10 Summer Programs in West Virginia for High Schoolers
What’s Covered:
- 10 Summer Programs in West Virginia for High Schoolers
- How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Many young West Virginians have aspirations of living up to their state’s slogan—wild and wonderful—over summer break. However, high-achieving high schoolers will want to think about their futures, while also having fun in the summer. Summer programs are a great way for high schoolers to prepare for college and a career, while also enjoying their summer break.
10 Summer Programs in West Virginia for High Schoolers
1. Summer Bridge
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 12th
Cost: $25 per credit
Deadline: N/A
Application requirements: Accepted to West Virginia University
This practical summer program is aimed at graduating seniors with plans to enter West Virginia University (WVU) in the fall. Summer Bridge allows soon-to-be freshmen to sample college life, earn college credit, and learn about some of the resources available to them at WVU. Participants can even receive coaching on valuable college skills such as note-taking, time management, and study skills.
2. Forensic Science Summer Camp
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 9th-12th
Cost: $645-$990
Deadline: N/A
Participants in this summer program learn the basic knowledge and skills used by forensic scientists and get to practice at a mock crime scene. Topics covered by this week-long program include latent fingerprints, death investigation, comparative analysis, forensic biology/chemistry, and bloodstain pattern analysis.
3. Brain Camp
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 11th and 12th
Cost: $750
Deadline: 5/15/22
Participation in this immersive science-based camp is limited to just 30 students. Participants stay on West Virginia University’s campus for a week and attend presentations and demonstrations by the school’s Department of Neuroscience faculty and graduate students. Participants are also given ample opportunity to get hands-on experience in the lab. Topics covered by this fascinating summer program include everything from basic lab safety to human neuro-psych testing.
4. Engineering Challenge Camps
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 9th-12th
Cost: $425
Deadline: N/A
This three-day, non-residential workshop for high schoolers is limited to 30 participants per session. Two sessions of this workshop are offered, with each session and year featuring unique agendas. This year’s first session is focused on engineering and innovation, while its other session spotlights engineering and the environment. The program culminates with a presentation of a project or experience participants created or had at the program.
5. CAMP STEM
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 9th-12th
Cost: $600
Deadline: 5/13/22
Camp STEM is a week-long program aimed at students with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Participants take part in a variety of classes and projects in fields including electronics, automobiles, robotics, and forensic investigation. Participants also get to sample college life (camp is held on WVU’s Beckley campus), meet professors, and explore careers in the STEM fields.
6. Summer Brass Academy
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 8th-12th
Cost: $350-$685
Deadline: N/A
Application requirements: Minimum of three years of playing experience
Aspiring musicians can improve their technical ability and interpretive skills, in addition to increasing their understanding of a variety of genres and musical styles, at this excellent summer program. During this week-long course, participants receive individual instruction and gain experience playing as part of a musical ensemble under the tutelage of WVU faculty.
7. Southern West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy
Affiliate College: West Virginia University
Grades: 8th, 9th, 10th
Cost: N/A
Deadline: N/A
Application requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA and an essay
Southern West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy is a great summer program for students interested in pursuing a path in the healthcare field. Participants will work with professional nurses to build nursing skills while getting hands-on experience through visits to operating hospitals and real-life labs. Students leave this program with a better understanding of the day-to-day work performed by nurses as well as CPR certification.
8. Ohio Valley Electronic Music Workshop
Affiliate College: Oglebay Institute and West Liberty University
Grades: 8th-12th
Cost: $230-$260
Deadline: N/A
This summer program, which gives participants a unique opportunity to make music, is a collaboration between the Oglebay Institute and West Liberty University. Over the course of the program’s two weeks, students practice and learn to perform using various types of electronic musical instruments. At the end of the program, participants will perform a concert.
9. Health Care Pathways Initiative (HCPI)
Affiliate College: Marshall University
Grades: 9th-12th
Cost: Free
Deadline: 5/7/22
Application requirements:
- Resident of West Virginia, Ohio, or Kentucky
- Transcript
- Short answer questions
- Letter of recommendation
This residential program provides students with an interest in STEM insight into the field’s careers and workplaces. Over the program’s four weeks, students will explore fields including science, research, health care, pharmacy, nursing health informatics, and engineering. In addition to getting valuable hands-on STEM experience, participants live and learn on Marshall University’s campus and work with the school’s staff and faculty—ultimately gaining a better understanding of the college experience.
10. STEM TAlented Research (STAR) Summer Camp
Affiliate College: Marshall University
Grades: 10th and 11th (9th- or 12th-grade applicants considered on a case-by-case basis)
Cost: $750-$1,500
Deadline: N/A
Application requirements:
- Minimum 3.5 GPA
- Essay
- Two letters of recommendation
Students gain first-hand experience with college-level research at this STEM-focused summer camp. Working alongside faculty researchers and their teams, students will gain new knowledge and further their understanding of research while exploring a field of interest, such as:
- Archer’s Paradox
- Say “NO” to Bullying in Virtual Reality (VR)
- Security and Privacy in the Age of Drones
- Control of Surgical Robot Arms
- Fabrication for Medical Applications
Students earn four transferable college credits upon completion of this four-week program.
How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Can participating in a summer program improve your odds of college admission? It depends on factors ranging from the prestige of the program to the value a particular school places on extracurricular activities like summer programs. The four tiers of extracurricular activities are an easy way to understand how colleges value your activities outside of the classroom.
Tiers one and two are reserved for highly esteemed and extremely selective summer programs not commonly encountered by college admissions officials. Participation in a top-tier summer program is attention-grabbing and is likely to move an application to the top of the pile.
Tier-three and -four extracurriculars are for less-prestigious and more common summer programs. These programs hold less weight with college admissions offices but can give your chances of college admission a boost as many programs incorporate college preparation into their curriculum.
Interested to learn what colleges think of your participation in a summer program? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors including grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, such as summer programs, to estimate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities while also providing tips to improve your profile.
