High-achieving students and their families know that learning doesn’t just happen during the school year. Summer is a great time to advance your studies and get a leg up on the college admissions process by taking rigorous academic enrichment courses, securing competitive internships, and learning skills that supplement your academic interests.
At Top Tier Admissions, we work with our Private Counseling students to create a personalized, strategic summer schedule that balances both learning opportunities and (*gasp*) fun. Here are a few, from college-credit bearing to fee-based programs, that we’ve recommended in recent years.
*Note that all deadlines are based on Summer 2023 application data. For the most up-to-date deadlines and information, refer to the relevant program websites.
TOP STEM PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Research Science Institute: One of the nation’s top summer research programs, each year RSI provides 100 rising high school seniors with the enviable opportunity to pursue individual projects under the mentorship of highly-accomplished scientists and researchers — at no cost! Securing admission to RSI is an impressive feat that college admissions officers will be sure to notice and value.
Application deadline: December/January.
Boston University’s RISE (Research in Science & Engineering) Internship / Practicum: Another highly-competitive program for rising seniors, RISE selects 130 students from across the U.S. each summer to conduct laboratory research under the tutelage of BU faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. Like all pre-college programs, participation in RISE does not guarantee admission to the university. However, it does offer students the opportunity to establish meaningful connections with BU faculty, who may provide critical guidance on your learning and career trajectory.
Application deadline: February.
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program: The eight-week SIMR is a fantastic, free program for students who plan to pursue a career in medicine. Participants learn from Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and researchers in an intimate research setting. (Participants also receive a stipend for participation.) Juniors and seniors from across the U.S. are welcome to apply, with those from Northern California having a significant advantage in the selection process.
Application deadline: February.
NIH High School Summer Internship Program: Each summer, the National Institutes of Health (the U.S. federal agency responsible for conducting and supporting medical research) invites successful applicants to engage in full-time, paid biomedical research internships across the NIH’s more than 1150 laboratories and research projects. HS-SIP is a highly competitive and very rigorous program open to high-achieving, U.S.-based high school juniors and seniors.
Application deadline: February.
Summer Science Program: A nonprofit funded largely by alumni and former faculty of the program, each year SSP selects 36 participants (mostly juniors and seniors) to work in small research teams of three on projects from a designated group of subfields (the 2023 program included opportunities in astrophysics, biochemistry, and genomics).
Application deadline: February (international students) and March (domestic students).
Polygence: For students who are looking for remote opportunities, consider Polygence’s Core Program, which pairs students with expert mentors to work 1:1 on unique research projects. Polygence has partnered with the Gifted and Talented Institute at University of California Irvine to award college credit for research papers that meet certain requirements.
Application deadline: Rolling, but July 1 for college-credit-bearing summer projects.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University: The Anson L. Clark Scholars program is a seven-week, no-cost intensive research program open to extraordinary students from all academic areas, including STEM and the humanities. The program is highly competitive: successful applicants (who must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date) consistently rank in the 99th percentile on standardized testing and summer cohorts are limited to only about 12 participants.
Application deadline: February.
UCSB Research Mentorship Program: High-achieving rising juniors and seniors from all academic disciplines are invited to apply to the UCSB Research Mentorship Program, which pairs students with research mentors to work on projects in a wide variety of disciplines, from the sciences to Anthropology to Environmental Policy to Media, Arts & Tech. Beyond their research, participants also enjoy “Ground-breaking Research/Innovative Technology,” or GRIT talks, at which researchers from the UC Santa Barbara community present their work, throughout the summer.
Application deadline: March.
SEMINARS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
The Great Books Summer Program and St. John’s College Summer Academy: Bookworms, look no further! For students who have a passion for reading, the Great Books Summer Program, open to middle and high school students, and St. John’s College Summer Academy, open to high school students ages 15-18, offer both online and in-person seminars on topics from a variety of disciplines.
Application deadline: Rolling (Great Books) and May (St. John’s).
Telluride Association Summer Seminar: TASS is a free, six-week program open to rising juniors and seniors with a demonstrated interest in the humanities and social sciences. Students study in one of two areas — Critical Black Studies or Anti-Oppressive Studies — attending seminars, writing essays, and participating in a democratic community of like-minded peers.
Application deadline: January.
Yale Young Global Scholars: Successful applicants to Yale’s two-week Young Global Scholars program pursue a rich curriculum encompassing both seminar- and lecture-style learning along one of four designated “tracks”: STEM, social sciences, humanities, or cross-disciplinary studies. The program’s mission to “[empower] the next generation of leaders by building a global community and […] deepen understanding […] across all borders” is reflected in the very name of the program, and successful applicants in this diverse program tend to emphasize this value.
Application deadline: November (early action) and January (regular decision).
Princeton James Madison Program: The competitive James Madison Program for upper-level high school students and rising college freshmen provides successful applicants with the opportunity to participate in a one-week seminar on American political life on the campus of Princeton University.
Application deadline: February.
Stanford Summer Humanities Institute: Each summer, Stanford invites successful applicants going into their junior and senior years to its California campus for a three-week program exploring topics of the humanities. Students engage in intimate seminars led by Stanford humanities professors across a wide range of topics, from ancient Greek philosophy to magical realism.
Application deadline: February.
GENERAL PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER PROGRAMS
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth: Johns Hopkins’ CTY offers both online and on-campus courses for motivated learners grades 2-12 with varied courses from “Backyard Habitats” for third and fourth graders to “Epidemiology” for high school students.
Application deadline: May.
Notre Dame Summer Scholars: High school students in the University of Notre Dame’s Summer Scholars pre-college program spend two weeks on or off campus taking a college-level course led by a Notre Dame faculty member. Courses include “Data Visualizing and Storytelling,” “Psychology and the Self,” and much, much more.
Application deadline: February.
Columbia University Summer Immersion: Columbia University similarly provides high school students (ages 16 and older) and rising college freshmen with the opportunity to spend up to three weeks on campus pursuing a rigorous college-level course from a variety of subject areas. Online and commuter options are also available.
Application deadline: Rolling, but courses fill up quickly.
TTA Tip: If you’re interested in taking a summer course, don’t limit yourself to pre-college programs. Instead, check out your local community college and enroll in the summer session to earn college credit.
STATE SCHOLARS PROGRAMS
Several states have instituted state-wide summer scholars programs to recognize the achievements of extraordinary high school students. The Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools offer hands-on training in STEM fields via programs hosted by Carnegie Mellon and Penn State University. And in neighboring New Jersey, the New Jersey Scholars Program annually selects 39 scholars from a pool of applicants nominated by high schools across the state to participate in a tuition-free, five-week summer enrichment program. Research your state’s education websites for similar programs and find out how you can become eligible.
PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIPS & PROGRAMS
Beyond the lab and the classroom, there are also countless professional internships and programs available to students who know where to look for them.
TTA Tip: Top Tier Admissions clients in either of our platinum programs: Private Counseling or Application Boot Camp®, receive full access to our resource library, including our Summer Guide and our Contests & Awards Guide!
The School of The New York Times: News outlets and publications like The New York Times have a vested interest in training the next generation of journalists. At this Summer Academy students learn from award-winning New York Times journalists and experts from a wide range of disciplines.
Application deadline: January (early deadline) through April (regular deadline).
Bank of America Student Leaders: Each year, Bank of America pairs 300 high school juniors and seniors with local nonprofit organizations where they complete unique, eight-week, paid internships. Students also partake in a week‐long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., engaging with peers from across the nation.
Application deadline: January.
TOP SUMMER PROGRAMS: WE CAN HELP
There are so many programs out there it’s hard to keep track. Our Private Counseling program includes curated summer suggestions and clear action plans to ensure your summer will help you truly stand out in the college application process. The ultimate goal? Show admissions officers that you’re the kind of student who knows how to take initiative.
PS. Remember that even if you’re spending your summer in the lab or in the classroom, it’s equally important to get outside, get active, and have some fun!
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