Northwestern Programs for High School Students
Northwestern reaches students through its Center for Talent Development courses and the Medill 'cherubs' journalism institute — one of the few pre-college programs with genuine name recognition in a professional field.
Medill's five-week newsroom summer is the standard credential for future journalists; CTD covers everything else from enrichment to accelerated academics.
6 verified Northwestern programs, 1 free — every listing includes cost, eligibility, deadline, and the official application link.
Featured programs
Browse 6+ curated programs for high school students:
- Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute — Northwestern University: Elevate your writing skills in this prestigious summer journalism program for high schoolers. Gain hands-on media experience and boost your college ap
- Northwestern Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs) - Writing & Reporting — Northwestern Medill: Develop journalism, writing, and media ethics skills in this prestigious summer program for high school juniors. Gain hands-on experience to stand out
- Northwestern National High School Institute (Cherubs) - Journalism — Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University: Immerse yourself in a free summer program at Medill School of Journalism, mastering writing, editing, and multimedia skills. Boost your college applic
- Northwestern Center for Talent Development — Northwestern University: Advanced academic programs at Northwestern for gifted learners. Saturday, summer, and online enrichment options.
- Northwestern CTD Equinox — Northwestern University: Intensive summer program for high school students offering advanced STEM courses in mathematics. Boost college applications with hands-on experience a
- CTD Equinox Academic Program — Northwestern University - Center for Talent Development: Intensive summer courses in advanced math and science at Northwestern.
Frequently asked questions
Does Northwestern offer programs for high school students?
Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 6 verified Northwestern programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. Northwestern reaches students through its Center for Talent Development courses and the Medill 'cherubs' journalism institute — one of the few pre-college programs with genuine name recognition in a professional field.
Are any Northwestern high school programs free?
Yes — 1 of the Northwestern programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.
Which Northwestern deadlines are coming up soonest?
The next deadlines: Northwestern Center for Talent Development (September 24, 2026); Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (March 2, 2027); Northwestern Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs) - Writing & Reporting (March 2, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official Northwestern page.
How competitive are Northwestern programs?
It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.