Dviya is from an IB school where she had some opportunities to explore her interest in physics; this case study examines how independent research can contribute to an application even when the student is already doing research at the school-level (e.g. in the IB or through AP Capstone).

Dviya discovered that she was interested in physics early on in her high school career, when she worked on an article for a school newsletter about gravitational waves. An aptitude test proved her talent in the subject and she learned more about it through an online course on astrophysics from The University of Tokyo.

She used her IB assignments to try and explore astrophysics more. However, she realized that school-related research was extremely structured in its expectations, and she did not have the freedom or guidance to choose a topic that excited her in astrophysics. So, in her junior year, she sought QRI. Paired with an astrophysics PhD researcher from UC Los Angeles, she did her project on the modifications made to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) to study gravitational waves. Independent research programs offer students an opportunity to engage with the rigor of research beyond the restrictions of prescribed curricula. Students can be free to explore their favorite topics, with the academic thoroughness needed to build a foundation for future expertise.

When applying to Rice University, Dviya both included her paper as an attachment to the application and asked her mentor for a recommendation letter. Even though her physics teacher at school was one of her Common App recommenders, she believed that her mentor’s recommendation letter would add to it by serving as an external perspective on her intellectual ability that could describe how she compared to undergrads that her mentor had come across at top universities like UCLA. A letter of recommendation from an external mentor can be an effective testament to a student’s work ethic, attitude and ability.

Despite having research-related components in her school syllabus, Dviya’s engagement with an independent research project helped display a significant degree of originality and initiative in her field of interest. This set her apart, as a student applying to a research-based university.