| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $9,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Financial aid | 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 Dean's Fellowship for online Pre-College: Up to $950. Need-based, expected average $500, and available only to students ultimately registered online. No 2027 aid is announced.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Expenses and aid conditions | 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 | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 Pre-College application fee: $85. Historical nonrefundable fee; not confirmed for 2027.; 2026 initial tuition payment: $1,950. Applied toward total tuition and initiated course registration; not an additional fee. Course placement remained subject to availability.; 2026 Dean's Fellowship for online Pre-College: Up to $950. Need-based, expected average $500, and available only to students ultimately registered online. No 2027 aid is announced.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Eligibility | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Additional eligibility | 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 | Requirement: Successfully complete ninth grade before the selected Pre-College Program begins; Requirement: Hold at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale under the latest rule; Requirement: Meet any course-specific prerequisite shown in the catalog; Requirement: Provide required current academic records directly or through the school; Requirement: For international applications, meet applicable English-proficiency, transcript-evaluation, and immigration requirements; Exclusion: Assuming every program is residential, synchronous, research-based, or available in every session and modality; Exclusion: Assuming admission reserves a preferred course before acceptance, initial payment, and completed enrollment; Exclusion: Assuming participation guarantees a recommendation, admission to Johns Hopkins, transferable credit, aid, research placement, or college-application advantage |
|---|
| Session dates or duration | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 25, 2026; 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 2 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Format | In person | In person / Online |
|---|
| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
|---|
| Location | Leadville, High Mountain Institute campus and Colorado/Utah backcountry | Baltimore, Maryland, Homewood campus residential or commuter programs and fully online offerings; exact 2027 catalog unannounced |
|---|
| Selection and application | 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 | Selection: Applicants must meet GPA, grade-completion, document, and course-prerequisite rules; course placement remains capacity-dependent. No general acceptance rate is published. |
|---|
| Official sources | 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 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20 |
|---|