Competitive applicants for top colleges, universities, and conservatories have taken their summers to develop their skills and talents. There are many, many summer camps for high school students across the country. Many universities host them. For many colleges, they are a great way to earn money for the institution. They also increase the likelihood of participants applying and attending their college. But, most of these, despite their hefty price tag, do very little to nothing to build the students' profile. That is certainly true at the most selective colleges and universities.
In order to help families find the selective summer camps, I have put together a couple of lists. This post, as well as the adjacent one on STEM focused programs, lists a number of selective summer camps generally highly respected by selective colleges and universities. Some are expensive. Others cost nothing but transportation. They all require applications, essays/auditions, and recommendations.
Since they are quite selective, it is wise to apply to additional programs as well. At Celtic College Consultants,
we have helped students find their passions, create a powerful college
prep plan, and be accepted into top universities across the country.
Performing Arts
Tanglewood Institute at Boston University
Annual two to eight week institutes for age 14-20 (incoming 9th-12th and first and second year collegians.) Costs range from $3,000 - $8,500. Financial assistance is available.
Applications are due January 29th and include an audition.
Indiana University music academies
varying dates
Annual two week programs for ballet dancers, pianists, saxophonists, string instrument players, percussionists from grades 7-12. The programs are residential and include staying in a dorm and meals on campus. Financial aid is available for the string and piano academies.
Applications are due at various times.
Interlochen Arts Academy
Each summer, Interlochen offers one, three, and six week long residential programs for people from third grade through twelfth grade in performing arts ranging from theatre to strings to harp to ballet to modern dance to organ to piano to singing to percussion to winds to motion picture arts to creative writing. Six week programs cost just over $9,000. Three week programs cost about $5,500. Financial aid is available.
The priority application deadline for programs which involve an audition is February 1.
Business for Women
Young Women's Institute (at Indiana U)
June
Four one week programs for women with 3.5 or higher GPAs. The only cost is your transportation to and from Bloomington, Indiana. Participants attend workshops with the business school faculty and prepare real world business case projects. They will build leadership and communication skills.
Applications are due by March 26th.
Journalism
JCamp
July 22 - 27, 2017
JCamp
is a six-day multi-cultural intensive journalism training for high school
students. Students learn from professional journalists and get hands-on
training in writing, photography, television broadcasting, online media,
and reporting. Sessions and workshops are led by experienced
journalists from top media companies.The program is open to freshman, sophomores, and juniors. All costs are covered, including airfare. In 2017, JCamp will be at Temple University.
Applications are due by March 12th.
Princeton U Summer Journalism Program for low income students
August 4 to August 14, 2017
Annually 35-40 high school students from low-income backgrounds every
summer to Princeton's campus for an intensive, 10-day seminar on
journalism. The program is for juniors with at least a 3.5. All expenses, including
students' travel costs to and from Princeton, are paid for by the
program. Students who attend the program come from across the country. The combined income of your custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) plus child support payments, if any, must not exceed $45,000. Only 11% of applicants are accepted.
Applications are due February 24th.
Cronkite Institute for High School Journalism Summer Journalism Institute
June 4-16, 2017
This selective program brings top-performing high school students to Arizona State U. for two weeks of intensive, hands-on experiences in broadcast and digital journalism. Students report and produce original stories and create an SJI website or news broadcast. Students are expected to cover their transportation to and from Phoenix as well as their incidental expenses.
Applications are due March 17th.
Leadership
U Pennsylvania - Leadership in the Business World
The Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania have six summer programs. These range from a program for international (non-American) students to programs open to 9th - 12th grade students to a program for rising seniors.
U Notre Dame - Leadership Seminars
July 15-26, 2017
Notre Dame Leadership Seminars explore topics affecting the global
community. The courses are centered around vibrant discussion and a
robust exchange of ideas. This creates a context in which students are
encouraged to examine their own conclusions and hone their own
leadership capacities by improving their communications and analytical
skills.
Expenses for students accepted to Leadership Seminars—including
transportation to and from Notre Dame—will be paid for by the
University except the $150 enrollment fee. Approximately 100 students are admitted to Leadership
Seminars each year, and students are eligible to receive one college
credit upon completion of the program. The program is for juniors with at least a 1360 on the new SAT, or 31 and above on the ACT.
Applications are due January 30th.
Economics
Economics for Leaders
various dates and sites
Economics for Leaders (EFL) is a selective one week long annual summer program that
teaches leaders how to integrate economics into the process of
decision-making in a hands-on, experiential environment. The goal of EFL is to give promising students the skills to be more
effective leaders and to teach them how to employ economic analysis when
considering difficult public policy choices. The program is competitive with approximately two applicants applying for each available space.
Through a partnership with the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs,
two semester hours of undergraduate credit are available to students
attending EFL. There is an additional fee of $244 for the credits and
students who opt to receive credit must complete additional assignments. Financial aid is available for the program.
Current sophomores and juniors are welcome to apply.
Early Application Deadline – Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Standard Application Deadline – Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Other
Yale Young Global Scholars
Yale offers a number of summer programs including sustainable development and social entrepreneurship, math and science, applied science and engineering, international affairs and security, biology and biomedical science, and politics, law, and economics.
Admission is selective. The median SAT is 2200 (of 2400) and the median ACT is 33. 30% of recent applicants were accepted. Applications are welcome from international students as well as Americans. Tuition is $5,800, which does not include transportation to and from New Haven, CT. Partial and Full need based scholarships are available.
Applications are due January 31st.
Other
Texas Tech - Clark Scholars
June 19-August 2, 2017
The Clark Scholar Program is an intensive seven week summer research program for highly
qualified high school juniors and seniors. Scholars to have a hands-on practical
research experience with outstanding and experienced faculty. The Scholars will receive a $750 tax-free stipend and room and board. This program provides opportunities for research in all academic areas in the university.
Research can be done in these areas: Accounting, Advertising, Agriculture Sciences, Animal & Food Sciences, Anthropology,
Architecture, Art, Autism, Bilingual Education, Biological Sciences, Business, Chemistry
and Biochemistry, Classical and Modern Languages, Communication Studies, Computer
Science, Dance, Design, Economics, Education, Electronic Media, Energy, Engineering,
Finance, Journalism, Nutritional Sciences, Geosciences, Health/Exercise/Sport Sciences,
History, Horticulture, Human Development & Family Studies, Law, Management, Marketing,
Mathematics and Statistics, Medicine, Music, Natural Resources Management, Philosophy,
Physics and Biophysics, Plant & Soil Sciences, Political Science, Psychology, Public
Relations, Social Sciences, Sociology, Theatre Arts.
Applications are due February 8th. International Students are eligible/welcome to apply. Applicants must be 17 by the time the program starts. Recent participants' SAT score was greater than 2276 (out of 2400) and PSAT was greater than 223.
Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
TASP is a free six week long program. Students attend TASPs because they want a personal and intellectual
challenge. Telluride Association seeks students from all kinds of
educational backgrounds who demonstrate intellectual curiosity and
motivation, rather than prior knowledge of the seminar’s subject matter.
TASPers participate solely for the pleasure and rewards of learning
with other intelligent, highly motivated students of diverse
backgrounds. The TASP offers no grades or college credit.
Each morning students attend seminars for lectures and involved discussions on various subjects. In the afternoon, participate in a public speaking program. One of the program’s remarkable features is that the students are
responsible for organizing most of their out-of-classroom time through
weekly group meetings and on smaller committees. This element of
self-government is an essential part of the TASP experience. Students
plan all kinds of activities, including group-wide discussions, field
games, community service projects, music and theater events, reading
groups, and excursions to state parks and art museums. Participants also
share responsibility for keeping their environment clean and safe.
