<p>Since there is such a wealth of experience on this website I am bringing this question here...there are tons of summer programs but which ones would be free or almost free? Next year, S plans to apply to Questbridge which places kids in summer programs but if he does not get accepted (very competitive!) it would be great to have some alternatives.</p>
<p>I know that for most families a couple thousand dollars for a prestigious school is a bargain but in our case that money would be better put to use by saving it for college.</p>
<p>This summer S is doing Math Camp (free) at Williams for a week and a community college pre-calc which will allow him to go straight into AP Calc junior year. He is paying for it through a summer job doing computer stuff for a chain of community health clinics. So he knows that pre-college programs aren't the ONLY thing to do in the summer...but then again, wouldn't it be nice?</p>
<p>Any suggestions would be appreciated. By the way anything very far outside of the Northeast would probably be to expensive to get to.</p>
<p>Most of the free programs are extremely selective (but also very good). What are his interests? What are his stats (would they be competitive for free programs)? </p>
<p>It sounds like he is pretty competitive, so free programs are probably worth a shot. But, I think it would be a good idea to have a back-up plan in case he gets shut out from all of them.</p>
<p>NewHavenCTmom: I’m pretty sure the OP is planning ahead for next summer. The OP’s son seems to already have good plans for this summer (Williams Math Camp and Pre-Calc at a CC).</p>
<p>Economics for Leaders. Great camp. Week long. Various locations in country. You just have to pay travel as I recall. It is for kids who will be seniors - summer before senior year.</p>
<p>I am doing Brain Camp this summer (as the name implies it is a neuroscience program) at Muhlenberg, it is completely free (including meals and housing), all you have to do is get there yourself. If he is an incoming junior he can apply for Questbridge’s College Prep Scholar which could potentially give him a full scholarship to a summer program. If he is Jewish Diller is great (technically expensive, but various generous with financial aid, I payed $500 for three weeks in Israel).</p>
<p>I have the same problem. I need something to do this summer to stand out for college i am interested in medicine, something with science or math. Every deadline is passed and i cant make my parents pay thosands of dollars for a program. Please someone help!</p>
<p>Oops – we thought Questbridge was for summer from junior to senior year? I don’t think kids apply to QG as sophomores, right? Will have to look back at that…</p>
<p>Yes, thanks we are all set for this summer, just wanting to get ideas.</p>
<p>The above mentioned programs sound great by the way. S is interested in double majoring in Studio Art and Math. PSATs 1400 CR + M (710, CR and 690, M). GPA is somewhere above 100 because of weighting. Yes he is supermotivated. He does extremely well in Sciences too – perfect scores in Chem – but is not as interested in them as in Math. Studio Art is his other passion, he took AP Art this year.</p>
<p>It is early but he often talks about pre-law and did Mock Trial. But he is pretty much a liberal arts kid, loves history and gov also.</p>
<p>Last summer my son went to the University of Mississippi’s Summer College for High School Students. With stats similar to your son’s he was given a full merit scholarship. <a href=“http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/schs/costs.html[/URL]”>http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/schs/costs.html</a>
He had a great time and earned college credit for the courses he took. This summer they added a research program that looks interesting, too!</p>
<p>Two awesome summer programs that are free-of-charge are held on the campus of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts:</p>
<p>Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) is an intensive six-week residential academic enrichment program for about 80 promising high school juniors who intend to pursue careers in science, engineering and entrepreneurship, especially those from minority backgrounds and other underrepresented segments of the population. The program is free of charge to participating students, not including transportation.</p>
<p>Research Science Institute (RSI) brings together about 80 high school students each summer for six stimulating weeks at MIT. This rigorous academic program stresses advanced theory and research in mathematics, the sciences and engineering. Participants attend college-level classes taught by distinguished faculty members and complete hands-on research, which they often then use to enter science competitions. Open to high school juniors, the program is free of charge for those selected.</p>
<p>Both programs are for students in the summer immediately preceding their last year of high school. Students apply during their second-to-last year of high school.</p>
<p>Both programs are very selective, and the applications are due very early (think January). Applications will become available in November. If your son is accepted to one of them, it will definitely be a life-changing experience for him.</p>
<p>Most of the programs on that list are actually not free. For example, the programs under the headings “Science & Research Programs” and “Math Summer Programs” (with a couple exceptions) typically cost in the range of $3000-$4000. RSI, MITES, and Clark Scholars are the ones that are actually free (there may be a couple others that I do not know of).</p>
<p>The programs that cost in the $3000-$4000 range usually do offer scholarships to accepted students who need it, but this will rarely if ever bring the cost to $0.</p>
<p>To confirm what I wrote above, I went to the websites of each of the programs and found that indeed RSI, MITES, and Clark Scholars are the only programs listed on that page that are free-of-charge.</p>
<p>Most free ones are highly competitive. My son has done free camps since middle school and this past year got 1 acceptance out of 6 applied. Cast a wide net, apply to many, for a shot at 1 or 2.</p>
<p>@BurnOut: Clark Scholars has an acceptance rate that is in the ballpark of the other two, but so many factors other than raw acceptance rate play into “competitiveness” so I would discourage against trying to precisely compare them.</p>
<p>You could also just work with local professors in your area over the summer! That’s what I’m doing right now and I don’t have to pay a cent! Plus…I’m getting paid! Win win!</p>
<p>My DS went last year during the summer between Jr and senior year. After attending this program, UCONN became his top choice of schools. He will be entering this fall for Mech eng.
We just picked up my DD this afternoon. She is between sophomore and junior year and is trying to decide between Engineering and Business. She had a great time.</p>
<p>It is 4 nights (Sun-Thurs) and costs $500. I know it’s not free but I think it is very reasonable compared to some programs out there.</p>
<p>DD just finished up with a summer research program at the Yale School of Medicine. It’s free. Google Discovery to Cure. I was shocked to learn that there were students from Texas, China and Holland this summer. There’s no housing and they get a nice stipend.</p>