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As admissions to top universities like Harvard are becoming more competitive, high schoolers are increasingly setting themselves apart from others through their choice in summer activities. With so many universities offering pre-collegiate programs students are often conflicted about which ones to participate in and left wondering which programs are actually worth it.
When all your peers are enrolling in the same competitive programs, you may feel obligated to do the same. But are these programs truly setting you apart from them and boosting your admission specs? At SK Education, we guide our students through making the most of their summers and boosting their admission prospects. With that said, here are some things to consider for the summer and top programs you may be interested in.
Work towards your goals and passions
The best summer experiences are well spent when they align with your goals and passions. Perhaps you are interested in increasing climate literacy in your area. Taking on a public service project like pioneering a clean energy program for your community can truly show you are committed to your goals and are working towards making a difference in the world. If you are someone who does not have the financial resources to support your goals, don’t be afraid to take on a local job or internship. There are a multitude of ways for you to show your determination and create a path for yourself. However, if you want a specific program, here is a list of some our students have enjoyed the most:
General Programs
- Duration: 6 Weeks; June 25- August 5, 2023
- Eligibility: 10th & 11th grade students
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- Cost: Free!
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- General Description: Students participate in a free educational experience filled with college-level academic seminars in a democratic community.
Leadership/Business Programs
- Duration: 8 Weeks
- Eligibility: 10th & 11th grade students, legally authorized to work in the U.S.
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- Cost: You get paid!
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- General Description: Students participate in 8-week paid internship with a local nonprofit organization, 1-week long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. & more.
- Duration: 1 Week
- Eligibility: 10th & 11th grade students
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- Cost: $2,100+
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- General Description: Students will learn the economic concepts that shape the global economy and learn how to integrate them into their communities. They may also opt-in for undergraduate college credit
- Duration: 5-Weeks
- Eligibility: 9th – 12th grade students
- Cost: $5980+
- General Description: Students learn from industry experts to launch a startup with like minded peers.
- Duration: 10 days
- Eligibility: rising 12th grade students
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- Cost: $150 enrollment fee
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- General Description: Students will learn alongside equally as academically-talented students to participate in seminars. They may receive 1 transferable college credit upon completing the program.
- Duration: 3 Weeks
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
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- Cost: $7,299+
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- General Description: Students engage in classes with Wharton professors and business leaders to have an opportunity to refine their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.
- Duration: 4-6 Weeks
- Eligibility: 10th 12th grade students, LA county residents
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- Cost: You get paid!
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- General Description: Students in LA County partner with various arts, media, engineering, business, government, healthcare, and sports companies to learn and apply job skills.
- Duration: 2 Weeks
- Eligibility: 16 years+, 10th-11th grade students
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- Cost: $6,500
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- General Description: Students participate in interdisciplinary summer sessions and immerse themselves in Yale tradition and culture.
Research Programs
- Duration: 6 Weeks
- Eligibility: 11th grade students
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- Cost: $5,100+
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- General Description: Students can choose from two tracks: Internship and Practicum. There students can conduct research in one of Boston University’s laboratories while advancing their STEM knowledge.
- Duration: 4 Weeks
- Eligibility: California high school students
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- Cost: $4,770
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- General Description: Students choose from one of four University of California’s campuses (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz) to work alongside renowned faculty in their own research.
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Eligibility: Rising 12th graders and college undergraduates
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- Cost: $3,700+
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- General Description: Students work alongside Garcia Center faculty, students, and staff to conduct their own independent research. They also have the opportunity to publish their research.
- Duration: 10 Weeks
- Eligibility: 16 years+, 10th-11th grade students
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- Cost: $6,250 stipend
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- General Description: Students who are interested in genetics and genomics research can participate in ongoing research alongside a mentor. They then get to present their research.
- Duration: 5 Weeks
- Eligibility: Current 11th grade students
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- Cost: Free!
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- General Description: Students engage in and apply their campus coursework to their off-campus work in science and technology research.
- Duration: 8 Weeks
- Eligibility: 17 years+ (high school seniors)
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- Cost: They pay you a stipend!
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- General Description: Students will work with NIH mentors in full-time biomedical research. Participants will engage in workshops, seminars, wellness programming and more.
- Duration: 6 Weeks
- Eligibility: 10th-11th grade students
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- Cost: $4,500 for the online program & $7,500 for the in-person program
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- General Description: Students may earn 3 semester hours of undergraduate credit in a summer research program where they have the opportunity to work on their own independent research under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Eligibility: Current 11th grade students
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- Cost: No tuition fees but participants are required to pay for their own transportation, dining & residential expenses
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- General Description: Students have the opportunity to engage in hands-on research in science, engineering, or mathematics with faculty mentors.
- Duration: 8 Weeks
- Eligibility: 11th-12th grade students
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- Cost: They give you a stipend!
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- General Description: Students work alongside Stanford faculty on a medically-oriented project.
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
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- Cost: $750
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- General Description: Students will participate in intensive summer research alongside experienced faculty.
Female-Identifying/Equity-Based Specific Programs
- Duration: 2 Weeks
- Eligibility: 9th-11th grade students
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- Cost: Free
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- General Description: Students will learn beginner to intermediate computer science concepts with an emphasis on game design. They will be able to use the iterative design process, UX design basics, and more.
- Duration: 1 Week
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
- Cost: Free!
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- General Description: Students will have the opportunity to prepare a real-world business case project, participate in workshops run by Kelley School of Business faculty, and build leadership and communication skills.
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- Duration: 5 Weeks
- Eligibility: low-income, first-generation high school juniors residing in Northern California
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- Cost: Free
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- General Description: Working alongside medical professionals, faculty and college students, SMYSP students have the opportunity to participate in an immersive public health disparities research project, faculty lectures, development workshops, and networking events.
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Eligibility: 16 years+, 10th-11th grade students
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- Cost: They pay you a stipend!
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- General Description: In a paid full-time structured research program, students work with Monell scientists and present their research.
Technology/Computer Science/Mathematics Programs
- Duration: 5 Weeks
- Eligibility: 13 – 18 years
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- Cost: $5,000
- General Description: With a vibrant community united under a passion for mathematics, students can explore new ways of thinking in undergraduate and graduate-level problems.
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- Duration: 6 Weeks
- Eligibility: No set age range
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- Cost: $5,780
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- General Description: Students will actively participate in workshops centered on investigating mathematical programs. They will then have the opportunity to regroup into “maxi-courses” and “mini-courses” for a deep dive into understanding particular problems and fields of interest.
- Duration: 6 Weeks (MITES Summer) – 1 Semester (MITES Semester)
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
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- Cost: Free!
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- General Description: In MITES Summer, students participate in a six-week residential program and engage with like minded peers interested in pursuing STEM. In MITES Semester, students will take five courses and receive mentorship from a current undergraduate student.
- Duration: 5 Weeks
- Eligibility: 14- 17 years
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- Cost: $4,950
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- General Description: In a high intensive summer program students will learn mathematics at the undergraduate and graduate level, which often includes current research-level mathematics.
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Eligibility: Current 11th grade students
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- Cost: $4,000
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- General Description: Aimed to prepare students who are passionate about science, engineering, or mathematics for a career path of their choice through in-depth projects.
- Duration: 2 Weeks
- Eligibility: No age range
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- Cost: $2,575
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- General Description: Designed to introduce high school students to current science and mathematics research and developments.
- Duration: 6 Weeks
- Eligibility: 15-18 years
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- Cost: $6,000
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- General Description: An intensive summer program for students to immerse themselves into mathematical proofs in an effort to lead them towards mathematica research.
- Duration: 6 Weeks
- Eligibility: 14-18 years
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- Cost: $6,000
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- General Description: Students have the opportunity to participate in mathematics-based projects and advanced seminars beyond the high school level.
- Duration: 4 Weeks
- Eligibility: 10th-11th grade students
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- Cost: $8,250
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- General Description: Students participate in an intensive study of mathematics through lectures, research, and group problem solving.
Journalism Programs
- Duration: 1 Week
- Eligibility: 9th-12th grade students
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- Cost: $399
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- General Description: Choosing from three tracks (digital journalism, broadcast journalism, and sports media), students will learn effective methods to reporting, pitching, storytelling, editing, and media techniques.
- Duration: 6 days
- Eligibility: 9th – 11th grade students
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- Cost: Free!
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- General Description: Students interested in broadcasting, newspaper, magazine, photojournalism, and online media will learn the fundamentals of leadership, the importance of diversity in the newsroom, and hands-on training for multimedia news platforms.
- Duration: 10 days in-person
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students from limited-income backgrounds
- Cost: Free!
- General Description: After attending online workshops and lectures, students will learn the skills necessary to produce their own newspaper, cover news in the Princeton area, start a group blog, and report, write and design their own newspaper.
Military/Naval/Air Force Programs
- Duration: 4 days
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
- Cost: $300
- General Description: Students will experience life as a cadet at the Air Force Academy
- Duration: 1 week
- Eligibility: 16-18 years
- Cost: $750
- General Description: Students will experience life as a cadet at the coast guard.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students
- Cost: $625
- General Description: Students will experience life as a cadet at the U.S. military
- Duration: 6 days
- Eligibility: 9th -11th grade students
- Cost: $550
- General Description: Students will experience life as a cadet at the U.S. navy.
Key Takeaways
- Consider summer experiences outside of pre-collegiate programs
- If you are interested in pre-collegiate programs, select a program that is catered to your interests
