| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $3,000–$4,000; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Free attendance; check separate expenses (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: Free attendance; check separate expenses; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Sliding-scale tuition by household income: $200–$3,000. Estimated family tuition and fees by income; families can request additional aid on the enrollment form after acceptance.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): Sliding-scale tuition by household income: $200–$3,000. Estimated family tuition and fees by income; families can request additional aid on the enrollment form after acceptance.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | On-campus boarding: $0. Covered by program funders.; Food: $0. Covered by program funders. (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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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 6–10 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 9–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 6–10 when applying; Requirement: Junior Division: in grade 6, 7 or 8 during the school year of application; Requirement: Senior Division: in grade 9 or 10, with at least a B average for the last full school term and the current year; Requirement: Classified as gifted by a Louisiana public school system, or scores on an acceptable aptitude test | 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) | Residency: Kentucky student; Requirement: Be in grade 9, 10, or 11 at application under current published scope; Requirement: Show entrepreneurial curiosity, creativity, drive, resilience, collaboration, flexibility, and comfort with risk/failure; Requirement: Commit to live on campus and participate every day for all three weeks; Requirement: Obtain parent/guardian permission and two eligible recommendations; Exclusion: GPA and standardized-test scores are not considered; Exclusion: Applicants do not apply with a fixed team or need a pre-existing business idea; Exclusion: Absence is allowed only for emergency, illness, or overriding personal reason under program decisions; Exclusion: Completion does not guarantee college admission, scholarship funding, business launch, patent, prize, or investment |
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| Session dates or duration | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 7, 2026; 7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends June 25, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends July 11, 2027; 3 weeks (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 | Lake Charles, LA | Austin, TX | Lexington, KY |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Applicants must meet gifted-identification or aptitude criteria and grade-specific requirements. Applications were reviewed until spaces filled; the program does not publish applicant counts, capacity, or an acceptance rate. | 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 | Selection: Holistic statewide selection without GPA/test-score review; no current acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Two recommendations (recommenders receive a link after you submit) |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-21 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-10-24Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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