Some high school students are content with sleeping the summer away—AirPods in, TV on, and nothing but time to kill.

But other high school students aim to be the next Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, or Sara Blakely. They're ready to build something.

If your student is itching to enter the business world, we're here to help. There are plenty of summer business programs for high school students—but not all are created equal. That's why we did the hard work of compiling the best of the best. 🏆

The unfortunate downfall of most high school business programs is a lack of credibility. Without a certain level of prestige, these opportunities can be a waste of time and resources, offering all theory and no practice. (Ugh.)

How do we know all of this, you ask?

Because BETA Camp is a summer business program for high school students—and year after year, we bring our A-game. 💪

By the end of the summer, BETA Camp students get to add “CEO of my own business” to their resumes. We don't settle for teaching kids about business. We let them get their hands in the dirt and actually build one.

This type of opportunity sets students up for further career options. Most people don't think teens are capable of handling their own business—but we believe differently. So, just imagine what admissions officers and hiring managers will think when they discover that your kid has already been there and done that.

Talk about setting yourself apart! 🙌

What to look for in a business program

When it comes to high-quality business programs, we look for:

• Opportunities for hands-on business experience
• Talks and workshops that instill fundamental business skills
• Instructors who seek to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit
• Leadership and communication training
• Interaction with successful business owners

We put together a list of business summer programs for high school, that don't make the mistake of treating high schoolers like children. If your teen is ready to beef up their resume and college applications by learning real-world skills, these are the opportunities they've been seeking.

By the way, business programs benefit every interest

According to College Transitions, “Colleges, particularly those of the highly-selective variety, like to see evidence of drive and intellectual curiosity, and one way to demonstrate these attributes is through participation in a business-related summer program.”

🚀 In other words, even if your high schooler isn't planning to be the next Steve Jobs, developing an entrepreneurial spirit will still benefit them later in life. 

Building a business requires excellent communication and leadership skills, as well as: 

• creativity,
• determination,
• corporate social responsibility,
• and personal responsibility.

These are skills that will be valuable in any career or life stage.

So, whether they want to be a doctor, a teacher, or an astronaut, participating in a prestigious business program is one of the best decisions your teen can make.

Best summer business programs for high schoolers

BETA Camp

Application deadline: January 15, 2024 (for super early bird savings)

Duration: Four weeks

Location: Remote (US, UK, or Canada)

Eligibility: Students who are in high school, have recently graduated, or are taking a gap year

Okay, so… we would be lying if we said our program isn't our top choice for business summer programs. We think it's pretty great—but don't take our word for it.

According to BETA Camp parent Maya, “They have armed [my son] with capabilities that are essential in today's fast-paced world, ensuring that he stands out when applying for internships, colleges, or even jobs.”

Our students have gone on to secure thousands of dollars in government funding, give TEDx talks, and graduate with advanced degrees from top universities. They don't rush through our four-week program and then mentally check out. They're tapped into entrepreneurial genius. 🧠

Within one month, we've watched teens:

• Launch real businesses (with real customers)
• Stand out on college applications (including scholarships)
• Build the skills they need to succeed in the future (and a network to help them thrive)

During the first week of BETA Camp, we teach students the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, including how to work with a team, tech trends, and so much more. We also teach them how to come up with killer ideas and do independent research to create a perfect market fit. 🌱

The following week, students master the tactical skills they need to run their own companies. They may not have a handle on copywriting, data, or workflow right now, but they will by the end of Week 2.

In Week 3, we put marketing strategies to the test. Far from regurgitating theory, students actually start making sales. 💸

Then, as the program winds down, the stakes are raised. We teach students how to pitch their ideas, not so they can do it “someday,” but so they can get real-world feedback from VCs, investors, and other entrepreneurs on our signature Demo Day.

The only potential drawback? What you put in is what you get out. Successful startups aren't launched by accident. They're powered by an intrinsic drive, determination, and grit.

If your kid is ready to build something real, we can't wait to meet them.

Business Academy at Georgetown University

Application deadline: January 31, 2024 (for waived application fee)

Duration: Three weeks

Location: Washington, D.C.

Eligibility: Students who are in high school and have a minimum 2.0 GPA

Georgetown's program is one of the best summer programs for high school students. It is a three-week program and an amazing way to immerse into the fast-paced world of business.

Faculty members combine… 

• lectures,
• case studies,
• group presentations,
• and dynamic investment challenges

… to equip students with the skills required to succeed both academically and professionally.

And with two program tracks to choose from, this summer program at Georgetown University has something for every entrepreneurial student.

On the Business & Leadership Track, students learn the fundamentals of business, giving them a head start on business-related undergraduate programs. This option covers everything from recognizing valuable opportunities to leadership within a company.

On the Global Business Track, students learn foundational principles on an international scale. With a focus on China, India, Brazil, Africa, and the Middle East, this option dives into global business opportunities and threats. 🌏

No matter which track you choose, your student will get to connect with Georgetown professors and other business experts. 

But our favorite aspect of Business Academy is the simulations. Said simulations walk students through the process of becoming an entrepreneur and launching a startup.

The only downside is that high school students won't leave Georgetown as CEOs of their companies. True to their name, the business simulations are pretend. Students receive a certificate of participation upon completing the program.

Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY)

Application deadline: February 29, 2024

Duration: Two weeks

Location: Berkeley, CA

Eligibility: Students must demonstrate maturity and motivation in their application materials

At B-BAY, it only takes two weeks to develop a full business idea with a team of peers.

Fifty talented high school students interested in business are selected to participate in life at Berkeley. This two-week program includes business classes and lectures by professors and guest speakers, classroom instruction, independent research, and group projects.

Best of all, student teams are given the opportunity to present their own business' plans at the end of the program, and all students compete to win the award for best plan.

Each aspect of B-BAY is designed to help participants discover what the business world has to offer. By the end of the session, they know how to develop a business idea and help solve big problems.

B-BAY is also great for networking (students travel from all around the globe to participate), especially for those students interested in attending Berkeley in the future. The program offers a solid balance of work and play and involves a scavenger hunt, field trips, karaoke night, and more.

While they won't leave campus with an operational business, students receive a certificate of completion at the end of the session.

Essentials of Leadership

Application deadline: TBD for 2024

Duration: Two weeks

Location: Remote

Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9-12 with leadership skills

The Wharton Global Youth Program consists of several courses available for high school students, but we like that this one is particularly relevant to entrepreneurship.

Essentials of Leadership serves as a comprehensive introduction to business education, with a focus on teamwork, communication, and, of course, leadership.

The virtual nature of the program allows students to interact with Wharton faculty, guest speakers, and their global peers, participating in case competitions and digital simulations.

If you've heard about Essentials of Leadership before, you're probably familiar with its crowning jewel, the Saturn Parable. In this space odyssey, small groups must overcome the challenges of interstellar travel, complete their mission, and return safely home. 🪐 But don't worry—it's just a simulation (no space suits required).

Each aspect of this rigorous academic program is designed to help students hone their emotional intelligence, problem-solving skills, and ability to collaborate. These are the leadership qualities that can make or break a business.

Again, program participants don't actually launch a startup, but they do walk away with the soft skills necessary to succeed in the business world.

Wake Forest Summer Immersion Business Institute

Application deadline: Open (early application encouraged as waitlists may be implemented by January 2024)

Duration: Six weeks

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Eligibility: Students must have a clean high school disciplinary record and a strong academic background

Critical thinking meets business operations, management, finance, human resources, marketing, strategy, business law, and more during Wake Forest's Summer Immersion.

Students have the opportunity to collaborate with WFU faculty and other business leaders while improving their leadership and business management skills. The program culminates in a team presentation where each team pitches their business idea and showcases their business know-how. 👩‍🏫

One of our favorite things about this summer immersion is that participants can take field trips to visit local businesses and organizations and learn from their leaders. It's one thing to study theory in a classroom—and another thing entirely to see the fundamentals in action.

As with most of the programs listed above, WFU won't turn your teen into a CEO over the summer, but this program will expose them to business vocabulary and actionable concepts. They'll also receive a certificate of completion.

Boston College Business and Leadership Institute

Application deadline: Open

Duration: Two weeks

Location: Boston, MA

Eligibility: high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors

The summer business program for high school students at Boston College is a bit different than the other summer programs. This is one of the most recognizable business schools and it is good to know that the pre college summer program does not dive deep into specific business operations, it rather focuses more on teaching students a broad overview of the business world and leadership skills.

This two-week program for high school students is designed to provide them with the opportunity to experience college life while expanding their knowledge of business practices to help them be successful in both academic pursuits and early business careers.

What we love about this summer business program is that it offers a broad curriculum of various subjects—international business, team building and dynamics, digital marketing, finance, business law, economic analysis, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and many more. The pick of the program is the application of the knowledge they earn through the creation of a business plan for a service or product.

At the end of this summer program, these high school students may not become business leaders or earn any college credits, but they will go home with more knowledge than before. This is one of the best pre-college summer programs that will let participants experience college life and make them ready for the world they want to immerse in.

Indiana University's "Business is Global" Program

Application deadline: April 14, 2024

Duration: Two weeks

Location: Bloomington, IN

Eligibility: High school juniors, sophomores, and seniors interested in business, language, and culture exchange

This summer program at Indiana University is a perfect chance for all high school students interested in becoming young entrepreneurs. If they love business, culture, and languages—this two-week program will bring to life their motto "Business is gold."

The 2024 summer program will be concentrated on less-commonly taught foreign languages, such as Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Russian, and Zulu.

During this summer program, students will:

• Learn about different cultures and know their communication styles
• Learn how the nation's economy works and how it differs from the other regions
• Develop professional business skills, networking, and collaboration
• Get to know campus and college life—which is especially beneficial if they take it as a pre-college program

Weekdays will be divided into will focus on these languages and their culture. Each morning, program participants will have business sessions and a language session. In the afternoon, they will have regional culture sessions. These sessions will be interactive and experimental, and students will have career information sessions, small group discussions, and region-specific activities.

On the last day of this summer program, students will present their final group projects. They won't receive any certification or become high school entrepreneurs right away, but they will go home richer from the amazing experience this program provides.

Washington University Summer Program: BOLD@Olin

Application deadline: March 10, 2024

Duration: 5 days

Location: Washington, D.C.

Eligibility:  High school students entering their junior or senior year in Fall 2024 with a 3.5 grade point average or higher

This is one of the shortest summer business programs for high school students on the list. During these five days, students will be immersed in college life and spend time with undergraduate students to learn more about opportunities available to college major in business.

The students will take business classes, work on case studies, and experience college life at one of the top universities in the country. They will get to know professors and other faculty members and learn from different guest speakers at George Washington University. Students will receive several college credits in preparation for the college admissions process.

At the end of the program, participants do not earn college credit, but they receive a digital certificate to confirm attendance. The participation will help them choose their future career and will teach them about different important fields, such as personal finance, market research, organizational behavior, financial literacy, and much more.

***

If your kid dreams of becoming a world-class entrepreneur, any of the summer business programs for high school students above will be a great fit.

Of course, if they're tired of waiting for “someday” to become their own boss, there's only one program that fits the bill.

In just four life-changing weeks, BETA Camp will turn your teen into a CEO. 👔

Even if owning a business isn't their long-term goal, that title looks pretty darn good on college applications and resumes—especially if their company makes a measurable impact.

Ready to learn more? Reach out to us here. Let's start building.

Where will your startup journey take you?

Secure your spot in BETA Camp Summer 2024

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