10 Summer Programs for High School Students in Atlanta
10 Summer Programs for High School Students in Atlanta
Summer programs provide high school students with a solid opportunity to explore their interests, gain practical experience, and strengthen their academic and professional profiles. These programs offer a diverse array of experiences, from hands-on research and internships to creative arts and entrepreneurship, all within a supportive and enriching environment.
Whether you're interested in diving into advanced research, exploring the arts, or launching a business venture, summer programs can be instrumental in helping you achieve your goals. For students in Atlanta, here’s a comprehensive list of summer programs designed to foster academic, professional, and personal growth. These experiences can serve as a pivotal part of your high school journey, setting the stage for success in college and beyond.
The Lumiere Education Research Programs provide high school students with an exceptional opportunity to delve into university-level research across a diverse range of academic disciplines. These programs are crafted to foster intellectual curiosity and develop essential research skills, offering mentorship from experts affiliated with prestigious institutions. Whether you're interested in artificial intelligence, business, art history, psychology, gender studies, or environmental studies, Lumiere's programs offer a tailored experience to suit various academic interests and career aspirations.
The Individual Research Program: A 12-week course featuring personalized mentoring, writing coaching, and workshops, culminating in a 15-page research paper.
The Premium Research & Publication Program: Extends over 16-20 weeks, providing more in-depth mentorship, additional coaching, and guidance toward publishing the research.
The Research Fellowship: Spanning 6-12 months, this program offers extensive mentoring, original data collection opportunities, and comprehensive support for publication.
Each program is designed to develop students' research skills and prepare them for university-level academic work.
Location: Remote! You can participate from anywhere in the world.
Cost: $2,800. Need-based financial aid is available.
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary based on cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school. Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4).
2. Veritas AI
Veritas AI provides high school students with an in-depth introduction to the fields of data science and artificial intelligence (AI), offering several tailored programs to suit different levels of experience and interests. Founded and led by Harvard alumni, these programs offer a strong foundation in AI concepts and practical know-how, along with the opportunity to work on significant projects under the guidance of experienced mentors.
Veritas AI offers three distinct programs to high school students interested in artificial intelligence.
The AI Scholars Program: Designed for beginners, this program provides a foundational 25-hour course covering key AI topics like linear regression and convolutional neural networks, culminating in a collaborative group project.
The AI Fellowship: A more advanced 12-15 week program, the AI Fellowship is ideal for students with some programming experience. It offers one-on-one mentorship to develop a novel AI project, with a focus on creating a significant and original contribution to the field.
Deep Dive Programs: These specialized tracks, such as AI + Medicine and AI + Finance, allow students to explore AI applications in specific industries. The curriculum includes focused projects and case studies to deepen understanding in these areas.
Location: Virtual.
Cost: $1,490 for the AI Scholars program (The 10-week boot camp) | $4,200 for the AI Fellowship (the 12–15-week 1-1 mentorship) | $4,700 for both. Need-based financial aid is available.
Program dates: Multiple cohorts run throughout the year.
Application deadline: Rolling. Applications for the summer are between February and May.
Eligibility: High school students from around the world with a keen interest in AI can apply. For the AI Fellowship program, applicants will either need to complete the AI Scholars program or have had experience with AI concepts or Python.
Ladder Internships offer high school students a unique chance to gain practical experience by working with startups across various industries. This remote internship program is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in real-world projects, guided by experienced managers. Participants can explore diverse fields such as health tech, environmental science, engineering, tech/deep tech, machine learning/AI, non-profits, fashion tech, consulting, mental health, and media/journalism.
The program kicks off with a comprehensive placement process where you will be matched with companies based on your particular interests and career goals, as well as a manager within the startup. This matching ensures that each project aligns with your aspirations and provides valuable experience for your future endeavors. Additionally, you will also be paired with a Ladder Coach, a secondary mentor who offers additional support and guidance throughout the 8-week program.
During the internship, students work on significant projects that contribute to their host companies. By the end of the program, interns are required to present their work to their company and fellow interns, showcasing their contributions and learning outcomes.
Location: Virtual.
Cost/Stipend: $1990, 100% need-based financial aid available.
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students.
The Horizon Academic Research Program offers high school students a unique trimester-long opportunity to engage in advanced research across a wide range of disciplines, including data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. This online program is distinct in its flexibility, allowing participants to choose between quantitative and qualitative research methods based on their interests.
As a participant in this research program, you will start by selecting a specific subject track and will then be paired with a professor or PhD scholar from a prestigious university, who will serve as your mentor throughout the research process. The program is structured to guide you from the initial stages of selecting a research topic to the final stages of writing a comprehensive 20-page research paper. You will be introduced to various research methodologies, including traditional qualitative approaches like argumentative essays and literature reviews, as well as empirical analysis using publicly available datasets.
Throughout the program, mentors provide personalized guidance and detailed feedback, helping students refine their research questions, methodologies, and scientific writing. Additionally, successful participants in the program often have the opportunity to submit their work to academic journals and conferences!
Location: Virtual.
Cost: VariesProgram dates: Summer seminar - June 24, 2024 - September 2, 2024 | Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025 | Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Application deadline: May 21, 2024, for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
The Young Founders Lab is an intensive startup boot camp specifically designed for high school students, founded and operated by Harvard entrepreneurs. This program offers a unique opportunity for participants to develop and launch revenue-generating startups that address real-world problems.
The program is structured into three distinct phases, each focusing on different aspects of startup development. In the first phase, students delve into business fundamentals and the ideation process. They explore various business models and begin formulating their startup concepts, learning essential skills for entrepreneurship through interactive classes, workshops, and panel discussions.
In the second phase, participants conduct market and user research to validate their ideas. This involves building a prototype testing its feasibility, and subsequently gathering feedback to refine the product or service. Students learn how to assess market needs and adjust their strategies accordingly, gaining practical experience in product development.
The final phase of the Young Founders Lab focuses on launching the startup and working towards gaining traction and generating revenue. The program culminates in a demo day, where participants present their startups to a panel of potential investors.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops.
Cost: $2900. Need-based financial aid is available.
Program dates: The 2024 edition of the program starts on June 5th and spans over 4 weeks.
Application deadline: There are 3 application deadlines that you can choose between:
Early Decision Deadline: March 17th, 2024
Regular Admission Deadline 1: April 14, 2024
Regular Admission Deadline 2: May 12th, 2023
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students.
The CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp (DDC) is a unique and interdisciplinary educational program that offers high school students a deep dive into the world of public health and epidemiology. Held at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, this camp provides an immersive experience of the diverse and impactful work undertaken by the organization. As a fast-paced and academically demanding program, DDC immerses students in a range of public health topics, challenging them to think critically and work collaboratively as part of a diverse team of aspiring disease detectives.
In this camp, you will be introduced to a broad spectrum of public health such as global health issues, the epidemiology of infectious and chronic diseases, and injury prevention. Activities are designed to be highly interactive and engaging, where you will get the chance to participate in re-created outbreak investigations, mock conferences, laboratory sessions, and much more. Additionally, the camp also delves into the intricacies of data analysis and surveillance, equipping students with the skills to collect and interpret public health data.
Location: David J. Sencer CDC Museum, Atlanta.
Cost: This program is fully funded.
Program dates: June 24 - July 28, 2024, and July 22 - July 26, 2024.
Application deadline: Closed for 2024. Applications typically close in March.
Eligibility: Current sophomores or juniors who will be 16 years old on the first day of the camp.
The Winship Cancer Institute's Summer Scholars Research Program at Emory University is a distinctive opportunity for high school seniors to engage in cancer research. Participants in the Summer Scholars Research Program are selected from a competitive pool of applicants, with only ten to twelve students chosen to work closely with Winship's esteemed physicians and lab-based researchers.
Each student is paired with a mentor, who guides them through a research project involving various aspects of oncology, including molecular biology, clinical trials, patient care, and epidemiological studies. Beyond the lab, the program includes a rich schedule of activities designed to broaden students' perspectives on the field of oncology such as academic as well as career-oriented lectures from a diverse group of specialists, field trips to notable institutions such as the David J. Sencer CDC Museum and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Location: Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, Atlanta
Stipend: Participants receive a stipend of $2,400 upon completion of the program.
Program dates: June 10 - July 19, 2024.
Application deadline: Closed for 2024. Applications typically open in October.
Eligibility: Rising or graduating seniors who are at least 17 years old by the first day of the program.
The Science, Technology, and Engineering Pipeline (STEP) Program at Georgia Tech is a unique and immersive experience for high school students in the Atlanta area, particularly those interested in engineering. Sponsored by the Georgia Tech Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and supported by industry giants like Lockheed Martin and the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, this program offers a hands-on introduction to engineering and technology.
Unlike typical engineering summer camps, STEP provides a hands-on, real-world experience that challenges students to engage in active research and problem-solving. Participants in the STEP program are grouped into teams and assigned a challenge problem, which is inspired by ongoing research efforts at Georgia Tech. These problems are open-ended and have no pre-designed solutions, encouraging students to think creatively and innovatively. Under the guidance of Georgia Tech faculty mentors, students work collaboratively to design, develop, and prototype solutions. After the two-week program, students present their work in a poster session to a panel of academic and industry experts, as well as their families and teachers.
Location: Georgia Tech campus, Atlanta
Cost: Free. The program is fully funded.
Program dates: July 8 – July 19, 2024.
Application deadline: March 22, 2024. Acceptance notifications are sent by April 3, 2024.
Eligibility: High school students residing in Georgia who are at least 16 years old can apply.
The SCAD Rising Star program is an immersive, five-week pre-college experience designed for rising high school seniors who are eager to explore creative fields while earning college credit. Hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), this program provides students with a taste of university life while allowing them to enhance their portfolios and build skills in their chosen disciplines. Participants enroll in two college-level courses and are guided by SCAD's renowned faculty throughout the program. These courses span a variety of creative subjects, from animation to fashion technology, and are designed to prepare students for future academic success.
During the program, you will receive one-on-one guidance from SCAD's renowned faculty who provide personalized mentorship throughout the course. The small class sizes, with studio courses capped at 20 students and lecture courses at 30, ensure a focused and engaging learning environment. The curriculum spans a variety of disciplines, offering introductory foundation studies, general education classes, and major-specific electives. Completing the program with a high GPA can significantly bolster your application to SCAD or other institutions, as the credits earned may be transferred, offering a head start on your college education.
Location: Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah and Atlanta campuses)
Cost: $6,334; need-based financial aid is available.
Program dates: June 16 – July 19, 2024
Application deadline: May 31, 2024. Applications typically open in September.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors can apply.
The MSM S.T.E.A.M. Academy: Authentic Research Academy is an enriching program designed for high school students, particularly those interested in exploring careers in biomedical research and the broader STEAM fields. This program is designed to immerse students in scientific research, providing them with hands-on experience in lab settings and exposure to cutting-edge scientific instrumentation and techniques.
During the six-week program, participants are paired with research mentors from the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), who guide them through scientific investigations. The curriculum includes mini-courses and workshops on topics such as health equity, careers in the health sciences, critical thinking, and career planning. These experiences aim to build a solid foundation for students as they prepare for college and future careers in STEAM disciplines.
Location: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta.
Cost: $1,000
Program dates: June 4 - July 12, 2024
Application deadline: Closed for 2024. Applications are typically open from February to March.
Eligibility: Open to rising 10th through rising 12th-grade students with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.