Middle schoolers looking to study chemistry in Boston can opt for summer programs. With a curriculum that expands your knowledge, summer programs are a good way to familiarize yourself with chemistry. You engage with a rigorous curriculum to understand the intricacies of the subject as you prepare for high school academics.

In addition to academics, you participate in experiments and hands-on activities that equip you with practical knowledge and field-specific skills. Interactions with industry professionals as well as like-minded peers provide networking opportunities. If these opportunities are what you are looking for, you can opt for the summer chemistry programs in Boston listed below.

1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8

If you are looking for a chemistry research program, you can participate in Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in chemistry. As you conduct mentored research, you learn how to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills. The program helps you build scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.

2. Boston Leadership Institute’s Chemistry of Cooking 

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15 – 20

Location: Gann/Bentley, Greater Wellesley, and Waltham, MA

Cost: $699; limited scholarships are available

Dates: July 20 – 14 (Session 1) or August 3 – 7 (Session 2)

Application Deadline: On a rolling basis

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

This program introduces you to chemistry from the perspective of cooking and baking, both of which involve chemical reactions. You learn about the fundamentals of food and molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Through this, you explore why some flavors work and what tricks elevate a dish. Through hands-on activities, you learn the parallels between preparing a recipe and bringing up compounds to create a final product. Thus, the program blends the science of chemistry with the creativity of cooking.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

If you are looking for an interdisciplinary program that combines chemistry and technology, you can participate in Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. This program teaches you the basics of AI and machine learning. You learn a range of topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. After learning the theory, you apply the topics to a project in the practical component. This project must use technology to solve a real-world problem in chemistry. In the past, students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.

4. Brooks Summer Term

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 per class

Location: Brooks School, North Andover, MA

Cost: Ranges from $750 per week – $937.50 per week

Dates: June 22 – July 1, July 6 – 17, July 20 – 31, or August 3 – 7

Application Deadline: First-come, first-served basis

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 11

This 2-week summer program is designed for you to enhance your skills and knowledge in various subjects, including chemistry. In Term II, you study Mad Science: Exploring & Learning Through Experiments. In this track, you answer various science questions, including what it means to control a chemical reaction and predict an outcome. You learn to think like a scientist as you collect and analyze data, design experiments, and present your understanding in new ways. You attend classes in 75-minute blocks, which you can pair with afternoon Fine Arts studios that foster creativity. The small class size facilitates personalized attention to ensure your learning.

5. Northwestern CTD’s Conceptual Chemistry

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: $700

Dates: June 10 – August 12

Application Deadline: One week before the start date

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8 who meet the Emerald-tier eligibility criteria

Northwestern CTD hosts many programs for ambitious middle schoolers. In the Conceptual Chemistry track, you learn about scientific methods, chemical foundations, compositions and reactions, modern atomic theory and current events. Through virtual lab experiences, you conduct chemistry experiments, write and balance chemical equations, and study various topics. You also name ionic and covalent compounds. You interpret information presented in graphs to analyze, interpret, and present results. Thus, the program established your foundational knowledge in chemistry.

6. Mad Science Worldwide’s After-School Programs

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Various locations, including in MA

Cost: Varies by location

Dates: 6 weeks

Application Deadline: Varies by location

Eligibility: Students aged 5 – 12

Mad Science Worldwide offers diverse STEM programs for middle schoolers around the country. These programs include a rigorous curriculum in science subjects, including chemistry. You complete practical activities, observe demonstrations, and take home science-themed toys to solidify your learning. Chemistry experiments and activities, led by experienced instructors, are designed to be safe and age appropriate. Depending on the workshop, you engage with a broad curriculum or a focused one. 

7. EXPLO 360°

Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Cost: $6,295 (overnight) or $4,045 (day); financial aid may be available

Dates: Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (overnight) or June 29 – 10 (day)Session 2: July 12 – 25 (overnight) or July 13 – 24 (day)

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Rising 7th – 9th graders

At EXPLO 360°, you delve into various subjects of your choice. You pick 2 workshops and 2 electives from a range of options based on your interests. Workshops are collaborative and involve completing projects, whereas electives allow you to develop practical skills. Students interested in chemistry can select the Forensic Science track. Here, you examine blood spatter, fingerprints, and fibers of unknown origin. The course blends biology and chemistry as you learn techniques such as soil analysis and blood typing. In teams, you examine evidence and work on fictional cases using deduction and lab techniques. 

8. Johns Hopkins CTY’s Science and Artful Experiments

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: $1,365 – $1,420

Dates: July 15 – August 19

Application Deadline: June 8

Eligibility: Students in grades 5 and 6 with CTY-level quantitative or verbal scores

This program by Johns Hopkins CTY blends science with art as you create various expressive projects. You study the physics of light and color theory and investigate the chemistry of pigments, dyes, and sculptural materials. Thereafter, you design experiments, create original artworks, and analyze masterpieces through a scientific lens. The program teaches you to examine sound waves and music visualization and how chaos theory connects to abstract expressionism. You learn to apply science to artistic creations and develop a new perspective towards the world around you.

9. dynaMIT

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: To be announced

Application Deadline: To be announced

Eligibility: Rising 6th – 9th grade students

Ambitious middle schoolers who want to learn science and technology can opt for dynaMIT. This selective program is designed and delivered by MIT students. It is aimed at cultivating your interest in science through a challenging curriculum. MIT students mentor you throughout the program as you complete hands-on experiments, including in chemistry, and activities. The program does not specifically focus on chemistry, but you learn crucial skills relevant to various subjects in science. 

10. University of New Hampshire’s Dinah Whipple STEAM Academy

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: July 20 – 24

Application Deadline: March 31

Eligibility: Students in grades 5 – 12

The Dinah Whipple STEAM Academy is for middle and high schoolers to learn STEAM subjects. In this interdisciplinary course, you explore a range of science subjects, including chemistry. The program involves basic science and engineering principles and disciplines through explorative hands-on activities. You learn from professional engineers as well as peer mentors who guide you throughout the program. Regarding the humanities subjects, you learn about the Black experience in the US, the origins of African empires, and prominent Black figures in American history.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.