<p>There have probably been a number of threads about this already, (some of which I looked through - didn't really help), so I'm sorry if I am about to bore you in any way. </p>
<p>I'm currently a junior in high school and hope to submit my own research to Intel STS later on this year. I had a research mentor last year, but we had some "disagreements" and I no longer desire to work with him. Since Fall I have been contacting various professors and researchers in New York (where I live) via email, yet none seem to even want to work with high school students. I still get the same manufactured garbage - "Wow you certainly have a lot of experience, but I'm sorry that I already have students working with me and cannot allocate any more resources." Others straight out tell me they aren't allowed to work with high school students whereas others tell me to email them later. Then of course, at least a quarter of the people I emailed never replied. </p>
<p>I've emailed at least 10+ professors, mentioning specific papers they may have published and really showing that I have a genuine interest in their field of research. Is that just not enough? Am I supposed to produce a generic email and just send it to as many researchers as I can? What am I doing wrong? </p>
<p>Last year I applied to a research program and was placed with my (ex)mentor that way. I've applied to several programs this year however I do not want to test my luck and rely solely on acceptance to a program. I feel that there is more promise in finding a mentor myself - I just need to know how.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, because you are a high school student, no one will take you seriously. Last year, I was in a research class and our teacher told us not to "spew" out as many generic emails as we could, hoping that one eventually hits its target. What you are doing so far is fine. </p>
<p>Part of my success was due to not being too aggressive. Try to suggest meeting with the professor in person like a job interview. Make sure to bring teacher recommendations, transcripts, and test scores. This way, they can see that you are truly dedicated to researching with them. </p>
<p>But overall I think your best chance lies in applying to research programs. They are not as hard to get in as you make them sound. You don't have to do RSI; there are local programs that accept almost everyone.</p>
<p>If you send a well written business letter (block formatted) rather than a just an e-mail, professors will tend to take you more seriously. Tell them exactly what you want to research and what your time table is, that way they know you have put a lot of thought into it already. I sent out letters to what seemed a million professors and was very persistent. I guess the key is just being extremely patient. If you do send e-mails, don't just send a generic one, especially to multiple people in one swipe. I'm pretty sure they can tell if you are just "mass sending." I also had a judge a science fair tell me it's best to just call the professors, that way they can't set you aside and forget you. I was in the same boat as you last year, so I know your frustration. I hope that helps.</p>