9 Summer Programs in West Virginia for High Schoolers in 2024
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.
9 Summer Programs in West Virginia for High Schoolers
1. Forensic Science Summer Camp
Dates: June 17 – 21; July 22 – 26
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: Closed, but a waitlist is open
Cost: $969 for day camp and $1,369 for overnight camp
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.
2. Brain Camp
Dates: July 14 – 20
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $750
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 neuropsych testing.
3. Engineering Challenge Camps
Dates: June 24 – 28; July 15 – 19; and July 29 – August 2
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $425
This four-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.
4. CAMP STEM
Dates: June 9 – 14
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: Applications open in March
Cost: $600
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.
5. Summer Brass Academy
Dates: June 10 – 14
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: May 29
Cost: $425 for commuters and $764.21 for in-person participants
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.
6. Southern West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy
Dates: August 13 – 14
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: Application opens in March
Cost: Not applicable
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.
7. Ohio Valley Electronic Music Workshop
Dates: Various programs between June 3 – August 2
Location: Oglebay Institute and West Liberty University
Application Deadline: Application opens in February
Cost: $160 – $190
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.
8. Health Care Pathways Initiative (HCPI)
Dates: June 2 – 28
Location: Marshall University
Application Deadline: April 1
Cost: Free
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.
9. WVU High School ACCESS Early College Program
Dates: TBA
Location: West Virginia University
Application Deadline: May 8, 2024
Cost: $25 per credit for WV residents and $75 for non-resident students
The HS ACCESS Early College Program caters to high school or home-schooled Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, offering a diverse range of courses. Eligibility hinges on maintaining a 3.0 GPA, obtaining parental permission, and submitting necessary transcripts for homeschooled students.
Additionally, certain courses may necessitate ACT/SAT scores or completion of the ALEKS placement test to fulfill prerequisites, ensuring academic readiness. All official scores must be recorded in the WVU system before the semester’s add/drop period concludes, ensuring students meet the requirements for enrollment.
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.
