6 Summer Programs in Montana for High Schoolers
What’s Covered:
For high schoolers who already know what their major is going to be, summer programs offer a great opportunity to explore this topic in more depth. The programs tend to consist of small, intimate classes that allow students to get more face time with their instructor. You will get insight into what it means to study a topic in a college setting; whether it confirms or confutes their interest, the experience is guaranteed to be a valuable one.
Even if you don’t have an intended major picked out, summer programs are equally helpful. It is an opportunity to ask questions, explore interests, and learn more about what attending college is like. You may leave the program with a better idea of what your major will be, or equally important, what it won’t be.
In a few unique cases, attending a summer program may even mean the chance to acquire transferable college credits. This could help you graduate early, satisfy undergraduate requirements, or possibly even count toward future fulfillment of a major.
Finally, summer programs offer the chance to forge lasting connections with students who share similar passions. Some of these programs draw kids from all over the country, cultivating a space in which students of different backgrounds can learn from one another.
Ready to find the right summer program for you? Read on to learn about six summer programs offered in Montana.
6 Summer Programs in Montana
1. S.E.A. Change
Dates: June 13-18
Location: University of Montana
Admission deadline: Rolling basis
Cost: Free
The Safe Empowered Accelerated (SEA) Change summer camp offered by the University of Montana is a week-long program dedicated to gender equality and empowerment. This completely free program allows students to stay on campus with all food and amenities provided while they learn how to empower women to make an impact in the world.
2. Summer Humanities Institute
Dates: June 27-July 1
Location: University of Montana
Admission deadline: Rolling basis
Cost: Free
If you are a Montana student who loves history and doesn’t want to commit to a long summer program, this week-long day camp offered by the University of Montana would be a great option for you. Two UM history professors teach a class on “Exploring the History of the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys” that allows students to take a deep dive into the history of the surrounding community from its Indigenous roots to processes of settlement and development. Although you don’t get to stay on campus, the program provides you many chances to experience college life with campus tours, guest speakers, and access to UM facilities.
3. Yellowstone Writing Project’s Rural Journalism Camp
Dates: July 10-15
Locations: Montana State University
Application deadline: June 1
Cost: Free
This free program offered by Montana State University allows ninth through twelfth graders to explore journalism in theory and practice. Over the course of the week, students will learn about issues modern journalists face and then apply their knowledge to write about real events in the Bozeman community. If you want to participate, there are application questions you should be prepared to answer:
- Name two of the most important issues in your community, and explain why they matter.
- In your community, how do people your age make money? What are your own skills–on the job, perhaps, but also beyond at home, at school, or just in general?
- Please tell us where you get your news, and please be specific. Name the magazines, newspapers, radio and television networks, blogs, podcasts, etc. that you rely on.
- What do you think of the media? Why?
- Is your own community’s way of life represented well by the media? What are some of the important untold stories about your community that are being missed by big media outlets?
- In other words, what do you wish the rest of the world knew about your community and its way of life?
Finally, please photograph three significant locations in or around your town and explain why they are important. (One shot per location is fine, but include more if you like.)
4. Montana Models Summer Camp
Dates: July 19-23
Locations: Montana State University
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Cost: Free
Montana Models is a week-long camp offered by Montana State University that allows seventh through twelfth grade students to explore the fun and creative side of math. You will develop and use mathematical skills and problem-solving strategies to come up with creative solutions in the local area. But it’s not just math all-day-every-day. You will live in MSU dorms, visit the Museum of the Rockies, go bowling and swimming at the student center, and so much more!
5. MedStart Summer Camp
Dates: Various
Location: Various
Application deadline: March 11
Cost: $500
For Montana sophomores and juniors interested in pursuing a career in medicine, MedStart is a great program to introduce students to a wide range of healthcare professions. The week-long program is offered at five different Montana universities from the week of June 12 to July 24, so you can find a time and location that works best for you. MedStart is committed to providing students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue medicine the ability to, so students from low-income families, disadvantaged backgrounds, rural areas, minorities, and first-generation students are prioritized for the program. Upon completion of the program, you also get one college credit that can be applied at any schools in the Montana University system.
6. UM Summer Exploration
Dates: July 16-29
Location: University of Montana
Application deadline: April 10
Cost: $2,800
The University of Montana’s Summer Exploration gives rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to live on the UM campus for two weeks and experience college life. During the program, you will pick one class from the options of Introduction to Public Health and Health Sciences, Montana Habitats, and Environmental Ethics: Climate Change and Sense of Place. At the end of your two weeks you will get two college credits from UM.
How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Some summer programs are more competitive than others, requiring letters of recommendation and standardized test scores, while other programs are open to all students within a particular grade level. Consequently, some summer programs are given more weight in college admissions than others.
The four tiers of extracurricular activities are a good way to understand how colleges value activities outside of the classroom, like summer programs. The most impressive, prestigious, rare, and influential activities are placed in the top two tiers. A good example of a top-tier Montana summer program is the selective Yellowstone Writing Project’s Rural Journalism Camp.
Lower-tier extracurricular activities don’t hold the same sway with admissions offices, however, they are often still valuable. Less-selective and esteemed programs still show off your interests to potential colleges while highlighting your desire to pursue your passions. Many field-specific activities also help build the skills you need to ace everything from the essays to interviews you’ll encounter in the college application process.
Curious how the summer program you participated in affects your odds 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.
