| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Cost | $10,200 (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: Free attendance; check separate expenses; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Free attendance; check separate expenses (2027 cycle) |
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| Financial aid | Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% of students receive aid; average award is 70% of tuition; awards include free or reduced-price gear rental and top packages include flights. (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Summer Term 2027 student account deposit: $500. Returned if unused.; Need-based financial aid: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. About 40% of students receive aid; average award is 70% of tuition; awards include free or reduced-price gear rental and top packages include flights.; Clarity financial aid application fee: $65. Only for aid applicants; automatically waived below a certain family income, or on request. (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: Key and swipe-card deposit (Rutgers engineering program): $65. Check returned uncashed at the end of the program.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | On-campus boarding: $0. Covered by program funders.; Food: $0. Covered by program funders. (2027 cycle) |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grade 12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 14–18; Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: Willing to spend extended periods (10 days) outdoors in wilderness settings; no previous outdoor experience is required | Residency: New Jersey residents; Requirement: Open to rising grade 12; Requirement: Attend a public or private high school or be home-schooled, and have completed junior year before the program | Residency: Texas high school students; Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–11 when applying; Requirement: Students enrolled in summer school during the program dates cannot participate (full-time attendance required) |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 27, 2027; Ends July 24, 2027; 4 weeks (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: 3–4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends June 25, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Leadville, CO | Madison, Piscataway, NJ | Austin, TX |
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| 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: Summer Term application with two essay questions; Two teacher recommendations (at least one from a core academic teacher); 15-30 minute interview with the admissions team | Selection: Selection occurs first within the high school and then at the host. Recent host sources report approximately 20%-25% admission among school nominees, with exact cohort size driven by facilities and funding. Application materials: Sciences program: two hand-signed teacher recommendations, one from a science teacher and one from a math teacher; Sciences program: two single-page essays; Engineering & Technology program: several application essays | Selection: McCombs describes desired qualities but publishes no current applicant count, cohort size, acceptance rate, fixed GPA cutoff, identity quota, geographic quota, scoring rubric, interview process, or waitlist policy. Historical cohort figures must not be treated as a future guarantee. Application materials: Essay(s); One letter of recommendation |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20Source 6 · checked 2026-08-20Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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