10 Business Research Programs for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in business research, participating in a research program in the field can help you develop an entrepreneurial mindset and explore concepts beyond your school curriculum.
Business research involves collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and converting data into usable insights to make informed decisions within an organization. A business research program will teach you how to evaluate performance against industry benchmarks and identify areas for improvement to stay competitive.
Participating in a research program will allow you to collaborate on business ideas, develop comprehensive business plans, deliver presentations, and acquire essential soft skills such as teamwork, networking, and public speaking while enhancing your business expertise. These programs can also strengthen your college applications by demonstrating your commitment to your chosen field and your proactive approach to gaining early practical experience.
Here's our curated list of 10 business research programs for high school students!
Location: UC Berkeley, CA
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February (Applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis).
Dates: July 6–July 20, 2024 (Session I) | July 20–August 3, 2024 (Session II)
Cost: California Resident - $6,050 | Out of State Resident - $7,050 (Application fee: $80)
The Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) annually welcomes 50 students from around the globe to dive into business disciplines at Berkeley. Through intensive learning experiences led by Berkeley Haas professors and insights from corporate guest speakers, you'll delve deep into the essentials of business formation and development.
You will work on independent research, computer lab assignments, and collaborative team projects. Together with your team, you'll be tasked with creating a comprehensive business plan from the ground up, culminating in a presentation of your plan at the end of the session. B-BAY is also tailored to prepare you for the college admission process. You'll interact with undergraduates and admission advisors from Berkeley and other institutions, gaining insights into college life and the application process, including how to craft a compelling UC personal statement and college application essay. You’ll be awarded a UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth Certificate of Completion, signifying your achievements throughout the program.
Location: This program is 100% virtual with live, interactive workshops.
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. The upcoming summer cohort deadline is June 23, 2024
Dates: The 2024 program starts on July 3 and spans 4 weeks.
Cost: $2,900 (4 weeks). Need-based financial aid is available.
You can check out the brochure for the program here.
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. During the program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
Apart from building the start-up, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical and practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can access the application link here!
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school.
You must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note: Students must have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4).
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The main summer deadlines are March 15, April 15, and May 15.
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, and the Spring cohort from March to June.
Cost: Starts at $2,800. Need-based financial aid is available.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students, across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
4. Horizon
Location: Virtual
Application Date: May 21, 2024 for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort
Program 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.
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.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and on college applications. Apply here!
5. Columbia University's Pre-college Programs—Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation
Location: New York, NY
Eligibility: Domestic and international students who will be enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall and students currently enrolled in grade 12 can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in May but may remain open if space is available.
Dates: Multiple 2 and 3-week (in-person and virtual) sessions are available between June 24 and August 2, 2024.
Cost: Online Summer (2 Weeks): $3,850 per session | NYC Commuter Summer (3 Weeks): $6,100 per session | NYC Residential Summer (3 weeks): $12,154 per session
Columbia’s pre-college program offers several business, economics, and entrepreneurship courses to choose from, ranging from 2-3 weeks, either in-person or online. The business courses listed here cover important fundamentals of business development, market research, and analysis.
If you’re interested in business research, you can apply to the Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation course where you’ll explore key issues in the formal venture-planning processes including business model development, customer discovery, product-market validation, in-depth industry and market analysis, product or service innovation, brand development and go-to-market strategies, team selection and management, profit models, financing, and legal considerations.
During the course, you’ll work through a series of structured activities and assignments corresponding to each phase of new venture planning. You’ll get to improve your venture’s hypothesized business model based on instructor and peer feedback. At each stage of venture plan development, you will learn critical terms, apply tools that support research and decision-making, and develop a deep understanding of how each major planning activity fits into formal venture creation. Additionally, you’ll get to hone your critical professional skills including creative problem-solving, communication and negotiation, project management, financial analysis, and collaborative leadership.
Location: University of Chicago campus, Chicago, IL
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, who are at least 14 years old can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Dates: July 10--July 26, 2024
Cost: $8,600 (financial aid ranging from $500 - $6,600 is available).
UChicago’s Immersion program for high school students is a residential program where you will get personalized attention from faculty, researchers, and other professionals who will lead you through workshop discussions, research projects, and other hands-on activities.
If you’re interested in business research, you can opt for the Economics From An Experimental Perspective course where you’ll get to attend a sequence of lectures introducing the principles and practice of economics, economic methods, and questions and optimization. Also, the lectures will introduce you to field experiments as a complementary tool to laboratory experiments. Throughout the week, you will participate in a series of exchange/market experiments, each with a corresponding lecture describing the relevant economic principle.
During the second week, you will participate in a series of group decision game experiments, and strategic game experiments, each with a corresponding lecture describing the relevant economic principle. Throughout the last week, you will finish the series of experiments in strategic games. These will be followed by a presentation and discussion of the results. To strengthen the concepts learned, you will engage in solving specific economic problems both individually and in a group. You can check out the sample syllabus here.
Location: Multiple locations
Eligibility: Students must be between the ages of 14-18 and have completed at least one year of high school (students may attend NSLC through the summer following high school graduation).
Application Deadline: NSLC will continue to accept applications if space is available in a program or on a program’s waitlist. The online enrollment application will display all current availability.
Dates: Multiple 9-day sessions are offered at various locations. All sessions take place between June 17 and August 2, 2024.
Cost: $3,795 or $4,095 (Residential Program)
At the NSLC on Business & Entrepreneurship, you’ll learn what it takes to build a company from the ground up, tackling the wants and needs of your stakeholders, employees, and customers. During the program, you’ll get to develop a new product or service with your team and collaborate to create a persuasive presentation for investors where you’ll receive real-time feedback from the investors on how to take your pitch to the next level.
You’ll get to evaluate other businesses operating in your company’s sector and develop informed strategies to expand beyond your competition. You’ll also get to identify a target market depending on the theme assigned to you and create a product with the materials providedYou’ll be asked to develop an online presence for your brand and practice your public relations skills, networking, and public speaking skills. You’ll have an opportunity to gain a new perspective on business through field trips that uncover how the industry works behind the scenes.
Location: Harvard University Campus, Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 are eligible. Students must be at least 14 years old to attend the program.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: Week-long sessions between June 3 and August 9, 2024.
Cost: $1,600 (99% need-based financial aid is available)
At the Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy, you can explore entrepreneurship and business management through two week-long distinct academies. In the Business: Entrepreneurship Academy, you will have an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of launching a business, extending your financial literacy, and diving deep into the startup ecosystem. Apart from hands-on experience, you will get the chance to enhance your analytical thinking, and ultimately present an innovative business idea in a startup pitch simulation to judges.
In the Business: Management and Strategy Academy, you will get to tackle corporate challenges, from improving profitability to achieving market penetration with new products. Acting as consultants, you will learn to analyze business data, devise solutions to major firm problems, and delve into mergers, acquisitions, pricing strategies, and financial statements. This program aims to enhance your problem-solving skills, provide insights into managing a firm's logistical and operational components, and teach you to interpret corporate financial documents for a better understanding of a firm’s market performance.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: Students must be rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors during the academic year before the summer program and have good academic standing, with at least a 2.0 GPA.
Application Deadline: The final deadline for the applications is typically in May. Summer 2025 applications will open in late Fall.
Dates: June 16–June 28, 2024
Cost: $5,775 (Price includes tuition, housing, and meals). Commuter Student tuition is $4,025.
As a student in the Entrepreneurship Academy, you'll spend your day immersed in a blend of classroom lectures, field trips, hands-on activities, and group discussions. This two-week program takes an in-depth look at choosing a start-up, prototype testing, market research, social innovation, global business, and the operations of running your own business. You will have opportunities to hear from and interact with experienced entrepreneurs across different industries to learn about what it takes to become successful in any career path.
Bridging theory and practice, you will learn the basics of design thinking and brainstorming; mold your ideas into strong, promising business plans; and participate in teams in a final pitch competition. With an emphasis on personal development, this program incorporates practical, hands-on experience to help you build and improve your public speaking and communications skills, networking strategies, and team-building techniques all while exploring the world of entrepreneurship.
Location: Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, MI
Eligibility: Current rising high school seniors can apply. Preference will be given to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January. The application for the 2025 Summer Business Academy will open in November 2024.
Dates: June 14–June 28, 2024
Cost: $5,000 + $50 application fee. The cost of the program covers all program events, speakers, course materials, and Michigan Ross apparel. Full and partial need-based scholarships are available.
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy is a two-week pre-college program designed for highly motivated high school students from diverse backgrounds who wish to explore a business career. During this program, you will be given a thorough introduction to how companies function, the problem-solving strategies of leaders, market research methodology, and the life of a business student at Michigan Ross.
You will also get the opportunity to truly understand the essence of business, offering insights into business operations, potential career paths, and an authentic college experience by collaborating with a group of high-achieving peers. Moreover, you will have the chance to engage with Ross faculty, corporate partners, and industry professionals, enriching your understanding and broadening your network. The theme of leadership with purpose is emphasized, prompting students to reflect on the significance of ethical business leadership. Only 72 students are accepted into the program.
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.
Image Source: B-BAY logo
Commentaires