10 Tech-Focused Summer Programs For High School Students

Computer science and healthcare might not seem connected; however, these two fields have more in common than you might think. Computer science has become a popular major choice for high school students, no matter what area they are interested in. Students interested in joining the medical field can use their skills to revolutionize the healthcare field.

Computer software and data analysis allow physicians and researchers to analyze health information, potentially increasing patients' quality of care. Learning Python and R can be useful for medical research and can be applied to a multitude of projects.

While in high school, aspiring computer science majors should consider AP Computer Science, an AP math class, and, if your school offers it, AP Physics. Students might also consider joining clubs like Robotics or a coding club to experience coding outside the classroom.

However, students should use their summers productively by pursuing hands-on summer learning opportunities that allow students to apply their knowledge while learning from industry professionals. Taking advantage of summer programs can help prepare students for success and lay a strong foundation for future course work.

*Details of the program costs, deadlines and duration of camp are subject to change. Verify details directly on the program's website.

The Practicum Track is six weeks and allows students to complete research in computational neurobiology. Students will learn how to read research papers, present research, and network. Students will participate in lab work under the supervision of a faculty member.

This program is only available to seniors and has a deadline of February 14. The program runs from July 2-August 11.

The University of Maryland hosts this three-week program, both in-person and online. Terp Young Scholars has various topics, with the option to take "Introduction to Computing," which is the perfect introduction to the computing field.

The application opens on January 10, and the deadline is May 1. Admission deadlines are released on a rolling basis, and the pricing varies from $1,500-$2,500.

During the one-week program, students will gain the unique opportunity to interact with US Naval Academy Midshipmen as they learn how to design and build STEM projects. The program is open to rising 9-11th graders with a strong interest in STEM.

The application opens on January 4 and closes on April 15. The program has specific sessions for each grade level. The program fee is $800 for the residential program.

This two-week summer program is open to rising 9th-12th high school students; they need to express an interest in robotics and don't necessarily need experience in the field. SPARC, hosted by New York University, believes that the best way to learn is by doing, so students will participate in a variety of activities to encourage students to think outside the box. Students will learn how to use micro-controllers, interface sensors and actuators.

Three sessions are available, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with preference given to students who applied before the April 20 deadline.

GWC has a two-week immersion program as a six-week self-paced program. The two-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP) has live, virtual classes where students will learn web development with CSS, HTML and JavaScript from industry leaders.

For the six-week self-paced program, students learn introductory coding with HTML, CSS and Javascript. More intermediate and advanced courses are also available, which cover Python with a focus on cybersecurity.

The application isn't open yet, but it is open to any current 9-12th grade students who identify as girls or non-binary.

Hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, these two-week residential programs allow students to explore a STEM field. During the camp, students will also attend college preparation workshops and social activities.

Some of the computer science and engineering options include:

The application opens on January 17 and closes on April 30. The programs are open to rising 10, 11, and 12th graders, with two sessions available from July 9-21 and July 23-August 4. Frontiers costs $3,495.

BlueStamp Engineering has in-person and online programs that teach students to design and create technology projects from scratch. In the past, students have made robotic claws, hovercrafts and remote/self-driving cars.

The 6-week in-person program is in Palo Alto and costs $4,900. All parts, tools, equipment and instruction are included in this cost. If students cannot attend the entire program, they can either opt for a 3-5 week customized in-person program or a remote one. For the remote program, students are sent a kit that contains all the necessary materials and will have classes five days a week. The cost of the 3-week remote program is $2,200.

InspiritAI has online courses taught by Stanford and MIT alumni and graduate students. They have winter, spring and summer sessions, with a variety of programs available:

AI + Covid-19 Genomics

AI + Criminal Justice

AI + Autonomous Driving

AI + Mental Health

Ai + Algorithmic Trading

The live online courses cost $900 and are open to students as young as 8th grade if they already have computer programming experience.

Upperline Code has one-week and two-week courses covering Python, JavaScript, p5.js, application development or web development. There are in-person and virtual options available, and each program will vary in start date, but students should expect to spend about six hours a day working on their projects. There is typically a mixture of individual and group work. Students don't need any prior coding experience before taking the course.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the price varies from $750-$1390.

iDTech Camps are available both online and in person. They have partnered with universities in 26 states, including Columbia University, Northwestern University and the University of California - Berkeley. The camp curriculum covers coding, AI, Roblox, Minecraft, VEX, Photoshop and more.