The way you spend your summer can speak volumes on your college applications. Top colleges regard summer activities as a means of better understanding applicants’ passions and interests, and determining the kind of community members they will be outside of the classroom. While there are an array of summer activities that can dazzle admissions officers, a competitive, merit-based summer program is an ideal opportunity to deepen your learning and demonstrate to colleges that your profile has been vetted by a rigorous selection committee—which goes a long way in the competitive admissions process.
What Our Mentors Have to Say:
Ibrahim: “Research programs and competitive academic programs are some of the most selective and the most well-regarded by top colleges… acceptance into these programs can be as difficult as getting into the Ivy League—and they can therefore be a strong indicator of a student’s Ivy League odds.”
– Ibrahim, Command Education Senior Mentor
Check out our Q&A with Ibrahim to find out more about how our Senior Mentors can help you craft a standout application to a top summer program!
Applying to these prestigious summer programs requires time, energy, and strategy—similar to the college process itself. Typically, deadlines for competitive programs fall in December and January—however, there are some programs whose deadlines have not yet passed. If you are interested in challenging yourself with an academic program this summer, now is the time to level up your application materials for these top programs:
KEY TIP
Because merit-based programs are so competitive—admissions rates for many fall below 10%—students should approach the summer planning process similar to the college admissions process itself, identifying safety, match, and reach options. Given that the deadlines for many top programs have passed, students should identify alternative summer plans such as internships, passion project development, summer jobs, and research opportunities that could enrich their applicant profile should they be rejected from one of the following programs. Check out Command Education’s complete guide to planning your summer to learn more about how you can wow admissions officers with a variety of different summer activities!
1. Harvard Ventures-TECH Summer Program (HVTSP)
- Ideal for: Students interested in start-ups who want to complete an internship
- Dates: Two, six-week summer sessions
- Session I: June 9th-July 18th, 2025
- Session II: July 7th-August 15th, 2025
- Location: Online
- Eligibility: 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders and international students
- Deadlines:
- Early Admission: February 28th, 2025
- Regular Admissions: April 14th, 2025
2. Wharton Leadership in the Business World
- Ideal for: Students interested in core business subjects and research-based theories of leadership.
- Dates:
- June 8th-June 28th, 2025
- June 29th-July 19th, 2025
- July 20th-August 9th, 2025
- Location: UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: 11th graders with a 3.5 GPA or higher
- Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: January 29th, 2025
- Final Deadline: April 2nd, 2025
3. The Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)
- Ideal for: Students interested in exploring the integration of technological concepts and management principles.
- Dates: July 6th-26th, 2025
- Location UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
- Deadline:
- Priority Deadline: January 29th, 2025
- Final Deadline: April 2nd, 2025
4. Engineering Summer Academy at Penn
- Ideal for: Students interested in exploring college-level engineering in the domains of: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, computer graphics, computer science, nanotechnology, and robotics.
- Dates: July 6th-25th, 2025
- Location: UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: Students must have completed their freshman year of high school and must be at least 15 years of age by the start of the program. Minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Deadline: March 1st, 2025
5. UCSB Research Mentorship Program
- Ideal for: Students interested in hands-on, interdisciplinary, university-level research.
- Dates: June 16th-August 1st
- Location: UC Santa Barbara Campus
- Eligibility: High school students in 10th or 11th grade with a minimum 3.8 weighted GPA
- Deadline: March 17th, 2025
6. Wharton’s Data Science Academy
- Ideal for: Students interested in data analytics.
- Dates: July 13th – August 2nd, 2025
- Location UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 10-11 with a strong background in math and coding.
- Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: January 29th, 2025
- Final Deadline: April 2nd, 2025
7. John Locke Institute
- Topics vary by campus. Ideal for students interested in:
- Oxford: Philosophy, politics, economics, history, law, and psychology.
- Princeton: Public Policy and Criminal Justice
- Georgetown: Global Affairs
- Nanjing: Economic and Finance
- Dates:
- Oxford: July 13th-26th; August 3rd-16th
- Princeton: July 20th-August 2nd
- Georgetown: July 20th- August 2nd
- Nanjing: July 1st-8th
- Locations: Princeton Campus, Oxford Campus, Georgetown Campus, Nanjing, China
- Eligibility: Range varies by location:
- Oxford: Students ages 15-19
- Princeton: Students ages 16-20
- Georgetown: Students ages 16-20
- Nanjing: Students ages 13-18
- Deadline: March 15th, 2025
8. PACT at Princeton
- Ideal for: Students interested in algorithmic and combinational thinking.
- Dates: June 25th-July 25th, 2025.
- Location: Virtual and on UPenn Campus, Virtual for students in Asia
- Eligibility: Any student who has completed grade 9.
- Deadline: Rolling admissions until March 16th, 2025.
9. Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists
- Ideal for: Students interested in studying advanced mathematics and completing a research project mentored by a professional mathematician.
- Dates: June 29th – August 9th, 2025
- Location: Boston University Campus
- Eligibility: Students at least 14 years of age who have completed 9th grade
- Deadlines: March 3rd, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST
10. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp
- Ideal for: Students interested in the fundamentals of CDC’s work, the field of public health and the science of epidemiology.
- Dates: June 23rd–27th or July 21st – 25th, 2025
- Location: CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia
- Eligibility: High school students during the summer before their junior or senior years who will be 16 on the first day of camp.
- Deadline: March 7th, 2025
If you’re ready to use this summer to stand out to admissions officers and ready yourself for rigorous college coursework, schedule your free consult today to discover how our Senior Mentors can help you craft standout applications to top summer programs!
