application is a short intake form followed by an interview, where our team can also help students who are still choosing a topic.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I put research on my college application?
Start with the activities list and quantify the work. Then add a citation and short abstract in the Additional Information section, use a supplemental essay to show what the research means to you, and ask your mentor for a recommendation.
Does a preprint count the same as a published paper?
In the webinar Q&A, our team explained that for admissions purposes, a preprint is treated much like a published paper. A preprint is simply a faster route to sharing the work, which helps when a student finishes research close to application deadlines.
Should I write my main college essay about my research?
You can, as long as the essay shows who you are. Many students find a supplemental essay, like a "Why this major" prompt, is the best fit. Keep the tone humble and focus on curiosity and the impact you want to make.
How do I ask a research mentor for a recommendation?
Ask whether they can write a positive letter for you, and give them your resume, your college list and your reasons for applying. Thank them and share what you learned, so they can speak to your growth in detail.
References
[1] Alonso, J. (2026, May 8). Study explores AI-written admissions essays. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/traditional-age/2026/05/08/study-explores-ai-written-admissions-essays
[2] Common App. (2025). Approaching the Activities section. https://www.commonapp.org/static/f133e7d8d4aa22598e58fdafd14c0e4c/Resource_FY_Activities_ENG_2025.06.25.pdf
[3] Princeton University Office of Undergraduate Admission. (n.d.). Graded written paper. https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/graded-written-paper
