12 Data Science Summer Programs for High School Students
Data is one of the biggest and most valuable assets in today's digital age. From predicting market trends to finding patterns in large datasets, data science has significant roles in various industries. As the demand for data scientists continues to grow, many universities and organizations have created summer programs specifically designed to introduce high school students to the field of data science and foster a new generation of data scientists.
In this blog, we will provide a list of 12 data science summer programs for high school students with a variety of focuses and locations. These programs offer hands-on experience, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to real-world data science projects. Some programs listed are for beginners with no prior experience in data science, while others are more advanced and require a basic understanding of programming and statistics. Regardless of the level, these programs aim to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to address complex data problems and make meaningful contributions in the field.
Wharton Global Youth Program - Data Science Academy
The Data Science Academy at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the most prestigious and competitive programs for high school students interested in data science. This three-week program offers a rigorous curriculum that covers topics such as understanding data, the fundamentals of statistics and probability, and machine learning. Students will have the opportunity to work on a final project with a team of other participants and present to their peers at the end of the program. High-schoolers, including international students, who are in grade 10 or 11 with a strong background in math and coding and interest in data analytics are eligible.
DSI Summer Lab @ UChicago
This data science program is an 8-week paid summer research program hosted at the University of Chicago for high school students and undergraduates. High school students applying to this program must reside in the Chicago area, and should have some experience with at least one programming language. This program will cover topics like data visualization, machine learning, and statistical analysis. Students will be paired with a research mentor and work to publish their findings at the end of the program.
Inspirit AI Scholars
This data science program is an online 25-hour summer program taught by MIT, Stanford and various other alumni open to high-schoolers of any experience. If you're a beginner to data science and machine learning, this program is for you! It caters to all experience levels and students will get an opportunity to build their own AI project in a field that interests them. Students will then present their projects to the panel of parents, students, and mentors.
Aspiring Scientists’ Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
This program is an 8-week unpaid research internship that is hosted at George Mason University. This internship allows students to conduct in-depth research on a subject of their choosing, work with a research mentor, and present their work to a panel of researchers. This can be a great opportunity for students to delve into data science, and learn more about the research process itself. This internship not only provides valuable hands-on experience in data science but also offers networking opportunities with professionals in the field, fostering potential future collaborations and career connections.
Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars
This four-week summer program for high school students over 16 years of age provides the opportunity to expand skills in computer science. For data science, computer science can be a foundational skill that students can build upon. By participating in the Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars program, students can gain a strong understanding of computer science principles and apply them to data science projects. This program also offers a blend of in-class instruction, practical research projects, faculty talks, and industry engagement with top tech companies.
MIT Research Science Institute
This six-week summer program for current high school juniors offers an immersive research experience in various scientific disciplines, including data science. Participants go through the complete research process from beginning to end: from carrying out a detailed research plan to presenting their findings in conference-style verbal and written academic reports. This program not only offers a comprehensive deep dive into data science, but also the research skills necessary for success in the field.
Code Connects with Columbia University
This five-week data science summer program offers an opportunity for high school students to gain concrete technical skills in data science. Students will be educated in conducting research and will even have the option to work on current research being undertaken at the Columbia University Data Science Institute. Students will build a research project and presentation that they can list in their college applications while also working as research assistants to Columbia University professors and PhD candidates, as well as other top university instructors.
University of the Pacific Data Science Bootcamp
This data science summer program for high school students is hosted at University of the Pacific. Students will investigate the Artificial Intelligence movement and teach students the fundamentals of this technology. Students will learn basic Python programming skills as well as how to study, interpret, and control data. They will also be provided the opportunity to construct systems that detect patterns in various forms of data and generate predictions based on those patterns. Through hands-on projects and real-world case studies, students will gain practical experience in applying AI techniques to solve complex problems.
Columbia University Pre-College Program: Data Science and Machine Learning 1 & 2
This data science summer program for high school students will introduce the fundamentals of data science, as well as explore various career options. Students will explore how data science and machine learning impact the environment in which we live every day. Through participating in this program, students can gain hands-on experience with beginner Python coding and become familiar with common machine learning algorithms. The second part of the course will go further into Python to achieve more sophisticated programming skills and will evaluate data and produce data visualizations using a number of mathematical tools (statistics, linear algebra, and probability).
UConn Pre-College Summer: Data Science
This data science summer program for high school students teaches the most important data science principles. Through this program, students learn the fundamentals of data science computing skills such as data processing, visualization, and analysis. They will also gain experience in programming in R in order to run game simulations. This program provides ample opportunity to practice on real-world applications with data ranging from climate change to sports.
NextGen Bootcamp: Python Data Science and Machine Learning Summer Program
In this data science bootcamp for high school students, the principles of Python programming, as well as its applications in data science and machine learning, will be covered. Students will quickly learn Python and be ready to use it for data analysis projects; they will also cover the foundations of data science, with emphasis on Pandas, Matplotlib, and Sci-Kit learn in Python, ultimately showing students how to deal with data in a more analytical and complex manner.
Inspirit AI 1:1 Program: AI + X Individual Research
Inspirit AI provides a 1-on-1 research mentoring program for more experienced high school students to work with an experienced research mentor individually. Students in this 1:1 program will start by collecting insights from massive datasets, then identify critical problems in today’s society and engineer machine learning models to solve them. Students can choose data science as their focus area and explore a variety of topics in the field. By the end of the program, students will have gained a deep understanding of data science concepts and practical skills that can be applied to real-world problems. They would also be provided an opportunity to publish their work to academic journals!
Conclusion
Overall, participating in a summer program to immerse yourself in data science is a great idea as it offers a unique opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in the field and collaborate with like-minded peers. By actively involving yourself in hands-on projects, you can develop a strong portfolio of work that showcases your expertise in data science, which can greatly enhance your career prospects in this rapidly growing field.
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
