1. What Summer Programs Does UPenn Offer for High School Students?
The University of Pennsylvania offers 7 summer programs for high school students across 5 schools: Penn SAS High School Programs, Wharton (Business School), Carey (Law School), Penn Management, and Penn Engineering Schools. The programs range in price and length (2, 3, or 6 weeks), but they reflect an Ivy League institution’s intensity, rigor, student care, and prestigious reputation. Admission into UPenn’s summer programs is highly selective, so participating in one would do a lot to show your enthusiasm and academic competence on your college applications.
2. What’s Special About Penn Summer Programs?
University of Pennsylvania is well-known for being unique in its focus on interdisciplinary study. “The university recognizes that knowledge doesn’t exist in silos and the traditional link between a certain major and career is coming undone.” This is reflected in Penn Summer Prep. The highlight of these programs is the ability for students to traverse across multiple disciplines and become well-rounded in both humanities and STEM. Courses are interdisciplinary and help students develop a wide range of critical thinking and analytical skills necessary and applicable to select fields and all industries/majors. Penn Summer Prep is for the all-rounder, high-achieving students who excel in humanities and STEM. Another excellent example is the Management & Technology Science Institute, recognizing the important emergence of Engineering Management, which highlights the necessity to combine engineering knowledge/skills with management. Read about these programs and more below!
Out of all the Ivy Leagues, University of Pennsylvania receives the most government grant money to conduct research. This reflects in the multitude of intense, resourceful, and highly rewarding high school research programs offered in University of Pennsylvania Summer Academies. UPenn’s superior reputation for research and faculty as one of the largest producers of published scholarly research in the world makes Penn Summer Academies a very special option for students interested in STEM research.
Rarely do you see opportunities for high school students to experience law school first-hand. Penn offers this the Carey Law Pre-College Academy, allowing eager high achieving high school students to jumpstart their interest in American law, and see if law school is truly the right path for them before considering a pre-law track in college.
3. What are Penn Summer Academies?
Penn Summer Academies offers students the chance to dive deep into one topic with the esteemed UPenn faculty, long-standing professionals in the field, and receive support from graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants. Topics include American Sign Language, biomedical research, coding, chemistry, experimental physics, global culture and media, mathematics, neuroscience, and social justice. These intensive, three-week programs are residential and not for college credit. Take a glimpse at select offerings:
Biomedical Research Academy – Students explore biology relevant to diseases. Unique to Penn, the biomedical research program includes a Journal Club where students learn to analyze and critique peer-reviewed research articles. Regular classes include lectures, research talks, lab experiments, and small group investigations. Students get a first-hand view of ongoing research conducted at Penn in state-of-the-art research labs with cutting-edge technology.
Coding Academy – Students learn front-end web development through the programming languages HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Students also learn to use popular programming tool GitHub. Starting right off the bat from week 1, students begin to build their own webpages, and by the end of the program, students will have created their own stunning, aesthetic web applications.
Experimental Physics Research Academy – Through lectures, activities, projects, discussions, and research talks given by Penn faculty members, the Penn Experimental Physics Research Academy guides students through kinematics, electricity, nuclear physics, modern physics, and quantum mechanics. Students will also learn about the philosophy of science, experimental design, choosing education paths, and the ethics of science.
Neuroscience Research Academy – Students research a wide range of neuroscience topics, from the cellular foundations of the brain to the sensory systems. Students learn how these elements create memory, emotion, and morality. The neuroscience academy also has a Journal Club that functions much like the biomedical academy’s and a unique Neuroethics Club that debates current ethical dilemmas in neuroscience. Outside of the regular classroom instruction, students will conduct lab experiments and attend field trips to Mütter Museum and Franklin Institute.
Dates
July 6 – July 27, 2024 (three weeks)
Applications due February 15, 2024
Who is eligible to apply?
9th-11th grade students with a minimum 3.3 GPA. International students are welcome.
Cost
$9,700 for all programs (except ASL: $5,500)
Application Requirements
The application requires a $75 application fee, a high school transcript, one letter of recommendation, and two 400-word essays. Essay topics relate to your academic and personal goals and growth in non-academic experiences. Global Culture Academy and ASL Academy have supplemental essays.
Penn Summer Scholarship for School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school. No financial aid is available.
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4. What is Penn Pre-College Program?
Academic Content
The Penn Pre-College Program allows students to earn up to 8 college credit hours. Students can take this 6-week program online or choose to experience real Ivy League college life on-campus in one or two rigorous, college-level courses taken alongside Penn undergraduates. Students can expect to diligently complete homework, research papers, midterms, and/or finals at the college level. On-campus course offerings include Roman Art, Biology, World Film, Microeconomics, Science, Technology & War, Linguistics, Calculus, Experimental Psychology, and more. Online course offerings include Law & Society, Ancient Rome, Globalization, World Literature, Macroeconomics, Oceanography, Calculus, Ideas in Mathematics, International Relations, Philosophy, Politics & Economics, and more. Read course descriptions.
Dates
July 2 – August 10, 2024 (six weeks)
Applications due January 31, 2024
Who is eligible to apply?
10th-11th grade students. International students are welcome but must enroll in a minimum of 1.5 credit units. Early application is strongly advised because space is not guaranteed in your course of choice, as spots do fill up.
Cost
Residential | |||
1 unit – $13,648 | 1.5 units – $16,248 | 2 units – $18,848 | 2.5 units – $21,448 |
Online | |||
1 unit – $8,248 | 2 units – $13,448 | ||
1 unit is equivalent to 4 college credit hours.
Application Requirements
Same as Penn Summer Academies. See above.
5. What is Penn Summer Prep Program?
Academic Content
Penn Summer Prep Program covers a wide range of topics in sciences, arts, and humanities. This two-week residential program is non-college credit, but a Penn-unique opportunity for high school students to experience an interdisciplinary curriculum, not falling behind on other subjects while focusing on one. Penn Summer Prep instructors are a combination of University of Pennsylvania graduate students, faculty, and staff.
Students enroll in two undergraduate-level modules (one morning and one afternoon). Modules include computer science, philosophy, society, the arts, science, and English & writing classes. To list just a couple of course offerings: Digital Media, Inequality and Cyber-Civil Rights, Pathogens, Pathology and the Next Pandemic, US Census, Data, and Democracy: Understanding Numbers with Social Sciences, and many more.
Work assigned outside of class includes readings and group activities. Student performance in the modules is not graded, but students should expect to spend about 3-5 hours a week on homework.
Students leave Penn Summer Prep with a Certificate of Completion and the opportunity to request letters of recommendation from Penn faculty.
Dates
July 6 – July 20, 2024 (two weeks)
Applications due February 15, 2024
Who is eligible to apply?
9th-11th grade students. International students are welcome.
Cost
$5,700
Application Requirements
Same as Penn Summer Academies. See above.
6. What is Engineering Summer Academy at Penn?
Academic Content
Penn Engineering Summer Academy students can earn college credit and take classes from a variety of engineering disciplines. The 3-week program is residential, and offerings include Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computer Graphics, Computer Science, Nanotechnology, Networks, and Robotics.
Dates
July 6 – July 26, 2025
Application open January 2, 2025
Application due March 1, 2025
Who is eligible to apply?
10th-11th grade students with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Preference for students at the honors and advanced math and science subject level. International students welcome.
Cost
$8,500
Application Requirements
The application requires a $85 application fee, high school transcript, one letter of recommendation, and a 500-word essay on an impactful personal experience that fueled your interest in engineering or what skills or talents you want to learn through the program.
7. What is Penn Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World?
Academic Content
Taught by Wharton faculty and guest speakers, Penn Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World summer program mirrors Wharton undergraduate curriculum, discusses core business subjects and theories of leadership and teamwork, and allows students to apply real-world business practices in digital simulations and case competitions. Students conduct research on business enterprises and speak with leaders from finance, entrepreneurship, entertainment, real estate, retail, and more industries.
Dates
Priority Applications due January 31, 2024
General Applications due April 3, 2024
Session 1: June 9 – June 29, 2024
Session 2: June 30 – July 20, 2024
Session 3: July 21 – August 10, 2024
Who is eligible to apply?
11th grade students with a minimum unweighted 3.5 GPA and demonstrated leadership experience. International students welcome.
Cost
$10,999
Application Requirements
The application requires a $100 application fee, high school transcript, one letter of recommendation, a short answer self-introduction, 300-word essay, on ethics in business leadership, and a video on how you’re a leader.
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8. What is Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy?
Academic Content
Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy gives high school students a first-hand law school experience. Students are introduced to the American legal system and learn the nuts and bolts of how law is practiced in the U.S. Topics in the Penn Carey Law program cover corporate law, business & entrepreneurship law, environmental law, administrative law, human rights & immigration law, and technology, privacy, & intellectual property law. The program also takes students to meet legal practitioners and visit courtrooms.
Dates
July 5 – July 26, 2025 (three weeks)
Who is eligible to apply?
9th-12th grade students. International students welcome.
Cost
Residential $9,499, Commuter $5,999
Application Requirements
The application requires a high school transcript, letter of recommendation, and short answer questions.
9. What is Penn Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)?
Academic Content
At Penn M&TSI, students can earn college credit while learning how to connect technology and management concepts. Taught by Wharton and Penn Engineering faculty, M&TSI introduces students to crucial knowledge and skills necessary for both fields. Students build and present a prototype and go-to-market plan for their own high-tech venture. M&TSI also offers simulations led by industry innovators such as Google.
Dates
July 6 – July 26, 2025
Who is eligible to apply?
10th – 11th grade students
Cost
$9,000
Application Requirements
The application requires a $100 application fee, two letters of recommendation, a 500-word essay on a personal creative business problem-solving experience, and a video self-introduction and reasons for your interest in M&TSI.
10. Prepare for University of Pennsylvania with Aralia Education
Aralia Education is an online learning platform designed for motivated middle and high school students worldwide. We provide small group and personalized one-on-one classes led by experienced high school teachers and university professors from top-ranking American institutions. Our teachers support students in exploring interests beyond their school curriculum. Prepare for Penn Summer Programs with an online course with Aralia Education!
