If your high schooler dreams of attending MIT, we have some great news:

Your kid doesn’t need to wait until their freshman year of college to experience life at one of the top technical schools in the world.

MIT is among the best places for students to spend the summer, especially if they’re interested in STEM. Participating in an MIT summer program for high schoolers looks incredible on a resume—not to mention the learned skills and networking opportunities.

Even if your child isn’t interested in attending MIT specifically, if they plan to major in STEM at a top 15 school, an MIT summer program might just be their golden ticket. 🎟️

How to increase your chances of getting into MIT’s summer programs

With an average acceptance rate of <8%, MIT’s summer programs are extremely selective. This is what makes them such an impressive addition to your kid’s resume. 

So, how can they improve their chances of being accepted? 🤔

In our line of work, we often see students who lack either a robust resume or a unique one.

This boils down to a couple of common (and frustrating) problems:

1. How are students supposed to gain experience if every opportunity requires experience?!
2. Most students have similar high school careers, so how is your kid supposed to stand out?

BETA Camp is here to answer both of these burning questions at the same time. 🔥

Our program gives your high schooler the opportunity to become the CEO of their own company, resulting in a crazy-impressive resume that sparkles in a sea of cookie-cutter applications.

If your kid wants to get noticed by MIT admissions officers, we’re here to help.

We ranked MIT’s summer programs from worst to best—here’s what factors we considered

To be clear, there isn’t a “bad” opportunity at MIT. If your student is accepted into any of the seven programs listed below, they should be incredibly proud.

But for the purposes of this list, we ranked each program based on several factors:

• Selectiveness
• Required test scores
• Other eligibility requirements

We also noted the cost, application deadline, and dates for each program. ✍️

Every MIT summer program for high schoolers, ranked

7. LaunchX

Acceptance rate: 10-20%

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be in high school at the time of application.

Cost: Varies

Application deadline: January 7, 2024 (for early admission)

Dates: June-August 2024 (varies)

With four different summer programs to choose from, LaunchX is both selective and versatile. Options include:

• Online Entrepreneurship - Students work remotely to launch a business in five weeks.
• Online Innovation - Students work remotely to solve an existing business issue within three weeks.
• Bay Area Entrepreneurship - Onsite in the Bay Area, students participate in a four-week crash course in launching a business.
• Ann Arbor Entrepreneurship - Same program, different location. Students join their peers in Ann Arbor for four weeks of hands-on business education.

Each facet of LaunchX enables high schoolers to connect with like-minded individuals from all over the world. And we love that no matter which track your student chooses to pursue, real-world business experience is a given. 💪

Pro tip: Want to improve your kid’s chances of landing LaunchX? BETA Camp can be a great stepping stone. Imagine sending them to California or Michigan, not only as a student but as a CEO. Talk about a strong resume!

6. Summer Science Program (SSP)

Acceptance rate: 10%

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be high school sophomores or juniors who have completed the required prerequisites. They must be at least 15 years old but not yet 19.

Cost: $8,400 (financial aid available)

Application deadline: TBD (application opens in December 2023)

Dates: TBD

There’s quite a bit of forethought that goes into a strong Summer Science Program application. If your kid is eligible, they’re already leagues ahead of their peers. 🚀

SSP offers participants “the educational experience of a lifetime,” providing a container for six weeks of scientific research alongside a supportive community.

This program is known to be challenging, yet invigorating, giving students the skills and confidence needed to excel in STEM. It includes:

• Three tracks to choose from: Astrophysics, Biochemistry, or Genomics
• A guest lecture series
• Field trips

SSP requires prerequisites such as physics, biology, and chemistry. If your student plans to apply, we highly suggest knocking out this coursework ASAP. 🏃‍♂️

5. LLRISE

Acceptance rate: 7.5%

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens who are passionate about science, math, and engineering. Applicants must be rising seniors.

Cost: Free

Application deadline: TBD (application opens in January 2024)

Dates: TBD

Considered to be one of the most prestigious and selective programs for high schoolers, LLRISE is a two-week immersion into the world of radar. 📻

Participants learn how to build small radar systems and hone their problem-solving skills under the guidance of expert scientists and engineers.

This is a niche program, perfect for students with a strong interest in and capacity for engineering. To stand out during the application process, teens should lean into their passion for STEM.

4. Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)

Acceptance rate: Undisclosed

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be able to demonstrate technical ability and commitment to extracurricular learning via teacher recommendations/test scores/etc. They must also be U.S. citizens.

Cost: Free

Application deadline: March 31, 2024

Dates: July 8-August 4, 2024

Beaver Works Summer Institute is another selective summer program geared toward engineering students. Though their exact acceptance rate is undisclosed, BWSI is known to be highly competitive.

For four weeks, high schoolers are exposed to the unique magic of life at MIT, including:

• A college-level curriculum
• Interaction with peers from around the United States
• Various courses/concentrations (including Quantum Software, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and more)

While the in-person program is available solely to juniors, BWSI also has online programs for underclassmen. They’re a great launchpad for younger STEM students interested in the MIT experience.

3. MITES Summer

Acceptance rate: 3-10%

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are juniors in high school.

Cost: Free

Application deadline: February 1, 2024

Dates: Late June 2024 (exact dates TBD)

The MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science program includes three different tracks: MITES Summer, MITES Semester, and MITES Saturdays.

During the summer program specifically, high schoolers experience the best that MIT has to offer, including:

• Five stimulating courses in math, science, and the humanities
• Lab tours
• Social events
• College admissions counseling

Our favorite thing about MITES is that its value goes far beyond academic skills. There’s also a personal component to the program that allows students to make new friends, network with alumni, and envision the future of STEM. ✨

Plus, at the end of the summer session, participants receive a written evaluation of their contributions, gifts, and growth areas. The selective nature of the program makes this a veritable golden ticket when submitted with college applications.

2. Women’s Technology Program (WTP)

Acceptance rate: 3-5%

Required test scores: N/A

Eligibility: Students must be rising seniors who live in the U.S. year-round and have a demonstrable interest in engineering/computer science. They must also show superior mathematical and scientific ability and hold mostly A’s in their high school courses.

Cost: TBD (financial aid will be available if needed)

Application deadline: January 15, 2024

Dates: June 29-July 26, 2024

As this list winds down, the competition kicks up. The WTP receives hundreds of applications each year, but less than 50 outstanding high schoolers are selected to participate.

WTP’s intensive, women-focused curriculum emphasizes engineering through:

• Hands-on courses
• Labs
• Group projects

This program is specially designed for rising seniors with little to no background in engineering, giving underrepresented and underserved students access to the field. Most participants later choose to major in STEM.

Since prior engineering experience renders students ineligible to apply, they can turn their attention to acing their math, science, and other high school courses. 💯

1. Research Science Institute (RSI)

Acceptance rate: 5%

Required test scores: PSAT scores should be 740+ in math and 700+ in verbal. ACT scores should be 33+ in math and 34+ in verbal.

Eligibility: Students must be rising seniors in high school.

Cost: Free

Application deadline: December 13, 2023

Dates: TBD

With an acceptance rate nearly as low as MIT undergrad, RSI is the gold standard for summer programs.

Over the course of six weeks, students:

• Experience an entire research cycle
• Take a preparatory first week of STEM courses
• Spend five weeks working on individual projects

Mentored by expert scientists and researchers, students complete RSI with written and oral presentations of their projects. That means long hours, deep work, and a desire to create a better world.

If your kid has what it takes, RSI will change their life.

Every one of these summer programs has the potential to shape your child’s education and career path. But first, they have to get in.

To stand out amongst hundreds or even thousands of other applicants, students need to make a first impression that sticks. Our suggestion?

“CEO of my own company” is hard to ignore.

BETA Camp will give your kid an edge on program applications, college applications, and even job applications later in life.

If their goal is to land an opportunity at MIT, we want to help them get there. 🏃‍♀️