Career Exploration Programs for High School Students

The cheapest way to avoid choosing the wrong college major is to test-drive the career first, while the stakes are still low and the exit is free.

These programs put students inside real professions — shadowing clinicians, building alongside engineers, sitting in on a newsroom — long before they have to commit.

16 verified programs match this page; 8 of the featured listings are completely free; 1 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 16+ curated programs for high school students:

• Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy — Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association: Explore the free ACE Academy summer program for high schoolers in grades 9-12. Gain hands-on aviation experience, build skills, and boost your college
• Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summit — Goldman Sachs: Selective multi-day career exploration program at Goldman Sachs headquarters for high school juniors from underrepresented groups interested in financ
• Medical Explorers BSA Healthcare Career Program — Boy Scouts of America / Learning for Life: BSA's Learning for Life program connecting high school students with local hospitals and healthcare organizations for hands-on exposure to medical, nu
• Aviation Exploring (BSA) — Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life: Career exploration program in aviation. Partner with local airports, airlines, and military. Flight experiences available.
• Morgan Stanley Early Insights Program — Morgan Stanley: Selective program introducing underrepresented students to investment banking. Workshops, networking, and mentorship. Strong pathway to finance career
• National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine — Envision: Explore the National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine, an immersive summer program for high school students to gain hands-on healthcare experience and
• Washington Journalism and Media Conference — George Mason University: Explore a week-long summer program in Washington, D.C. for high schoolers passionate about journalism and media. Gain hands-on experience and boost co
• Tufts Veterinary School Summer Experience — Tufts University: Explore veterinary medicine in this hands-on summer program for grades 10-11 at Tufts. Build career skills, gain real-world experience, and boost your
• National Technical Honor Society — SkillsUSA: Join a prestigious honor society for high school students excelling in career and technical education. Boost college applications and develop hands-on
• National Student Leadership Conference — Envision: Discover a transformative summer program for high school students in grades 9-12. Develop leadership skills, explore career paths, and boost college a
• Business Professionals of America National Competition — Business Professionals of America: Compete in a national business competition to build leadership, career, and entrepreneurship skills. Perfect for high school students preparing for co
• Rx Experience — Wilkes University: Virtual pharmacy camp at Wilkes University introducing high school students to pharmaceutical sciences.
• EHL Junior Academy — Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne: Hospitality and tourism pre-college program at the world's top hospitality school in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Engineering Academy — University of Washington College of Engineering: Free one-week summer program at UW Seattle giving high school sophomores and juniors their first broad exposure to engineering through hands-on design
• Michigan Tech Summer Youth Programs — Michigan Technological University: Week-long STEM, business, and career explorations for students in grades 9-11 at Michigan Tech's Houghton campus each summer, with residential ($1,175
• Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) — Science Museum of Minnesota: The Science Museum of Minnesota's youth development program where high schoolers (grades 9-12) work as paid museum employees on STEM crews in public h

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