By Hien Bui & Britney Tran
As COVID restrictions ease up or lift completely, there is tentative hope that these lighter guidelines leave room for summer plans that may not have been available in the last two years.
Summer programs are a great way for high schoolers to gain experience and insight into their future. This umbrella term runs the gamut from focused subject workshops like the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio to the increasingly common pre-college programs, which offer students a look into attendance at a college complete with a class schedule and residency.
However, with higher inflation expectations and still reeling from the financial effects of the pandemic, many wouldn’t feel comfortable spending hundreds to thousands for a few enriching weeks. Here are some summer programs that either offer free or reduced tuition for those planning their next few summers.
Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM)
- Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS) is a six-week immersion program at Boston University where “participants practice the art of discovery through their intensive efforts to prove fundamental mathematical ideas.” Open to all high school students, PROMYS attendees find creativity in math through lectures, seminars, or their own research guided by the program. Financial aid for the $5,150 price tag is available and the program is free for students whose family income is under $60,000.
- Research Science Institute (RSI) offers students the chance to work on projects under a research internship with the mentorship of veteran scientists. RSI is hosted at MIT and the six-week program is free for admitted applicants. Applications are limited to high school juniors and have closed for the 2022 summer, but next year’s STEM-focused juniors should keep an eye on this rigorous program.
- Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a residential program at Carnegie Mellon University that offers high school juniors exposure to higher level math that they will get college credit for with a specific focus on providing opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds. SAMS is a free program that runs for six weeks and, while the deadline has passed, it will be available next year for current sophomores. Carnegie Mellon also hosts a bevy of other summer programs that are free of charge.
- The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion programs are open to current sophomores and juniors who are interested in computer science. The program teaches coding, leading to a culminating final product, and has a strong network of female industry professionals. There are two-week immersion and six-week self-paced programs available for free with stipends for any extraneous costs.
Business and economics
- The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is a chance to get experience locally. Students who are enrolled in the program are entered into an eight week internship with nonprofits near them like Boys and Girls Clubs of America and receive insight on the intersection between nonprofits, government and businesses through a one week summit in Washington DC with congressional members. The program is open to current juniors and seniors and free.
- The Young Women’s Institute offers business workshops taught by business school faculty and the chance to hone business skills through case projects and presentations. The program, open to current juniors, is located at Indiana University and comes at no cost to attendees.
Writing
- The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) is an opportunity for passionate publications juniors to receive insight into the journalism world through workshops, lectures, tours of leading news outlets and by creating their own paper at the end of the ten day program. Hosted on Princeton’s campus, PSJP requires applicants to either have a combined household income of less than $60,000, qualify for free or reduced lunch or qualify for a SAT or ACT waiver. The program is free of cost and, while applications were due Feb. 28, the immersion program will likely be back next year for any current sophomores.
- The Cronkite Summer Journalism Institute provides hands-on digital and print journalism experience where students “will spend two weeks fully immersed in reporting and writing stories, producing newscasts and creating multimedia content”. Held at Arizona State University, the program is free of charge.
Arts
- The Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE) at the Academy of Art University is a tuition-free art and design scholarship program that exposes students to an educational career surrounding their creative abilities. Going forward from the program, students are given an opportunity to earn money towards their undergraduate studies upon deciding to enroll in the university. Students have the option to take courses on-campus or online.
- Available to junior and senior high school students, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Teen Program has a year-long program that allows students to interact with the music and life of the museum. Teens work alongside museum professionals and directly involve themselves in the work on an hourly wage as a jump-start to their creative careers. Based in Los Angeles, this program is cost-free.
Summer is a great time to expand your interests and focus on your own development and, no matter what your aspirations are, price should be as little of a limiting factor as possible. There are many other affordable or free opportunities out there and each one of them will provide an invaluable experience.
