2020 Summer Programs With January Application Deadlines

Finally, 2020 draws to a close, and as calendars turn for the beginning of the new year, 2021 summer programs inch ever closer. As prime opportunities for students to challenge themselves and more deeply pursue academic and extracurricular interests without having to worry about the responsibilities of the school year, there's no doubt that summer programs are valuable—and with such value comes the need to properly plan for the summer. Many summer programs require students to prepare and submit applications, with the more competitive programs asking for supplements like essays or recommendations, and just like college applications, many summer programs have deadlines that are well in advance of the actual summer. If you're in the midst of planning for the summer, here are some 2021 summer programs with upcoming January applications you'll want to consider:

1. The Bank of America Student Leader Program offers high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to work as a paid intern at a local nonprofit organization for 8 weeks, 35 hours a week, and develop community-oriented leadership skills. As Student Leaders, participants gain firsthand civic, social, and business leadership experience and, at the end of the 8-week duration, can fly to Washington, D.C. to attend the Student Leaders Summit with other Student Leader peers, where they will learn how the larger government cooperates with the local sector to address community issues. This is a great opportunity for students interested in public policy, government, business, or leadership skills as a whole! Applications for the Student Leader program, which require a recommendation letter from a teacher, guidance counselor, or student administrator, close January 29th, 2021.

2. At the Iowa Young Writers' Studio Summer Residential Program, student writers can have a chance to spend two weeks cultivating their creative writing skills at Iowa City, one of the nation’s most literary hotspots. Here, students can get a taste of what it would be like to participate in the renowned graduate-level Iowa Writers’ Workshop and its many prominent, published graduates throughout history. Summer Residential Program students develop their writing skills under Iowa Writers’ Workshop students and teachers, spending the two-week period sharing writing pieces, trading constructive criticism, working through writing prompts and activities, and growing alongside peers with like-minded writing passions. The relatively competitive program’s two-week application period starts January 25th, 2021 and ends February 8th, and requires a creative writing sample, a statement of purpose, a letter of recommendation from an instructor familiar with your writing, and a high school transcript.

3. CCE’s Research Science Institute at MIT is a competitive, cost-free summer research program that allows high school students to spend an intensive 6 weeks learning from expert STEM professors and conduct original research using MIT facilities and resources, with pandemic-specific plans this 2021 to operate either on campus or virtually. The program accepts 80 students each year, and these students are expected to participate in the research process from start to finish, from reading relevant scientific literature to formulating and executing a research plan to presenting findings in a professional conference setting and written reports. The Research Science Institute asks applicants for short essays, two STEM teacher or research supervisor recommendations, a high school transcript, and standardized test scores. Applications close January 16th, 2021.

4. The Rockefeller Univ Summer Science Research Program (SSRPv) is a highly competitive summer research program with a general admission rate of below 5% that mentors high school students in biomedical research for 7 intensive weeks. SSRPv students spend about 20 hours a week learning through expert-guided core sessions and working through discipline-specific research tracks in peer groups. SSRPv plans to operate remotely this summer, which, in light of their successful remote operations in the past summer of 2020, will no doubt be a success as well, with virtual lab tours, Zoom sessions with a variety of scientists, and hands-on experience with mailed lab materials. There are two rounds in the SSRPv application process, with one review by the RockEDU staff and then a second review by a more expert screening committee consisting of Rockefeller Heads of Lab, postdoctorates, and graduate students. Initial applications close January 4th, 2021.

5. The Aspirnaut Summer Biomedical Research Program at Vanderbilt is a 6-week paid summer biomedical research internship for STEM-minded high school students. Interns get to live on the Vanderbilt University campus for the duration of their internship and can conduct actual biomedical research in Vanderbilt University Medical Center labs as a member of a professional research team. Not only does this allow students to gain hands-on experience in research and presentation, but participants also experience campus life, grow with like-minded peers and mentors, and gain follow-up opportunities even after the program has ended. Applications require an official high school transcript, two letters of recommendation, standardized test scores, and health insurance, and close on January 6th, 2021.

6. The Boston University Tanglewood Institute of Music (BUTI) holds annual summer musical programs that cover a wide variety of areas of study, from specific instrumental programs for harp, voice, percussion, etc. to other musical skills like composition or conducting. These BUTI programs range from two-week durations to six-week ones, and they promise a dynamic, exceptional musical education experience (that count for college credit), with master classes, chamber music sessions, individual lessons, and of course, musical performances—not to mention what the institute calls “the magic of Tanglewood”, which is the student experience of being surrounded by a highly musical environment, from Seiji Ozawa Hall to world premieres to daily like-minded peer and expert interactions. Applications are due January 25th, 2021, and require an audition, personal statements, a letter of recommendation, and an application fee.

7. The NYU Tisch Summer Arts Program is a four-week residential art program for rising high school juniors and seniors with an emphasis on commitment and intensity. The program offers a diverse variety of tracks, covering disciplines like Dance, Filmmaking, Game Design, and Recorded Music, to name just a few. Though the experience is different for each individual track, what each track has in common is a highly-structured schedule, professional tutelage, hands-on learning, and creative project collaboration, and the program also offers four to six college credit units for its participating students. General applications, which require two recommendations, a high school transcript, a resume, and a personal statement, close on January 6th, 2021; the Supplemental Profile Form deadline is January 22nd.

With January deadlines for these summer programs looming so close, students will want to take full advantage of these great summer opportunities and prepare their applications soon! Feel free to request a free consultation if you’d like some pointers on how to get started with applications!