Top University Summer Programs For High School Students
While in high school, engaging in productive and meaningful experiences during the summer is essential. Most high school students maintain a good balance between enjoying themselves and delving deeper into their interests over the summer. Summer programs hosted by universities are one way of exploring your interests and considering potential career options.
Most top US colleges offer summer immersion programs, pre-college classes, and opportunities for high school students to earn credit in different fields of learning. These programs offer students an opportunity to apply their knowledge in the real world or explore specialized topics that deviate from traditional classroom learning.
While most summer programs are paid for, multiple unpaid programs and scholarship opportunities are available to those who qualify for grants and financial aid. Organizations such as QuestBridge partner with top colleges to offer scholars the opportunity to take college-level courses at different universities. This ensures that high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds are given a chance to explore their interests and learn about the college experience.
The benefits of summer programs
Summer programs offer high school students unique opportunities to engage in meaningful resume-building activities over summer break. Further, students gain a sense of independence upon traveling to new locations and meeting like-minded peers.
Summer programs allow students to build skills that are critical for college success. When living on their own, they learn to become more independent, improve their time management, and make their own decisions. These skills will be essential in easing the transition from high school to college.
They open up opportunities that students may not have access to during the school year. Specialized immersion programs and study abroad opportunities open new doors for students to explore their interests in new locations.
They help students network and build new connections. Making friends with peers who have similar passions allows students to exchange ideas and bond over shared interests. These connections will prove useful in the long run. Further, students have the opportunity to collaborate and start a venture that applies their knowledge to real life.
Top university summer programs for high school students
Here is a list of some of the top university summer programs for high school students, encompassing a variety of fields of interest including STEM, business, and performing arts.
California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
COSMOS is a four-week pre-college program for California high school students interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This highly selective summer program offers students the opportunity to work alongside esteemed faculty members, researchers, and scientists at its five locations: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz. COSMOS typically focuses on hands-on and lab-intensive experiences that cannot be found in the traditional classroom environment.
Research Science Institute (RSI)
RSI is a cost-free science and engineering summer program hosted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The program accepts 100 students internationally and provides them with the skills and knowledge to apply their understanding of scientific theory to create in-depth research projects. Through the process of this research internship, students work under the guidance of scientists and researchers to develop a project from scratch and culminate by delivering an oral report on their findings
Inspirit AI Scholars Program
Inspirit AI offers middle and high school students a chance to pursue AI ventures and create “AI for Social Good” projects under the mentorship of Stanford and MIT alumni and graduate students. The 10-session boot camp teaches students fundamental AI concepts and programming skills, introduces them to careers in AI, and offers college preparatory workshops for students applying to computer science majors. Throughout the program, students develop the skills needed to create their own AI ventures and lead socially impactful projects.
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
The Center for Talented Youth is a nonprofit located on the Johns Hopkins campus, which aims to foster intellectual growth in exceptional students from grades 2-12. The center provides a variety of advanced online and on-campus programs ranging from the fields of history, computer science, science and engineering, world languages, mathematics, and language arts. Specialized programs such as “CTY Research” further help students discover their passions outside of the classroom, and engage in research while exploring new topics and earning school credit.
Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)
The University of Pennsylvania's M&TSI summer program is a selective and rigorous opportunity open to rising high school juniors and seniors who are interested in the principles of technology and management. Classes are taught by leading faculty at Penn Engineering and the Wharton School, and participants have the opportunity to practice technological innovation by building a prototype and market plan for their own technological ventures.
Yale Young Global Scholars
Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) is a two-week academic enrichment program offering students the opportunity to learn about politics, literature, philosophy, economics, and global challenges. Students can engage with peers from 150+ countries and pursue their passions through 1000s of unique seminars offered each summer. Toward the end of the program, students create and present a collaborative capstone project.
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY)
BBAY is a two-week summer business program where middle and high school students work with Berkeley faculty and Ph.D. students to develop entrepreneurship, leadership, and presentation skills. 50 students from around the globe are chosen to take part in the high school program and explore different subjects in business through a hands-on approach; by participating in group projects, doing independent research, and learning to write a comprehensive business plan. Further, program participants can immerse themselves in the culture and life at UC Berkeley by participating in a variety of program activities.
Princeton Summer Journalism Program
The PSJP is a year-long hybrid journalism and college preparation program for high school juniors from limited-income backgrounds. Each summer, 40 students from across the US participate in a multi-week online intensive and attend lectures with renowned journalists, as well as take classes on arts, culture, history, and social events. In the on-campus section, students tour major news organizations, cover professional sports events, conduct investigative reports in the Princeton area, and edit and design their own newspaper: The Princeton Summer Journal. This program is entirely free for all participants.
Finding the right summer program for you
A variety of factors go into selecting the right summer program. It is essential to consider the content of the program, and whether it aligns with the student’s areas of interest. Different programs offer different areas of enrichment, whether they be academic or career-aligned. Further, one must consider the details of the program, including the fees, schedule, faculty in charge, and participating community. The “right” summer program should motivate the student to learn something new, explore their interests, and meet their academic and career goals. The most suitable university summer program will provide them with an opportunity to accomplish all of those while gaining independence and experiencing a college lifestyle.
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.
