Summer is a wonderful time, a breath of fresh air from the repetition of the academic year, and a chance for students to devote themselves fully to exploring their own passions and interests. A great many programs exist which purport to help with this, to explore any and every manner of field, we’ve discussed this before in our writings on summer programs.
In this article, we’re going to discuss what options are available for students interested in computer science, from complete beginners to experienced coders, and everyone in between. We’ve covered engineering summer programs before, but though they are similar, engineering and computer science are not quite the same thing. Let’s get started, and see what wonders await!
Teach Yourself Coding
The first option is not a set program as such, but instead self-study, and the ability to teach yourself the basics (and more) of various coding languages. Codecademy is a free, online, self paced resource which will enable you to teach yourself any of the popular coding languages, and explore higher level concepts in those languages.
This is a great option for students looking for a complement to another program, or who want to work on computer science around a pre-existing commitment, such as band camp or their athletic pursuits. This is also a wonderful resource for beginners looking to dip a toe into the waters of computer science, to see how it suits them.
We recommend beginning with Python, Java, C, or C++, as these are the most commonly used programming languages. Different languages are most often used for different applications, but a solid base in one will serve you well, regardless of your intentions.
Berkeley Summer Computer Science Academy
Run and hosted by UC Berkeley’s Department of Computer Science, this is a two week intensive program modeled on their intro to CS course. Students take courses, attend lectures, and complete daily coding challenges. At the end of the program, they are given a chance to show off a project they worked on over the course of the two weeks. Participants stay in Berkeley’s dorms for the duration of the program. The total cost of the program is $5,060.
The application opens February 1, and is due March 11. Students must be in 10th or 11th grade and 16 or 17 for the duration of the program. International students may attend. The application requires a transcript, an online form, and answers to short essay questions. The prompts are:
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
- The UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Program seeks to create an engaged and inclusive community that is welcoming to students from various backgrounds, experience, and perspectives. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the Pre-College Scholars program?
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code is an organization devoted to increasing the presence of women in coding and STEM, and offers two free virtual summer programs. These are open to current 9th through 11th graders who identify as female or non-binary, and no prior experience with computer science is needed.
One program is the two-week Summer Immersive Program (SIP) the other lasts six weeks and is self-paced. SIP has live courses from industry professionals, and has a focus on basic to intermediate coding skills in a variety of languages and applications. The self paced program allows students to work non synchronously while exploring topics they enjoy, with a chance to build community through live weekly discussion sessions.
National High School Game Academy
Run and hosted by Carnegie Mellon University, this is a six week in-person (residential or commuter) program which introduces students to the field of video game design and programming. The program combines traditional coursework and homework with lectures, seminars, and group projects. As the culmination of the summer, students create their own prototype game, from pitch to playable demo. The total cost of the program is $12,105 for residential students, or $8,998 for commuting students.
Students are encouraged to have prior art, design, or coding experience, but these are not required. Students must be current sophomores or juniors to apply, need a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 and must be at least 16 by the program’s start date. The application requires an online form, an unofficial transcript, one letter of recommendation, responses to essay prompts, and examples of prior work related to your tracks of interest in the program. The prompts are:
- What do you hope to gain from participating in Carnegie Mellon’s Pre-College Programs? (300-500 words maximum)
- Tell us about your favorite game. Why do you find it fun? Be specific about the aspects that make it fun for you. (300 words maximum)
Naval Academy Summer STEM
This is a weeklong residential program open to rising 9th through 11th graders, run and hosted by the US Naval Academy. The program has three sessions, one each for each grade level invited to attend. The program serves as a general introduction to STEM subjects and methods, and no coding experience is needed to apply.
The program costs $700, including tuition, room and board, and transportation to Baltimore’s airport. The application opens in December, and is due by April 15. The dates of the program are during the school year for some students, but are based around the needs and schedules of naval midshipmen, and cannot be changed. They look for strong academic performance when reviewing applications.
NYU Tandon’s Summer Program for Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC)
This is a two week in person program run by NYU, with a residential option. Students must be 14 or older to participate, and 15 or older to live in on-campus housing. The program itself combines instruction in engineering, programming, and robotics, delving into every aspect of coding, assembling, and controlling robots. Applications for the program open January 1, and are due by May 1, but are reviewed on a rolling basis.
There are three sessions for the program, allowing some flexibility in scheduling. You do not need prior robotics experience to participate. The program is open to rising 9th to 12th graders, and has a total tuition fee of $3,025. There is an additional application fee of $50, and a weekly housing fee of $308 for students living on-campus. The price for meals for on-campus students has yet to be announced.
Penn’s Coding Academy
Run by the University of Pennsylvania, this is a three week residential summer program open to current 9th through 11th graders. Students learn HTML and CSS; the focus of the camp as a whole is on front-end web development, building websites that users can enjoy and navigate with ease. The camp is available to students globally, though students from Philadelphia public or charter high schools may be able to attend for free.
The program costs $9,700, including tuition, on-campus housing, meals, and excursions. The application for the program opens December 1, and is due by February 15. The application requires a transcript, one letter of recommendation, and three essays, each with a maximum word count of 400:
- Describe your academic and personal goals and how these may be further achieved by studying at Penn during the summer. Feel free to discuss the particular program to which you are applying as well as other aspects of studying at Penn during the summer.
- Select a few of your non-academic or extracurricular experiences and explain how these activities supplement your academic and personal growth.
- Non-native English speakers only: Describe your English educational background and experience.
UCLA’s Computer Science Summer Institute
This three week program is a mix between a coding boot camp and an introductory computer lab experience. No prior knowledge of computer science is needed; students will learn to use computers as tools to approach and solve complex and creative problems. This is a commuter program; no housing is provided or available on UCLA’s campus. The fees for this program have not yet been announced.
Applications are due June 1, but applying early is strongly encouraged. Students must be currently in grades 8-11 in order to apply for this program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; you can expect to hear back within around three weeks of applying. As part of the application, you are required to answer the following questions:
- Do you have any experience related to computer science?
- What has motivated you to apply to the CSSI Introductory Track?
- What do you expect to learn from the CSSI Introductory Track?
- This is a college-level course and thus very intense and challenging. Our instructor and learning assistants will help you through the whole process. Do you consent to (1) actively participate in classes, discussion sessions, and seminars, (2) communicate timely with our instructor and learning assistants for any questions and difficulties, and (3) befriend and learn from your peers.
UT Austin’s Academy for All
This is a weeklong program hosted and run by UT Austin, and is designed to increase participation in computer science and STEM by underrepresented groups, though all students entering 10th-12th grade are eligible to apply. Two sessions are offered, standard and machine learning, both of which consist of coursework and hands-on programming experiences. You do not need any prior coding experience to apply to this program.
The program is free for participants, including tuition and room and board. The application requires an online form, an unofficial transcript, a brief essay, and your most recent progress report. The application is due by December 22.
Wolfram High School Summer Research Program
This is a two week program run by the Wolfram corporation in cooperation with Bentley University in Boston. This program focuses specifically on the Wolfram language, and students complete an in-depth project over the course of the program, in addition to hands-on activities and lectures from industry experts. If you are admitted to the program, you are expected to learn the basics of the Wolfram language before attending.
Students must be in high school currently, and be under the age of 18 at the end of the program to be eligible. They do admit international students. The program costs $4,200, including tuition and room and board. The application opens in December each year, and includes a coding challenge as part of it. The program admits around 50 students each year.
Final Thoughts
Summers are a time for high school students to explore and grow, diving deep into topics of interest to them. While this is not an exhaustive list, we hope this article has given you a sense for the kinds of computer science programs available to high school students, and shown you programs you may be interested in exploring further.
It can be hard to discover your passions, and harder still to find avenues which allow you to explore them with vigor. Ivy Scholars’ Candidacy Building program is designed to help with this, to help you find and dive deep into your passions, and to explore them fully. If you want to learn more about what we do, and how we can help you explore your passions or find the perfect summer program, schedule a free consultation today.
