Extracurriculars & Programs in New York for High School Students

New York's extracurricular scene is anchored by Columbia, Cornell, and NYU pre-college programs, Wall Street finance exposure, and one of the country's densest internship markets for high schoolers.

107 verified programs match this page; 19 of the featured listings are completely free.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Young Playwrights Festival — Young Playwrights Inc.: Showcase your talent in this free playwriting competition for high schoolers (Grades 10-12). Develop creative skills, gain theater experience, and boo
• Juilliard Pre-College — The Juilliard School: Elite music program for high schoolers in grades 10-12 offering hands-on performance training and skill development. Boosts college applications and a
• National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA) — Carnegie Hall: Join a prestigious summer orchestra program for high school musicians in grades 10-12. Develop advanced music skills, perform at Carnegie Hall, and bo
• CSAW High School Forensics Competition — NYU Tandon: Compete in a free high school cybersecurity competition! Analyze digital evidence, develop forensic skills, and boost your college application. Hybrid
• National High School Musical Theatre Awards (Jimmy Awards) — Broadway League: Compete in a prestigious national musical theatre competition in NYC! Showcase your talent, gain performance skills, and boost your college applicatio
• Garcia SUMMER at Stony Brook — Stony Brook: Explore materials science in a hands-on summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Conduct research in nanotechnology and boost your college
• WCS High School Internship Program — Wildlife Conservation Society: Explore a paid summer internship at the Bronx Zoo or New York Aquarium! Gain hands-on biology and conservation experience to boost skills and strength
• Partners for the Future — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Gain hands-on research experience in molecular biology, neuroscience, or genetics with this free high school lab placement. Boost college applications
• Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition (CMUNCE) — Columbia International Relations Council and Association: Join a specialized high school Model UN conference to sharpen diplomacy, public speaking, and leadership skills. Boost your college application with h
• Virtual Enterprise International Business Plan Competition — Virtual Enterprises International: Business plan competition culminating at international finals. Students run simulated companies and pitch to real business judges.
• Columbia Engineering SHAPE — Columbia University: Explore engineering, coding, and robotics in a hands-on summer program at Columbia. Perfect for building STEM skills and enhancing college application
• Columbia Business School Summer Immersion — Columbia Business School: Business immersion program at Columbia in NYC. Finance, marketing, and management fundamentals.
• Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive — Juilliard School: Elevate your dance skills in Juilliard's summer program for high school students. Gain hands-on training, enhance college applications, and learn from
• USA Memory Championship Junior Division — USA Memory Championship: National competition in memorizing cards, numbers, names/faces, and poetry. Demonstrates exceptional cognitive abilities and dedication to mental trai
• Garcia Summer Scholars Program — Stony Brook University: Residential research program at Stony Brook University.
• Morgan Stanley Early Insights Program — Morgan Stanley: Selective program introducing underrepresented students to investment banking. Workshops, networking, and mentorship. Strong pathway to finance career
• Laboratory for Laser Energetics HS Summer Program — University of Rochester - LLE: Dive into cutting-edge physics research with this free summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Gain hands-on experience with lasers and bo
• Simons Summer Research Program — Stony Brook University: Explore STEM fields in the fully funded Simons Summer Research Program. Conduct hands-on research, gain mentorship, and boost college applications. Pe
• NYU GSTEM Summer Program — New York University (Courant Institute): Gain hands-on STEM research experience in NYU’s prestigious summer program. Perfect for high school juniors seeking mentorship, data science skills, a
• Simons Summer Research Fellowship at Rockefeller — Rockefeller University: Summer research at world-class biomedical research university.
• Biodesign Challenge High School Program — Biodesign Challenge: Join a hybrid biodesign competition for high schoolers in grades 9-12. Gain hands-on experience in synthetic biology, bioengineering, and design. Grea
• Weill Cornell Medicine Gateway to Medicine Program — Weill Cornell Medicine: Prestigious summer clinical immersion program at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City for high school students exploring medicine, including hospit
• Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Camp — Stagedoor Manor: Dive into theater at this premier summer program for grades 10-18. Build performance skills, gain hands-on experience, and enhance college application
• Fashion Scholarship Fund Design Competition — FSF: Showcase your creativity in this hybrid fashion design competition. Compete for scholarships, enhance your skills, and boost your college applications
• Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) — American Museum of Natural History: Explore astrophysics, biology, and earth science in this free hybrid high school research program. Gain hands-on experience and boost your college app
• Cornell Math Explorers Program — Cornell University: Boost math skills in this summer enrichment program for 9th-10th graders. Gain hands-on experience, enhance college applications, and explore advanced
• NYU ARISE Summer Research Program — NYU Tandon School of Engineering: Gain hands-on STEM experience in a free 7-week summer research program for high school juniors and seniors. Build skills for college and explore engin
• Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions — Metropolitan Opera: Showcase your vocal talent in this prestigious opera competition for high schoolers (grades 10-12). Gain performance skills and boost your college app
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts Summer Programs — New York University: Discover hands-on summer programs in film, theater, and dance for high schoolers in grades 10-12. Build skills, gain college-ready experience, and pur
• Carnegie Hall NYO Jazz — Carnegie Hall: Join a free, elite summer jazz program for high schoolers (grades 10-12). Perform in a premier big band, tour nationally, and boost college applicatio

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