Participating in authoritative and reputable summer programs is one of the important ways to help students explore academic interests and demonstrate academic abilities. Today, Embark mentors have compiled several high-quality humanities and social sciences summer programs.

1. Horizon’s Academic Research Program

Horizon is a three-month online research program designed to help outstanding high school students enhance their interest in a subject. Students will conduct university-level research projects under the personalized guidance of professors from globally renowned universities. Once a specific subject area and research type are selected, students will be matched with a professor or PhD scholar (from top universities) who will provide guidance throughout the research process. Students will write a 20-page university-level research paper and submit it for publication in a reputable journal. This program offers students an excellent opportunity to conduct research in a specialized field under the guidance of top scholars.

2. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)

As one of the most prestigious and successful academic summer programs in the U.S., TASS provides a transformative experience for 10th-11th grade students who love the humanities. This prestigious, fully-funded six-week program goes beyond traditional classroom learning, exploring fields such as history, politics, literature, and art within an anti-racist framework to help students recognize and critique social inequalities like racism. The program is completely free, including full room and board, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent talented students from participating. Throughout the program, students will engage in rigorous academic work, attending three hours of college-level courses every weekday. Courses include discussions, group activities, and lectures by expert teachers. Students will also improve writing skills through essay writing and receive feedback from instructors. Beyond academics, students will make democratic decisions with other participants on community life, including planning activities, organizing service projects, managing the program budget, and fostering an inclusive environment.

3. Princeton Summer Journalism Program

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program offers an excellent opportunity for 11th-grade students. Participants will join online seminars and lectures with renowned journalists from across the country. Students will also conduct their own investigative projects, report on sports events and news around Princeton, participate in TV program recording and production, and interview, write, edit, and design their own newspaper. The program uses a broad liberal arts approach, integrating discussions on humanities, arts, culture, social issues, and history to enrich students' understanding of journalism. Practical activities include visits to major news organizations like The New York Times and Bloomberg, reporting on local news, creating digital content, and even conducting investigative reporting.

4. Embark Exploration Program

Since its inception in 2016, Embark has focused on designing tailored scientific research training programs for teenagers, aiming to ignite their research potential. Embark core team members are graduates from top American universities, possessing deep academic backgrounds and rich educational experience.

Embark brings together over 3,000 outstanding mentors from world-renowned institutions such as the Ivy League, MIT, Caltech, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University to provide premier research guidance for students.

Embark Exploration Program offer personalized one-on-one research mentorship, crafting unique research topics based on each student's interests and strengths. Embark not only helps students systematically enhance research skills and build solid research frameworks but also closely integrates research with real-world applications, ensuring students comprehend the value of research. These experiences significantly enhance students' competitive edge in university applications.

For more details, please visit the Embark. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact Embark.

1. Stanford Summer Session

The Stanford Summer Session is an 8-week program offering a wide range of courses to high school students from over 50 countries. Students will learn alongside university students in college-level courses, making it a challenging and rigorous summer program. Participants can deeply experience life at Stanford and earn college credits.

How to Evaluate and Choose a Summer Program?

It's important to conduct thorough research on summer programs before applying and have a comprehensive understanding of the ones you're interested in. High-value summer programs are selective, and some may require essay submissions. This means admissions officers want to see that applicants have applied thoughtfully.

Evaluate based on the student’s specific situation and choose the most suitable application angle and strategy to maximize success! It’s essential to note that summer programs are just one way to help students develop and showcase their academic interests, not the only way. Other activities, such as internships, independent research projects, and online courses, can also demonstrate a student’s academic abilities. For more guidance and successful case studies, students can consult Embark.