Summer is a period every student looks forward to, a time of freedom and release from the toiling drudgery of high school, and a chance to do what you want for a spell instead. Of course, there are a lot of options for ways to spend your summer, and so a new problem tends to emerge: finding the best one for you.
We’ve written before about how to best spend your summer, and concluded that anything that lets you explore and grow in your passions and interests is a good use of your time. To that end, we’re exploring how students with certain interests can find opportunities that best suit them, and in this article we’re looking specifically at summer programs involving business and entrepreneurship.
Business is rarely something students get to explore in high school, but it is one of the most popular, and competitive, college majors. This means getting any experience with business in high school is excellent, both to see if it’s something you’d like to spend your time on seriously, and to begin preparing for college admissions. In this article, we’re going to cover some programs that help you do just that. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but covers some programs we’ve found to be worth consideration. Let’s get started!
Wharton’s Global Youth Programs
UPenn’s Wharton school is consistently ranked as the best business program in the country. That does not mean that the high school programs it offers are inherently better or automatically the right choice for you, but they are interesting, and worth considering. These programs mostly consist of coursework at Wharton; these are good for an introduction to business, but are not as hands-on as some students enjoy. We’ll give a brief introduction to each of their specific programs.
All of these programs have both a priority application deadline, and a final application deadline. The priority deadline is in late January, and gives you a better chance of acceptance, the final deadline is in April. Finally, note that attending one of these programs has no impact on your chances of admission to Wharton. They may appreciate it on its merits, but it does not give you any kind of extra leg up in the admissions process.
Product Design Academy
This is a three-week program for rising juniors and seniors. Students will learn how to research and design a new product, and the entrepreneurial skills to create a business around that product. Total cost is $9,799. This is one of the more hands-on options, and a good choice for students with an interest in the intersection of engineering and entrepreneurship.
Essentials of Entrepreneurship and Essentials of Finance
These are both two-week programs where you take introductory courses on the chosen topic on Wharton’s campus. They cost $7,899 apiece. These are not bad programs, but you can find similar coursework at other schools for a longer duration or lower cost.
Leadership in the Business World
This is a three week program which serves as a general introduction to business and leadership. It mixes coursework, guest lectures, group activities, and research. Total cost is $11,399. This is one of the more popular Wharton programs.
Data Science Academy
This is a three week program where students learn the fundamentals of data science from Wharton faculty, and how those principles apply to the field of finance. Total cost is $9,799. This is a reasonable option for students interested in data science, but there are better options in the same field.
Moneyball Academy
This is a three week program on sports analytics and statistics, done through a lens of sports. This is primarily a statistics introduction, but also covers some sports management principles. Total cost $9,799. This is a very good program for students interested in sports management and the business of sports, as few programs cover this.
Management & Technology Summer Institute
This program is run by the Fisher Program in Management and Technology, and combines elements from Penn’s Wharton and Engineering schools. Students spend three weeks attending courses and building their own prototype for a high tech business venture. Total cost is $9,000. This is a good option for students interested in the intersection of business and tech, and wanting to explore both.
Georgetown Business Academy
This is a three week program run by Georgetown (as the name implies), where students take business courses on their campus and hear guest lectures from leaders in finance. This program specifically looks at international business and finance, and the importance of multinational organizations such as the World Bank and the IMF.
You must apply to this program online. You must be a current 8th-12th grade student to be eligible to apply; domestic and international applicants are welcome. The application requires a 300 word personal statement. TOEFL scores are not required for international students, but they caution that if you do not have a proficient grasp on English, you may not gain the full benefits of the program. The early deadline is by the end of January, the regular deadline is in April.
The cost of this program is $7,700 for residential students, or $5,800 for commuter students. This program is an excellent choice for younger students who may want an introduction to specific aspects of business, as the age requirements for this program are laxer than at many other schools.
High School Scholars Internship Program (HSSIP)
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has established this internship program to introduce students to the banking industry, banking regulation, and the role of the government in finance. This is a six week paid internship, and is only open to students in Washington DC and Prince George’s County Md. In addition, all applicants must attend a public or charter school. You must be a current high school junior or senior to apply.
The eligibility requirements make this position more difficult to apply to, but it is an excellent opportunity for those students who qualify. Government internships will teach you a lot, and the fact that it’s a paid opportunity is excellent as well. It will give you a slightly different perspective on finance and banking however, and may not be as ideal for students interested in the industry. If you have an interest in economics or public policy, and are eligible for this internship, then we recommend applying.
The application for this program is due at the end of February. In order to be eligible to apply, you must be nominated by a school counselor or administrator. We recommend reaching out to them about this in the fall; they should have plenty of warning. The application itself requires an online form; finalists are invited to interview with an OCC panel to check for their fit with the program.
Wall Street 101
This is a series of one-week programs offered by Bentley University, with a goal of explaining the mechanics and strategies of stock trading to high school students. There are online, commuter, and residential options for these courses. Each of these is presented as a series of lectures, and is intended to convey about 20% of the material you would cover in an equivalent college course.
There are multiple sessions each summer, which offer different courses in different formats. The application is done online. You must be a rising junior or senior to apply, and must be at least 16 by the start of the program to live on campus; younger students may attend as commuters or online. Applications open in January, and are reviewed on a rolling basis, with a final deadline in June. The cost of this program is $1,490 for online, $2,250 for commuters, and $3,180 for residential students.
This is an interesting program, but does not offer the same depth that some other college coursework programs have, nor the hands-on applications some programs offer. It can be a good choice for an introductory program.
Babson Summer Study
Babson College is known for being a liberal arts style college with a sole focus on business and finance, and their summer programs reflect this. This is a three week course that lets students take the exact intro course that Babson students take; there are lectures each morning, and an expectation of an additional five hours of work each day (25 hours a week total of work outside the classroom is expected).
This program is offered both virtually and in-person. The virtual cost is $6,295 for tuition. The in-person program has that same cost, plus an additional $6,500 charge for room and board. Applications are done online. You must be a rising junior or senior, and must be at least 16 by the start date of the program. International students are welcome to apply, but must submit test scores to certify English proficiency. The application opens in December; the early deadline is January 14, and the standard deadline March 14.
We recommend this program for students who want a thorough introduction to the fundamentals of business and entrepreneurship. It does not offer the same hands-on experience as some other programs, but does offer a very in-depth discussion of the principles of the field.
UChicago Career Insight
This is a two week residential program offered by UChicago, with the express goal of introducing students to what careers in business and finance are like. The school is one of the known feeders for these careers, and the program offers both lectures by UChicago faculty in the mornings, and excursions and career talks in the afternoons.
This program costs $5,625, and is open to current 9th-11th graders. Applications must be done online, and require a writing sample and a letter of recommendation. International students are eligible to apply, but they must submit a test score demonstrating English proficiency if English is not their primary language of instruction at high school.
This program is good for younger students, especially 9th graders, in order to give them a taste of what these careers entail, and what finance looks like. Older students would do better in a program which gives a more thorough introduction to some of the academic components of these fields.
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY)
This is a two week program run by Berkeley’s Haas School of Business (as the name suggests). This program has students learn from Berkeley faculty and lecturers, then work in teams to create and present a business plan. The program is fully residential, with students living on Berkeley’s campus and hearing from undergraduates about the school.
The program accepts 50 students each year, and accepts both domestic and international students. The application must be done online; it opens in December and closes in March, though applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The application requires the online form, one essay response, a transcript, and two letters of recommendation. You must be a current high school student to apply. The program costs $6,292 for California residents, and $7,332 for non-residents.
This is a good program for students, especially younger ones, to get a sense of how business functions, and to begin gaining some practical experience in designing a business. While this is a relatively short program, it still manages to cover a good amount of ground.
Business is Global
This is a two week program hosted by Indiana University (in Bloomington), with a focus on how business and communication work between the US and various regions around the globe. Students are taught by faculty from the Kelley School of Business, and receive brief introductions to some less commonly studied languages and regions, along with an overview of business fundamentals.
The program is open to students who are rising sophomores to seniors. The application must be done online, and is due by April 14. This requires the online form and a letter of recommendation. The program costs $2,000 in total.
This is a good program for younger students, who may have an interest in international business. If you are interested in a specific language or region, then there are better summer programs to explore these in depth; if you have a more general interest in globalized business however, this is a reasonable option.
Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS)
This is a two week residential program run by Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. The goal of this program is to give students a chance to take both college prep and business fundamentals courses from Smeal faculty, while also experiencing what life at college is like.
This program is only open to US residents and residents of Puerto Rico. This program is only open to rising seniors. The application must be done online; it opens October 1 and is due in March. The application requires the online form, a 1-2 page personal statement, a transcript, standardized test scores, and one letter of recommendation. The program fee is $250.
The goal of the BOSS program is to increase diversity in business, and to give students who might not otherwise have a chance to explore some business fundamentals in high school. This is not considered when reviewing applications, but this program is best for students who have not had much of an introduction to business before, and who may be unable to afford one of its costlier counterparts. This is not the best business summer program, but is quite good at what it aims to do.
Caminos Al Futuro
This is a three week residential program run by George Washington University, and specifically overseen by their Cisernos Hispanic Leadership Institute. This program is only for rising seniors at US high schools with a history of both strong academic achievement and leadership and service in the Hispanic community. The program allows students to examine the economic and socio-political factors impacting the Hispanic community, and to learn about how policy impacts these.
The application for this program opens in December, and is due by March 1. The application requires an online form, several short essays, and a letter of recommendation. This is a fully funded program, with no cost to participate to students; the program will also provide assistance for travel to campus.
This is a great program for students who are more interested in economic and governmental policy, especially those who are members of or otherwise active in the Hispanic community. Note that you do not need to be Hispanic to apply; applicants of all backgrounds are encouraged, but you must have shown a strong dedication to the Hispanic community. This is a more niche program, but quite good if it aligns with your interests.
Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy
This is a two week residential program run by (as the name suggests) University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. This program allows students to experience what life is like at Ross, while taking courses and hearing lectures from faculty and researchers. There is no credit offered for this course.
You must be a rising senior to apply to this program, and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher. International students are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to domestic applicants. The application must be completed online; this requires two short essays and a letter of recommendation. The application is due by January 21. The program costs $5,500 in total.
This is an ok program for students interested in business, but its shorter duration means it isn’t able to go into the same depth as some other programs. It certainly isn’t bad, but some other programs offer better value for the cost.
USC Exploring Entrepreneurship
This is a four week program offered by USC, with the goal of introducing students to business principles, and giving them practical experience with what is required to start a business. Students take courses and attend lectures by USC faculty, then work in groups to plan out a business. The program also includes trips to businesses around Los Angeles, to learn from what business leaders are doing in the real world.
This program is only open to students who have completed 10th grade or above by the program start date. The program is open to international students, but they must be able to demonstrate English proficiency. This is an in-person program, though students may participate as either residential or commuters. The total cost is $11,347 for residential students and $7,812 for commuter students. The application must be submitted online, and requires the form be completed and a transcript be uploaded. The application is due by the start of May for domestic students and mid-March for international students.
This is a good program for students interested in business, as it is long enough to cover topics in some depth, while also including some practical components, giving students a chance to learn about business through doing.
Athena Summer Innovation Institute
This is a three week program run by Barnard College, with the goal of giving students what they need to turn ideas into reality, especially in the context of beginning new groups or start-ups. You do not need an idea to apply; indeed, they prefer students arrive with a blank state. You do need to have a strong interest in developing such ideas and working in a group to make these a reality however. You will participate in workshops and attend lectures, and work in a group to create your own plan for a venture launch.
You must be a current high school student to apply, and at least 14 by the start date of the program. Note that Barnard is a women-only liberal arts college, and only accepts young women to their pre-college summer programs. The application itself requires the online form, a transcript, a letter of recommendation, and a 500 word personal statement. The application opens December 1, the priority deadline is in February, and applications are due by April 15. Note that applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and seats in the program are limited. The total cost of this program is $10,171 for residential students.
This is a good program for students interested in entrepreneurship, especially younger ones. The eligibility requirements mean not everyone will be able to apply, but it is worth looking into if you are eligible.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Bootcamp
This is a two week long program run by Tufts University, which seeks to introduce students both to various concepts in entrepreneurship, and to Tufts itself. This is an in-person program, but is available to residential and commuter students. Students will attend a variety of workshops and lectures in the first week, and then spend the second week working in groups to design and develop a venture and business case.
The application for this program must be done online. It opens in December, and is due by May 1. You must be a rising sophomore-senior to apply, and at least 15 to live in on-campus housing. International students are welcome to apply, but if English is not your first language, you will need to submit proof of English proficiency. The application requires an online form, and one letter of recommendation. The program costs $4,225 for commuter students and $5,750 for residential students.
This is a good program for younger students, ones who are looking for an introduction to what business is, and what it looks like to start one. It does not go as in-depth as some other programs, but does provide a good amount of practical experience.
Final Thoughts
This is a significant number of programs, though it is by no means an exhaustive list. These programs offered by colleges are not your only option if you are interested in business however. What we have found to be far more valuable is undertaking internships or other ventures which give you practical experience with business. From starting a small business of your own to trying your hand at trading stocks, you will often gain more in the way of practical experience, and more to write about in potential essays, then you will from many of these programs.
This is not to say these college programs are useless; there is something to be said for learning the theories which underlie business, entrepreneurship, and management, and seeing if these are the kinds of things you would enjoy majoring in. The point is instead that these aren’t your only option.
If you are looking for help finding the right kind of program for you, or in applying to any of these summer programs (some of which can be quite competitive), Ivy Scholars is here to help. Our candidacy building program specializes in helping students develop their passions and interests, both when applying to existing programs, and on their own initiative. To learn more about this, and how we can help you, schedule a free consultation today. We’ve worked with hundreds of students navigating the long days of summer, and are always happy to hear from you.
