Summer is the highest-leverage time on a student's calendar. A focused summer program lets you go deep on a subject, live on a college campus, and produce something tangible while school is out. New York pairs Ivy League pre-college programs at Columbia and Cornell with New York City's finance, media, and research ecosystem.

Options include selective pre-college programs at universities, STEM intensives like SSP and COSMOS, arts and writing institutes, and free, fully funded programs for students with financial need.

How you spend your summers tells colleges what you choose to do with unstructured time — a powerful indicator of genuine interest.

How to get started with summer programs

1. Start in the fall — the best summer programs have December–February deadlines for the following summer.
2. Prioritize selective, free or aid-supported programs (SSP, MITES, COSMOS, TASS) over pay-to-play enrichment.
3. Pick programs that go deep on one interest and produce something tangible — a project, portfolio, or paper.
4. Line up recommendations early and give teachers three weeks' notice with a short brag sheet.
5. Have a strong plan B: a local research reach-out, a self-directed project, or a virtual program you can run yourself.

Featured programs

Browse 11+ curated programs for high school students:

• 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
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center High School Research Program — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Prestigious cancer research program for exceptional high schoolers.
• Mount Sinai High School Research Program — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Competitive summer research program at top NYC medical school. Students work in biomedical labs on real research projects. Strong pathway for medical/
• Columbia Business School Summer Immersion — Columbia Business School: Business immersion program at Columbia in NYC. Finance, marketing, and management fundamentals.
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Cornell NanoBiotechnology Bootcamp — Cornell University: Explore nanotechnology and biotechnology in this hands-on summer program at Cornell. Perfect for high schoolers seeking research experience and colleg
• West Point Summer Leaders Experience — U.S. Military Academy: Experience a free week-long summer program at West Point focused on leadership development, military training, and hands-on learning. Boost college ap
• Youth About Business Summer Business Camp — Youth About Business: Nonprofit-run mergers & acquisitions simulation camp hosted at Columbia Business School: high school teams play executive management on a live deal, a
• Sarah Lawrence Writers Week — Sarah Lawrence College: Week-long summer creative writing intensive for students entering grades 9-12 at Sarah Lawrence College, offered on campus ($1,950) and virtually ($1,

Frequently asked questions