| Application deadline | March 19, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Catalog terms: In-person breakfast and lunch: $0. Provided during the one-day Bloomington session.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 student-account deposit: $500. Returned to the family if unused; separate enrollment deposit details were not quantified on the official pages.; Travel to and from Colorado: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Flights were not included in tuition, although the largest need-based aid packages could cover them.; Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% received aid in the published cycle; average award was 70% of tuition, and aid included discounted or free gear rental, with top packages potentially covering flights.; Clarity financial-aid application fee: $65. Applies to the aid application; automatic or inquiry-based fee waivers are available for eligible families.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: Have at least a 3.5 cumulative high-school GPA on a 4.0 scale; Requirement: For virtual sessions, be a current sophomore, junior, or senior; Requirement: For summer in-person sessions, be a rising junior or senior; Requirement: Submit both required short essays and GPA information by the deadline; Requirement: Be available for the full selected one-day or two-session program; Exclusion: The program is open to all eligible students, not only students who identify as women; Exclusion: Applicants below the 3.5 GPA minimum are directed to other programs; Exclusion: Late applications receive no exceptions, including technical-delay cases; Exclusion: Participation does not guarantee Kelley or IU admission, college credit, scholarship, recommendation, internship, job, or college-admissions advantage | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Be a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader and age 14-18 for the applicable cycle; Requirement: Be prepared for a residential program at 10,000 feet and extended backpacking expeditions; Requirement: Complete the required application, recommendations, transcript, and interview; Requirement: If accepted, complete health, physical, risk, release, enrollment, and payment requirements; Exclusion: Prior outdoor experience is not required; Exclusion: The official pages do not state a citizenship or Colorado-residency restriction; Exclusion: Program mental-health services are limited, and backcountry groups may lack timely outside support; families must evaluate fit with HMI |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 0.14–1.14 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person / Online | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Bloomington, Indiana, Indiana University Bloomington campus and live virtual sessions | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Kelley calls KWLI selective, limits seats, and reviews cumulative GPA and application essays after the deadline. It does not publish applicant totals, cohort sizes by session, acceptance rates, geographic quotas, or scoring weights. Application materials: 100-word statement explaining why the student hopes to participate | Selection: HMI describes a typical cohort of 12-20 students; it does not publish a current applicant count or acceptance rate. Application materials: Two approximately 250-word essays; Two teacher recommendations, including at least one from a core academic teacher, under the current central admissions page; Required 15-30 minute admissions interview |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-09Source 2 · checked 2026-10-09 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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