Passion Projects are unique, signature projects that students conduct as part of their extracurricular activities. These projects can cover any subject and range from coding a simple software program to launching community initiatives abroad. What sets Passion Projects apart is their independent, student-driven nature—with outcomes related to students’ fields of interest.
In the context of college admissions, Passion Projects are especially important as they can provide the basis for a student’s entire application. Unlike other extracurricular activities, which are there to support a student’s academic and personal profile, a signature Passion Project IS the foundation. A successful Passion Project highlights all the best aspects of a student—from their leadership traits to their academic skills. From there, a student’s application is built around this story and the results of their project. Biology students should especially consider Passion Projects as part of their college application process. Here are some ideas to get Biology students started.
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Why Should Biology Students Conduct Passion Projects?
Biology is a highly complicated subject with dozens of sub-genres ranging from cell structure to agriculture. It’s a subject that requires great academic prowess, research, and dedication. Most of the great biological breakthroughs happen in the laboratories at the top U.S. universities, so students must prove themselves to be ideal candidates and researchers before even crafting their college applications.
Biology Passion Projects allow students to demonstrate their eligibility as biologists and showcase other traits that Admissions Officers value: leadership, ingenuity, passion, and community.
To learn more about what Admissions Officers are looking for, see our blog “How To Impress College Admissions Officers: 4 Massive Factors.”
So, not only is it vital for biology students to have results to show Admissions Officers, but it’s also important for them to choose a relevant topic for their project that relates to their major areas of interest for the schools they want to attend.
Biology Project Ideas
1. Studying the Efficacy of Homemade Penicillin
The discovery of penicillin was one of the hallmarks of the 20th century, with penicillin now being one of the most widely used broad-spectrum antibiotics in the world. Before then, bacterial infections within humans had little to no treatment options—at least none that wouldn’t also harm the patient. A Passion Project for medical biology students could be conducting a study on cultivating different strains of homemade penicillin. Penicillin today is largely synthesized in laboratories, but the process of cultivating and fermenting can be done independently. With the life-saving effect of penicillin, a project on cultivating it at home could be very compelling, especially for countries where medical access is limited.
2. Hosting Community Classes on First-Aid
While medicine has evolved tremendously over the past century, when an accident occurs, the life of someone injured is often in the hands of first responders. While many people in the U.S. have at least some notion of first aid, most are not trained on what to do in case of serious illness or injury. Pre-med students can show their dedication to health by setting up classes that teach members of their community the basics of first aid and trauma care. Not only would this project provide a net benefit to one’s community, but it may potentially save a life in the future.
3. Creating a One-Tree Orchard (Art of Grafting)
Grafting is an agricultural art that has been practiced for centuries in which a scion from one plant is grafted onto the rootstock of another. The result is a hybrid where one plant can bear the fruit of a different species. With multiple compatible scions, one can make a single plant that bears many different fruits.
This was the subject of Sam Van Aken’s project, the “Tree of 40 Fruits,” whereby, through chip grafting, Van Akens was able to cultivate a single tree that bore fruit from 40 other species. Botany students can use a similar theme for their Passion Project, using their knowledge of biology and grafting to create a hybrid organism that is both a work of science and art.
4. Cultivating Medicinal Herbs in Your Ecosystem
Humans have been practicing medicine since the dawn of civilization, but it all began with using tools and the environment to influence our health. While modern medicine has evolved, nature has stayed the same, and the fundamentals of treatments through natural remedies are still used and studied to this day. Students with interests in biology, medicine, and history can base their Passion Projects on the gathering and cultivation of medicinal herbs in their local ecosystem—growing plants that would have been used in traditional remedies in the past.
5. Studying the Genetic Variation in Animal Breeds
Much like plants and agriculture, humans have also influenced the biodiversity of the animals in their environment. There’s no better example of this than with dogs. While the different breeds of dogs can vary wildly in their traits, they all still share largely the same DNA. Biology students with a passion for ecology and animals can study the genetic variations between breeds, questioning how traits are selected and where the line is drawn between breed and species.
6. Observing Natural Selection in Local Fauna
Natural selection through environmental pressure is one of the driving mechanisms of evolution. Every ecosystem has unique factors that influence local flora and fauna. Students who are curious about this mechanism can observe them in their own environment; a Passion Project idea for students could be to study the course of natural selection in their local ecosystem, report on the historical changes in local flora and fauna over time, and identify the environmental pressures that lead to that change.
Find Expert Guidance with InGenius Prep
A student conducting a compelling project can vastly influence a student’s admissions results—especially if that project is unique, relevant to their field, and incorporates community outreach and leadership traits. Biology majors have no shortage of subjects in which to dedicate their studies. In that same vein—there are endless ideas for projects that align with your student’s passions. These ideas are just a spark to light one’s interest. The true results will be in how students express their passion through individual projects.
For in-depth guidance on passion projects and leadership initiatives, visit the Leadership and Innovation Lab, where students are paired with industry professionals to conduct compelling leadership projects based on their interests.
To learn more about the college admissions process, book a free strategy meeting with an InGenius Prep advisor to see how your student can get accepted into their dream school.
