Here's some perspective on what families typically spend on enrichment and instruction:
| Activity | Frequency | Typical Teacher | Top 5% Teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math Tutoring (calculus+) | 1x/week | $2,500–4,000/yr | $7,500–10,000/yr |
| Physics Tutoring (AP/advanced) | 1x/week | $2,500–4,000/yr | $7,500–10,000/yr |
| SAT/ACT Prep | 1x/week | $3,750–5,000/yr | $7,500–10,000/yr |
| Piano Lessons | 1x/week | $2,500–4,000/yr | $5,000–6,000/yr |
| Vocal Lessons | 2x/week | $5,000–7,500/yr | $10,000–15,000/yr |
$12,000/year gets you a well-rounded research experience — structured mentorship, real methodology training, guidance for hands-on work, and more →
That's roughly what families pay for one top-tier tutor in one subject — except tutoring helps a student get better at something they already do.
A research lab teaches them to do something entirely new: ask original questions, design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings. These are the same skills they'll need in college and beyond — but learned before the pressure of grades and tuition kicks in.
Students who arrive at college already knowing how to do research use those four years far more efficiently. They're not spending freshman and sophomore year figuring out what research even is — they're ready to go deeper.
SoTS is offering the ONLY dedicated, year-round, online real science, real research, real guidance, real success program in the high school research market.