15 Summer Programs in Oklahoma for High Schoolers in 2025
What’s Covered:
- 15 Summer Programs in Oklahoma for High Schoolers
- How Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
There’s a lot to think about when planning for college, such as your GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars like athletics, music, and clubs. One aspect of college preparation that sometimes gets overlooked is how you spend your summers. Pre-college summer programs are an excellent way for you to build valuable skills, improve your college readiness, and give your college admissions odds a boost.
15 Summer Programs in Oklahoma for High Schoolers
1. Oklahoma Christian Honors Summer Academy
Dates: July 13 – 18
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: $600
This one-week residential college experience provides promising high school students the chance to pursue coursework in Engineering, Bible, Humanities, Sciences, and Business and Finance at Oklahoma Christian University. Participants earn two hours of transferable university credit and gain confidence in the core skill areas necessary for success after high school graduation.
2. Sooner Discovery
Dates: June 9 – July 3
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Application deadline: N/A
Cost: Dependent on class year and Oklahoma residency
This four-week-long program aims to offer a full college immersion experience to talented high schoolers. Students take classes from distinguished faculty in the mornings and afternoons, live in dorms, and participate in exciting extracurricular events, activities, and field trips.
3. Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute
Dates: June 14 – 29
Location: Quartz Mountain State Park
Application deadline: February 17
Cost: $400 (including cost of applying)
This elite arts program at the Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center offers camps in eight different disciplines: acting, chorus, creative writing, photography, orchestra, drawing & painting, and film & video. Each two-week, residential academy includes classroom learning, hours of practice, and a performance or exhibition element. These academies are highly competitive, so apply early if you’re interested!
4. NSU Drone Xperience Summer Academy
Dates: July 21 – 25
Location: Northeastern State University
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
This summer drone academy aims to introduce students to the new and growing drone industry. Students will have the chance to construct and pilot their own drones, as well as learning about future careers that may involve this kind of expertise. From photography to tech applications to work with local police organizations, participants will come to appreciate all the ways they can bring their knowledge of drones into a successful profession.
5. Kinesiology Summer Camp
Dates: June 24 – 25
Location: Northeastern State University
Application deadline: N/A
Cost: $75
Just two days long, NSU’s Kinesiology summer camp offers students a chance to learn about the study and science of the human body. Experienced NSU professors will teach participants about everything from nutrition and athletic taping to biomechanics and rehabilitation science. Campers can also look forward to learning about career opportunities in the field, hands-on lab activities, and practicing their CPR and AED skills.
6. Robotics for Young Scientists & Engineers
Dates: June 9 – 13
Location: Northeastern State University, Tahlequah Campus
Application deadline: April 30
Cost: Free
This summer academy is a hands-on STEM program that teaches students to design, build, and code robots to accomplish tasks. Open to teenagers in grades 8-12, this camp is a great opportunity to spend time working with and learning about robots of all kinds. Beyond learning about robotics, this program seeks to connect high schoolers to the broader robotics community, both in higher education and in related industries.
7. Great Plains Saxophone Workshop
Dates: June 23 – 28
Location: University of Oklahoma
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: $650
If you’re a saxophone player looking to really up your playing abilities, look no further than the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop! This week will be all about meeting peers and mentors in the field, learning from talented professionals, and of course, some serious playing time. This year, the GPSW has also introduced the Young Artist’s Competition, open to participating players under 26.
8. University of Oklahoma Conducting and Teaching Workshop
Dates: June 4 – 6
Location: University of Oklahoma
Application deadline: May 17
Cost: $400 (participant) or $150 (observer)
Musically-inclined high schoolers interested in teaching and conducting have a rare opportunity to learn and train with peers of all levels of experience. Participants in this three day program will learn about conducting and teaching, as well as music theory, rehearsal pedagogy, and technique. Those on the participant track will receive workshop feedback and coaching from University of Oklahoma faculty, and get to practice conducting a live orchestra, and those on the observer track will participate in all sessions without the pressure of conducting themselves. While the observer track is open to all experience levels, high schoolers applying as participants should be prepared for a competitive process, as preference is given to conductors with higher levels of experience.
9. University of Oklahoma Engineering Days
Dates: Various
Location: University of Oklahoma
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: $25 per day of attendance
Rather than a traditional camp lasting several days to several weeks, consider attending University of Oklahoma’s Engineering Days, where each day is a separate camp allowing for a deep-dive into different engineering disciplines. Taught by talented faculty, these camps given participants a chance to explore the depth and breadth of what engineering has to offer, with the ability to pick and choose which days to attend over the month of June. Note that each camp must be applied to separately, and Engineering Days are only open to rising juniors and seniors.
10. Sooner Flight Academy
Dates: Various
Location: University of Oklahoma
Application deadline: N/A
Cost: $700
For high schoolers passionate about STEM, the Sooner Flight Academy offers a series of week-long summer camps that explore science, technology, engineering, and math through the lens of aviation. Participants gain an understanding of mapping, flight planning, and all the ins and outs of aviation careers. The week culminates in a one-on-one flight with instruction in the Academy’s fleet of training aircraft.
11. NanoExplorers
Dates: June 15 – 20 and 22 – 27
Location: Cameron University
Application deadline: March 31
Cost: Free
At this free summer science academy, high school students can spend two weeks learning in-depth about nanotechnology, with applications in both chemistry and physics. Along with academics, NanoExplorers provides information about careers in nanotechnology. With social activities, classroom learning, and experiential projects, NanoExplorers provides a fun and action-packed two weeks for its participants.
12. OCCC’s Summer Academies
Dates:
- CHAMPS: June 9 – 12
- Digital Cinema Production: June 25 – 28
Location: Oklahoma City Community College
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
This year, OCCC is offering two free summer academies. The first is CHAMPS – Careers in Healthcare and Medical Professions, and the second is Lights, Camera, Action! A Digital Cinema Production Academy. Both are fun opportunities to learn more about these respective fields, connect with like-minded peers, and develop connections with experienced mentors through classroom learning and hands-on activities. Spots are limited, so apply early!
13. OSU’s Emerging and Converging Technology Academy
Dates: June 1 – 6
Location: Oklahoma State University
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
Rising freshmen and sophomores interested in STEM and eager to get a taste of college life should definitely check out Oklahoma State University’s summer academy. Learn about implementing technology in careers like construction, engineering, and automotive technologies, but also unexpected specialties like culinary arts and nursing. Participants will stay on the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology campus in Okmulgee and get a taste of what college living is like.
14. Northwestern Oklahoma State University STEM Summer Camp
Dates: June 1 – 6
Location: Northwestern Oklahoma State
Application deadline: April 1
Cost: Free
This STEM summer camp is titled “Renewable Energy – The Future is Here – Exploring and Learning Today.” As this heading promises, camp will focus on the most exciting new technologies promising to reshape the way we think about and use energy. Students will learn about wind farming, robotics, and electricity generation, both through classroom learning and hands-on activities and tours. Spots are limited to just 25 students, so apply today!
15. TCC Summer STEM Academy
Dates: June 15 – 20
Location: Tulsa Community College
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
TCC’s Summer STEM Academy, “Building Your Sustainable Future,” invites participants to take ownership in the world that they will grow into. By learning about and getting involved with sustainable technology, students will have the tools to shape future technology and industry in eco-friendly ways. Learn how to do so at TCC this summer, where students’ culminating projects will involve creating sustainable solutions to everyday problems.
How Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Your participation in summer programs will have a varying degree of influence on your chances of getting into your dream college. Everything from the selectivity and the prestige of the program itself to the weight a school gives extracurriculars (like summer programs) factors into the effect it has on your college odds.
The four tiers of extracurricular activities are a good guide for understanding how colleges view your participation in summer programs. Tiers one and two are home to the most recognizable and hardest to get into summer programs. Admissions officers rarely see top-tier summer programs, making them attention-grabbing and likely to strengthen your college chances.
Tiers three and four are home to less selective summer programs more commonly encountered by admissions officers. These programs don’t have the same value to colleges as their higher-tiered counterparts, but can still bolster your college odds. Participation in a lower-tiered summer program demonstrates to colleges a number of desirable qualities—most notably, the motivation to pursue fields that interest you. Many summer programs also contain college readiness components, which can give you an advantage over other applicants.
Curious about the effect extracurricular activities have on your chances of college admission? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors including grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
