Summer Programs for High School Students in the Bay Area

Summer programs offer high school students a multitude of advantages, allowing them to explore and gain firsthand experience in specific fields of interest, network with like-minded peers, and develop new skills. The Bay Area, with its concentration of top universities, innovative companies, and research institutions, provides a fertile ground for a wide array of summer programs catering to diverse interests and academic pursuits.

Exploring Academic and Career Interests

For students seeking to explore specific academic fields or career paths, the Bay Area offers a plethora of specialized summer programs. These programs provide hands-on experiences, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to college-level coursework, allowing students to make informed decisions about their future academic and professional pursuits.

STEM-Focused Programs

The Bay Area is a hub for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, and numerous summer programs cater to students with an interest in these areas.

Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR): This program offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to conduct research alongside Stanford faculty members in various institutes, including immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, or genetics and genomics. Students receive one-on-one mentorship and present their work at a formal research symposium.
COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science): COSMOS allows students in grades 8-12 to explore STEM topics, work with renowned faculty at UC campuses (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz), and conduct research in state-of-the-art facilities. This intensive, four-week residential program is aimed at academically gifted and talented students with a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Read also: Managing Alcohol Use in College
Summer Engineering Seminars (SES) at UC Berkeley: Designed for students who wish to pursue engineering, SES provides both academic and hands-on learning in various engineering disciplines, including bioengineering, environmental engineering, and mechanical engineering. Students complete projects and engage in social programming. The program offers introductory and advanced sessions.
Genomics Research Internship Program at Stanford (GRIPS): This program offers talented high school students a unique research experience, professional development, and community-building opportunities in computational genetics and genomics. Participants are placed in a research laboratory for the summer and conduct genomics research under the supervision of a lab mentor.
AI in Medicine Summer Programs (Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging): These programs aim to spark interest and empower the next generation of AI leaders in medicine. The Summer Research Internship offers expert-led sessions, a hands-on project, and mentorship from Stanford researchers. The Summer Bootcamp Program is a free virtual bootcamp that covers the fundamentals of machine learning in healthcare settings.
Science Accelerating Girls' Engagement (SAGE): SAGE is a free, one-week residential camp for public school students from all backgrounds. Hosted by scientists and engineers, the program shares insights into life in STEM professions through job shadowing, hands-on projects, professional development, and networking activities.
Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery (STaRS) Summer Internship Program: The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery hosts talented high school and undergraduate students in research laboratories. Interns master basic lab techniques, participate in research projects, and present their work under the mentorship of experienced researchers.

Read also: Unlock summer legal internships
Pre-College Opportunities within Energy Research (POWER): This Stanford Energy Club program offers hands-on workshops to introduce local high school students from historically marginalized communities to topics in sustainability and energy research.

Arts and Humanities Programs

The Bay Area's vibrant arts and culture scene also extends to summer programs for high school students interested in the arts and humanities.

California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA): Founded by the California state legislature, CSSSA provides support for future artists and creates a pipeline of talent for the state’s entertainment industry.
California College of the Arts Pre-College Program: This program allows high school students, at all artistic levels, to explore the arts.
Summer Program at the College of Environmental Design (embARC) at UC Berkeley: This program immerses participants in the fields of architecture, urban design, and sustainable city planning. Students engage in college-level coursework, tackle design assignments, take field trips, and complete a design/build project.

Read also: Launch Your Career with BNY Mellon
AYA at USC Annenberg: This free, three-week summer intensive academy strengthens students' skills in writing, critical thought, public speech and debate, multimedia production, interviewing, and ethnography. Students gain an understanding of USC Annenberg’s undergrad programs and possible careers, as well as the opportunity to meet the school’s innovative scholars advancing issues of race, gender, and ethnicity in communication and journalism.
Imagination and Medicine: Graphic Medicine, Comics, and Science Fiction: This course explores how speculative storytelling and visual narratives shape the ways we understand the human body, illness, technology, and care. Students examine medicine past, present, and future while sharpening critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. They will create an original short medical comic, storyboard, or speculative scenario that imagines new futures for medicine and healing.

Entrepreneurship and Leadership Programs

For students interested in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership, the Bay Area offers programs that foster these skills and provide real-world experiences.

High School Entrepreneurship Program at UC Berkeley: This intensive program offers an introduction to the world of business. Through a mixture of academic instruction and team projects, students develop their confidence, communication, and presentation skills. Students explore entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, and organizational management.
Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) Entrepreneurship Program at UC Berkeley: This prestigious two-week program focused on entrepreneurship attracts students from across the globe to UC Berkeley’s campus.
Meta Summer Academy: Externs learn about the day-to-day operations of one of the world’s most prominent social media companies up close and personal. This opportunity is open to high school students who live in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City.

Medical and Healthcare Programs

Given the Bay Area's prominence in biomedical research and healthcare, numerous summer programs cater to students interested in medicine and related fields.

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Summer Research Program: At this unique summer research program, students are integrated into active biomedical research teams at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Students are matched with a mentor in laboratory-based research, clinical research, or community health research. Capping off the program is a formal research symposium, where students present their projects.
Stanford Clinical Summer Internship: The Stanford Clinical Summer Internship brings together curious learners from differing backgrounds to actively engage in the exploration of the art and science behind world-class medicine. Discover, contribute, and make meaningful connections and friendships while working alongside dedicated and dynamic Stanford medical students, residents, and faculty.
Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship: This two-week course is designed to educate high school students considering careers in science and medicine in cardiothoracic surgical anatomy and physiology. It is an intensive course that will provide knowledge of and exposure to basic and advanced cardiothoracic surgery and technical skills (e.g., knot tying, tissue handling, suturing, and coronary artery bypass and valve replacement surgery).
Clinical Anatomy Summer Program (CASP): This program offers high school students the unique opportunity to explore anatomy and health careers in a week-long, non-residential, in-person program. Summer program students engage with virtual modalities of learning anatomy, hands-on suturing and dissection workshops, and the opportunity to interact with human cadaveric specimen.
Camp CHLA: This program provides freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from Los Angeles County the chance to explore careers in healthcare and meet similarly interested peers.
Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program: Started in 1969, this program was designed to encourage high school students to choose careers in medicine. The program is often described as a medical mentorship.
Health Career Collaborative (HCC): The Health Career Collaborative is a student-driven health career exposure & mentorship program that connects 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students from East Palo Alto Academy to undergrads, medical and graduate students, and faculty at Stanford. The HCC's goal is to expose students from disadvantaged and/or underrepresented backgrounds to the exciting field of healthcare in aims of making the future workforce of medicine more representative, and its delivery more equitable.

Developing Skills and Gaining Experience

Beyond exploring specific fields, summer programs also offer opportunities for students to develop valuable skills and gain practical experience that can benefit them in their academic and professional journeys.

Research Skills

Several programs emphasize research skills, allowing students to engage in hands-on research projects under the guidance of experienced mentors.

Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Founded by Harvard & Oxford researchers, this program pairs high-school students with PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, students will have written an independent research paper. The program is designed to accommodate students' schedules and is conducted fully remotely.
UCSB Summer Research Academies: These academies are open to current high school students in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, with a minimum weighted GPA of 3.6. Students will earn four college credits by taking a research course that will teach fundamental concepts in their chosen track. They will learn how to compose a formal research report and gain key communication skills to present their findings.

Writing and Communication Skills

Effective writing and communication skills are essential for success in any field. Some summer programs focus specifically on developing these skills.

Summer Writing Workshop at the University of Iowa: This program for rising 9th through 12th graders helps participants develop writing skills and find their voice while having them engage with relevant social issues. The workshop focuses on a range of writing genres, including poetry, narrative essays, and argumentative writing.

College Preparation

Several summer programs provide students with a taste of college life and help them prepare for the college application process.

Pomona College's PAYS Program: This program provides over 90 students from local high schools with preparation for admission into some of the country’s most selective colleges and universities. Participants live in a dorm on Pomona’s campus while taking math and critical inquiry courses taught by Pomona professors.
University of the Pacific's Summer High School Institute: This two-week residential summer program is designed to immerse students in the college lifestyle through experiences in the school’s labs, studios, fields, and makerspaces. Students live in dormitories, eat in dining halls, and learn in the school’s state-of-the-art library.
EPIC at California Polytechnic State University: This residential program provides rising 9th through 12th graders the chance to experience college life while exploring engineering fields and meeting like-minded peers. Participants take a daily engineering class, engage in an engineering group project, and sit for a series of talks on topics ranging from troubleshooting college admissions to the different types of engineering programs.

Networking and Community Building

Summer programs offer valuable opportunities for students to network with peers, faculty, and professionals in their fields of interest. These connections can provide mentorship, guidance, and future opportunities.

The Intern Project: This program works to partner high school students across LA County with companies in the arts, media, engineering, business, government, sports, and healthcare fields. Priority is given to students identified as high-need, and students must be high-achieving in school. Students are eligible in their sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school.
Stanford AI4ALL: This program aims to increase diversity in the field of Artificial Intelligence. During this three-week online program, students are immersed in AI through a combination of lectures, hands-on research projects, and mentoring activities. Participants engage with professionals in the field to learn about cutting-edge ideas, such as how AI can be applied in medicine, disaster response, and combatting poverty. The program also aims to build a close-knit community and encourage interest among underrepresented populations in the field.

Considerations for Choosing a Summer Program

With a vast array of summer programs available, it's crucial for students and their families to carefully consider their options and choose programs that align with their interests, goals, and budget.

Interests and Goals: What are the student's passions and academic interests? What skills or experiences are they hoping to gain from a summer program?
Program Format: Does the student prefer a residential, commuter, or virtual program? What is the program's duration and intensity?
Cost and Financial Aid: What is the program's tuition and fees? Are there any scholarships or financial aid options available?
Selectivity and Admission Requirements: What are the program's admission requirements, such as GPA, standardized test scores, essays, and recommendations? How competitive is the program?
Reputation and Quality: What is the program's reputation and track record? Are the instructors experienced and knowledgeable in their fields?

tags: #summer #programs #for #high #school #students