Question 1

What is Helix?

Accepted Answer

Helix is the only platform built specifically for high school students to discover research internships, connect directly with university professors, and track their outreach and applications — all in one place.

Question 2

Can a high school student really cold-email professors?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it works more often than you'd think. Professors are not required to follow the age floors that formal programs set. Many PIs are happy to host a motivated high school student, especially one who demonstrates genuine knowledge of their research.

Question 3

Is this safe for minors?

Accepted Answer

Safety is foundational to how we built this product. Students under 16 cannot use paid features until a parent explicitly approves their account via a consent email. We never store or transmit personal information to any external party.

Question 4

How is this different from Polygence, Lumiere, or Pioneer?

Accepted Answer

Those programs provide mentorship — a person guiding your child through a virtual research project. We provide infrastructure — the tools to find, contact, and track real research opportunities independently. Helix costs $19.99/month vs $4,500-$7,000 for mentorship programs.

Question 5

What does Premium include?

Accepted Answer

Premium ($19.99/month or $149/year) unlocks everything: unlimited search results, the full PI directory with thousands of professors, AI-powered cold email generation, the outreach manager, and the application tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Cold Emailing Professors

Safety & Privacy

Pricing

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