Our Review of Dartmouth College's Summer Programs for High School Students
Summer programs for high school students come with multiple benefits. You can explore topics beyond your school curriculum, learn from university faculty, get hands-on experience through project work, and develop skills like critical thinking and communication. Such programs not only give you a taste of college life but also equip you with the skills to make the most of it.
These opportunities put you in touch with peers and professionals who can offer career support in the long term. Additionally, some summer programs involve research projects and scientific papers in the curriculum. Having completed academic projects on your profile can go a long way when it comes to college applications. As an Ivy League university, Dartmouth College is one of the more prestigious universities that offers high school summer programs.
In this blog, we’ll discuss Dartmouth’s summer programs for high school students, including their curriculum, cost, application deadline, and more.
What summer programs does Dartmouth College offer for high school students?
Who it is for: High schoolers who want to study a university-level course and experience college life
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades in the fall. International students can apply
Program Dates: TBA for 2025; three sessions were offered in 2024:
Session 1: June 30 – July 10, 2024
Session 2: July 14 – 26, 2024
Session 3: July 28 – August 9, 2024
Location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH; residential and commuter options are available
Fee: Ranges between $4,799 – $9,299, depending on which session you choose. You can contact them to learn about financial aid opportunities
The Dartmouth Summer Scholars program is an academic program where you can take university-level coursework taught by Dartmouth faculty. The program has courses on topics like the art of entrepreneurship, creative writing, the essentials of medicine, the politics of memory, and more. You can only choose one topic for each session, and you will enhance your critical thinking and communication skills through the coursework.
Who it is for: High school students from underserved communities who want guidance regarding college applications
Application Deadline: Applications open during the spring of 2025, but the deadline is not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors currently living and attending school in the U.S., irrespective of citizenship status
Program Dates: TBA for 2025. Two sessions were offered in 2024:
Session 1: July 14 – 17, 2024
Session 2: July 28 – 30, 2024
Location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Fee: Free (Dartmouth will cover travel, housing, and meal expenses)
Dartmouth Bound is a residential program meant to give you a glimpse of college life while preparing you for the rigorous college application process. Through the program, you will learn how to draft a college application and take part in a mock admissions committee exercise to understand what kind of students are accepted to competitive colleges. You will also learn about the curriculum, financial aid process, and networking opportunities. You will even take a campus tour. You can read about a previous student’s experiences here.
Who it is for: High schoolers with a keen interest in computer science
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising high school students who have some familiarity with cybersecurity and information technology
Program Dates: June 26 – 30, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years)
Location: Jones Media Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Fee: Free
Organized by the university’s Institute for Security, Technology and Society (ISTS), this program focuses on interdisciplinary research in cybersecurity and privacy. You will learn about topics like digital forensics, security awareness, network configuration, system hardening, building blocks of web applications, and defending against cyber-attacks. The curriculum includes lectures, activities, and guest speakers. At the end of the program, you will design an outreach project to spread the word about cybersecurity, such as organizing a hackathon or writing a tutorial on creating a website.
Who it is for: Underserved high school students looking for additional academic and personal guidance
Application Deadline: September 25, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school sophomores from Oxbow High School, Lebanon High School, or Stevens High School who would be the first generation in the family to attend college or are from low-income backgrounds
Program Dates: The program runs from the 11th grade to your sophomore year in college
Location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Fee: Free
The Strengthening Educational Access with Dartmouth (SEAD) is a long-term academic enrichment program that is meant to support students from under-resourced communities with the skills they need to thrive. This is a free program that includes residential immersions during the summer, quarterly weekend immersions, bi-weekly after-school programs during the academic year, and regular mentoring sessions. The curriculum is geared towards academic enrichment and personal growth through targeted skill-building. While this program extends through 4 academic years, we have still included it on this list due to its cost-free nature and the significant benefit it offers students.
Our Review
Dartmouth College’s summer programs offer valuable opportunities for high school students, from expanding your knowledge to learning about career pathways and getting support while applying to college. They offer the means to improve your academic profile as well as enhance your personal growth. As an Ivy League university, Dartmouth College’s summer programs are considered prestigious, which could enhance your college applications down the line.
That said, each program offers a different benefit and is suitable for a different kind of student. The Summer Scholars program is a great opportunity to dive into a single subject, while Bound prepares you for the college application process. GenCyber gives you specialized knowledge about cybersecurity, and SEAD combines academic, career-related, and other soft skills. Ultimately, you must weigh your needs and goals in order to choose the program that will best contribute to your success.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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.